Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 16, April 19, 2024
Section 58-45-4 - Bear Hunting Seasons4.1. Firearms Dog Bear Season. -- Except as provided in subsection 4.1.1. of this rule, the firearms dog bear season opens on the first Monday following the close of the buck firearms deer season and runs for the number of days and in the counties or portion of counties designated by the Natural Resources Commission and published annually by the Director. 4.1.1. The firearms dog bear season is also open for the number of days and in counties or portions of counties designated by the Natural Resources Commission and published annually by the Director.4.2. Firearms/No Dogs Bear Season. -- The firearms/no dogs bear season opens on the first Monday following the close of the buck firearms deer season and runs for the number of days and in the counties or portions of counties designated by the Natural Resources Commission and published annually by the Director. 4.2.1. The firearms/no dogs bear season is also open for the number of days and in counties or portion of counties designated by the Natural Resources Commission and published annually by the Director.4.2.2. Portions of the firearms/no dog season established in 4.2.1. of this rule may be by permit only.4.2.3. Persons lawfully allowed to hunt during the bear firearms season are entitled to hunt with a crossbow or air rifle during this season.4.3. Archery/No Dogs Bear Season. -- The archery/no dogs bear season opens statewide on the last Saturday in September and runs through the last day of December.4.4. Crossbow/No Dogs Bear Season. -- The crossbow/no dogs bear season opens statewide on the last Saturday in September and runs through the last day of December.4.5. Mountaineer Heritage Deer/Bear/Turkey Season. This season runs for four consecutive days commencing on the second Thursday of January and closing on the following Sunday. One bear may be taken during this season.4.5.1. The use of dogs is prohibited during the Mountaineer Heritage Season.4.5.2. This is a special primitive weapons season and only single-shot side-lock percussion and flintlock muzzleloader pistols and rifles with iron sights and only long and recurve bows are permitted during this season for bear. Crossbows are not permitted during this primitive weapons season.4.5.3. This season is open statewide except that Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties are limited to long and recurve bows only.4.6. Special Youth/Class Q/XS Bear Season. -- There will be a special split youth/Class Q/XS bear season for youth hunters, ages eight to less than 18, Class Q permit holders, and Class XS license holders. The first split segment will be held on a Saturday and following Sunday in September designated by the Natural Resources Commission and published annually by the Director. The second segment will be held on the third Saturday and following Sunday in October. 4.6.1. The first split season will be open in all, or parts of those counties open to bear hunting with or without dogs and the use of dogs is permitted during this split of the Special Youth/Class Q/XS bear season.4.6.2. The use of dogs is prohibited during the second split of the Special Youth/Class Q/XS Bear Season and this split is open on private and public lands in counties open to a firearms deer hunting season.4.6.3. During this split special season, one bear may be taken per day which applies to the regular bear season annual bag limit. Furthermore, if a second bear is harvested, one of the bears must be harvested from those counties as designated by the Director.4.7. Special Urban Deer/Bear Archery/Crossbow Season. -- This season, which may be implemented within incorporated limits of a city, town, or village will be a split season. The initial season opens 21 days prior to the opening of the statewide bear archery season and closes on the last day in December. The second split opens on the second Monday in January and runs through January 31. This special bear season will in no way supersede local regulations or community prohibitions on hunting. The governing entity shall notify the Director by August 1 of their intentions to participate in the special urban bear archery/crossbow season during that year. All participating hunters are required to have a valid base hunting license and a bear damage stamp or be exempt from having to purchase a base hunting license.4.7.1. This season may also be implemented within incorporated homeowners' associations that have defined boundaries. The governing entity of these associations shall submit a letter to the Director prior to March 1 of the year that the hunt is requested. Based on a field review, the Director may or may not grant the request. This special bear season will in no way supersede local regulations or community prohibitions on hunting.4.7.2. Bear taken during this special season, shall not apply to the regular archery or crossbow bear season bag limits.4.7.3. The season bag limit for all incorporated cities, towns, villages, and homeowners' associations is one bear.4.8. No person may hunt bear between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise on the following day, except that hunting dogs may be trained on bear during these hours in accordance with the provisions of W. Va. Code § 20-2-5(22).4.9. A person shall comply with permit procedures and deadlines established by the Director to apply for limited bear permits established in Section 4.2.2. of this rule. Only one application may be submitted per person.