West Virginia Wildlife from Eyewitness News

Bow Hunters Heaven

One of the biggest times of the year for bowhunters is right around the corner - opening weekend. Great not only for hunters, but everyone in the state.

October 12, 2005
Reporter: Patrick McMurtry
Videographer: Brad Rice

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Scott Warner/DNR Biologist says:
"We pretty much cater to everyone."

This is the time of year bowhunters from across the country look forward to-bowhunting season in West Virginia opens this weekend.

Scott Warner/DNR Biologist says:
"Archery season opens up 10/15. Over the next several weeks, we'll have 150,000 people coming to West Virginia or West Virginia residents heading out into the woods to enjoy some of the best bow hunting in the nation."

A couple of things make West Virginia almost heaven for bow hunters: variety of hunting environments and the number of trophy bucks out there.

Scott Warner/DNR Biologist says:
"We are one of the top ten states when it comes to archery harvest, and we're also one of the top 10 states when it comes to non-resident archery sales. We bring a lot of people to West Virginia and the reason they come here is we have a lot of hunting opportunities from the four southern counties in West Virginia which is bow hunting only for theserious bow hunters to the Ohio Valley which is agriculture areas to the northern panhandle central counties which has an abundance of deer to the mountainous counties of the national forest where people like to get away and do some back country hunting opportunities."
And as if that wasn't enough to draw archers to the state for bow season, bow hunters will have a long season to take advantage of West Virginia hosptiatlity.

Scott Warner/DNR Biologist says:
"They come here because we have a long season. We have very affordable prices in our licenses, we have a lot of opportunity for them to hunt and we have a lot of wildlife management areas they can enjoy."

And of course you can enjoy them too. All you need is some free time, some camo and your bow. Anything is possible in the Mountain State.

The DNR recommends you pick up a copy of the new regulations before you hit the woods.