West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Antlerless Deer Harvest Regulations for the 2002 Season

ANTLERLESS REGULATIONS

An antlerless deer is any deer having no antlers or having both antlers less than 3 inches long above the hairline.

A maximum of four antlerless deer (one per day) may be taken during the antlerless deer season in selected counties. Three deer may be taken with Class N licenses, at least one of which must be taken in a county specified to have a bag limit of 3 Class N deer. One deer may also be taken with an unfilled Class RG or Class RRG gun license in a county open for its use in the antlerless season.

In all instances the first deer taken during the antlerless deer season or the portion of the antlerless deer season concurrent with bucks-only season must be taken on a Class N license or as a landowner.

All West Virginia residents, regardless of age, must purchase a Class N license to hunt during the antlerless season with the following exceptions:

Resident landowners may hunt antlerless deer on their land without a license provided the land is in a county or part thereof open to antlerless deer hunting.
Resident landowners, their resident children or resident parents do not have to live on the property. However, a resident tenant must permanently live on the land.
Resident stockholders of resident corporations formed for the primary purpose of hunting or fishing who own no less than 1,000 acres may hunt antlerless deer on their own land, provided the land is in a county or part thereof open to antlerless deer hunting.

All non-residents,military personnel, senior citizens, Class Q, disabled veterans, former POWs and underage hunters must purchase a Class N license to hunt antlerless deer.

Class N licenses may be purchased anytime after August 1, 2002 at any license agent, county clerk's office, the Elkins Operations Center, or the DNR License Section in Charleston.

Class N licenses are county specific and nontransferable.

Only one antlerless deer may be taken on each Class N license.

No person may actively participate (driving) in any manner in hunting antlerless deer without a valid Class N license or otherwise being exempt from having a Class N license.

LIMITED RESIDENT ANTLERLESS DEER HUNTING

Six (6) counties or parts thereof,two (2) state forests, Monongahela NF in Pocahontas County and fifteen (15) wildlife management areas (WMAs) have a limited number of Class N licenses for resident antlerless deer hunting. To be eligible to hunt in one of these counties or wildlife management areas an application must be submitted by August 16, 2002. Successful applicants will receive notification from the DNR by mail. Resident landowners may hunt on their own land in these counties or parts thereof without a permit.

In limited resident antlerless counties or parts thereof and limited resident antlerless WMAs, a hunter may take only one deer in the antlerless season.

UNLIMITED RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT ANTLERLESS DEER HUNTING

Forty-four (44) counties or parts thereof have an unlimited number of Class N or NN licenses for resident and nonresident antlerless deer hunting. No application is necessary for these counties. Wallback WMA is closed to antlerless deer hunting. Sleepy Creek WMA is open to unlimited resident antlerless deer hunting only Dec. 9-14. With the exception of Wallback WMA and the 15 WMAs, the remaining WMAs in the 44 counties are unlimited and open to resident and nonresident hunters.

COUNTIES WITH A BAG LIMIT OF 3 CLASS N DEER AND COUNTIES FOR USE OF UNFILLED CLASS RG AND CLASS RRG IN ANTLERLESS SEASON

There are 42 counties or parts thereof where a hunter can take an additional antlerless deer during the antlerless season by purchasing an additional Class N license.

In addition, unfilled Class RG and Class RRG gun licenses may be used to take an additional antlerless deer during the Class N season in forty-two (42) specified counties or parts thereof.

Deer hunting on the Class RG or Class RRG license in the antlerless season or the portion of the antlerless season concurrent with the bucks-only season can begin on the day after legally checking the first antlerless deer on a Class N license or as a resident landowner.

The use of these licenses (RG, RRG, additional Class N) does not apply to Becky Creek, Beech Fork, Big Ugly, Bluestone, Burnsville, East Lynn, Elk River, Hillcrest, Sleepy Creek, Chief Cornstalk, Cross Creek, Handley, Pleasants Creek, Pruntytown, Amherst/Plymouth, Stonecoal, Stonewall Jackson, Wallback WMAs, and Cal Price and Seneca State Forests and Monongahela NF in Pocahontas and Pendleton Counties. The remaining WMAs in these 42 counties are open for the use of additional Class N or the RG or RRG licenses.

CONCURRENT HUNTING DURING THE ANTLERLESS DEER SEASON

During antlerless season (Dec. 9-14 and Dec. 25-28) concurrent hunting for small game, boar and bear (where the season is open) is legal, however, no hunter except those legally hunting antlerless deer or bear shall be afield with a firearm with solid ball ammunition or shot shells containing larger than No. 4 shot.

Concurrent archery hunting is legal during the antlerless season subject to all archery deer hunting regulations. All persons hunting during deer firearms seasons (except those engaged in farming activities on their own land and waterfowl hunters) must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange as an outer garment.

Concurrent waterfowl hunting (See Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations) is legal.

SPECIAL SPLIT YOUTH AND CLASSQ ANTLERLESS DEER SEASON - OCTOBER 26, AND DECEMBER 23& 24, 2002

A special one day deer season for youth hunters and ClassQ will be held on private land in counties or parts thereof open to Antlerless (Class N) deer hunting and on 29 specified Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs). Only one antlerless deer may be taken. To participate hunters must:

Be at least 10 and no more than 14 years of age on the day of the season.
Be accompanied by a licensed adult, at least 21 years of age, who must also wear 400 square inches of blaze orange, cannot carry a gun or a bow and must remain near enough to the youth to render advice and assistance.

- or -

Possess a Valid ClassQ and CS/LE licenses.

The bag limit of one antlerless deer will not count towards the hunter's annual deer season bag limit. A class N license is not required. Deer taken must be checked at an official game checking station within 24 hours of the close of this special season.

Youth and ClassQ hunt participants and all other hunters hunting on private land or on any of the specified WMAs on the day of the special youth deer hunt, with the exception of waterfowl hunters, must wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange as an outer garment. All nonresident participants must possess Class E, Class CS and Class LE licenses.

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