Bow Hunting Laws in West Virginia: Season Dates, Equipment Rules, and What You Need to Know
June 22, 2026
West Virginia offers some of the most generous archery seasons on the East Coast, with more than 90 days to pursue big game through dense hardwood hollows and mountain ridges. Before you string your bow and head into the woods, you need to understand the state’s specific rules — from legal draw weights and broadhead dimensions to county-level crossbow restrictions that catch many hunters off guard.
Whether you’re chasing a trophy whitetail during the November rut or targeting black bear in the southern counties, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) sets clear requirements for every aspect of the archery season. This guide covers the 2025–2026 regulations so you can hunt confidently and legally. Always confirm current dates and county-specific rules at wvdnr.gov before heading out, as regulations are updated annually.
Bow Hunting Season Dates in West Virginia
The archery and crossbow season for deer runs September 27 through December 31, 2025, with an additional split segment from February 6–8, 2026. With more than 90 days to pursue big game, West Virginia’s archery and crossbow seasons run longer than other seasons, giving hunters more chances to tag out.
The archery/crossbow season is about the same as the prior year, but with one added day. Buck firearms season runs November 24 through December 7, and the archery and crossbow deer season spans September 27 through December 31.
Because the seasons for deer, bear, and boar overlap, you even have the chance to hunt multiple species during the same day in some areas. This overlap makes the archery season particularly productive for hunters willing to hold a tag for each species.
| Species / Season | Dates (2025–2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deer — Archery & Crossbow | Sept. 27 – Dec. 31, 2025; Feb. 6–8, 2026 | Split segment added for winter window |
| Bear — Archery & Crossbow | Sept. 27 – Dec. 31, 2025 | Overlaps with deer archery season |
| Wild Boar — Archery | Sept. 27 – Dec. 31, 2025 | Boone, Logan, Raleigh, Wyoming counties only |
| Fall Turkey | Opens Oct. 11, 2025 | Check county-specific dates |
With the buck firearms season not opening until the Monday before Thanksgiving, archers hunting white-tailed deer have a chance to hunt the peak movement periods of late October’s pre-rut and the November rut. This makes early and mid-November some of the most productive weeks of the entire archery calendar.
Pro Tip: Purchase your Class RB archery deer stamps before the season opens. The stamps must be purchased prior to the opening of the statewide archery and crossbow season.
Legal Bow Types and Equipment Requirements in West Virginia
A bow means a longbow, recurved bow, or compound bow that is hand-held, hand-drawn, and held at full draw without the aid of any mechanical device. Triggering devices or release aids are legal. This means mechanical releases — thumb triggers, wrist straps, and back-tension releases — are all permitted during archery season.
Archery equipment such as longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, and crossbows may be used during archery season. Bows must use arrows with broadheads with at least two sharpened cutting edges and be at least ¾ of an inch wide.
- Longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows are all legal
- Arrows must have broadheads with at least two sharp cutting edges
- Broadhead cutting width must be at least ¾ inch
- Release aids and mechanical triggers are permitted
- Air bows are not allowed at any time
- Laser sights are prohibited on hunting weapons
Bows may not have a locking device that holds the bow at full draw unless the hunter has a modified bow permit. If you have a physical disability that requires a draw-lock device, contact the WVDNR about obtaining the appropriate permit before the season begins.
You may not carry an air rifle and bow and/or arrow at the same time, and you may not carry a gun and bow and/or arrow at the same time. An exception applies to persons not prohibited from possessing a firearm, who may carry a firearm for self-defense. Keep this rule in mind — entering the field with both a firearm and archery gear is a violation of West Virginia law.
For a broader look at how these rules fit within the state’s overall hunting framework, see the hunting laws in West Virginia overview, which covers additional weapon restrictions and general season rules.
Crossbow Rules in West Virginia
West Virginia allows any licensed hunter to use a crossbow during the designated archery and crossbow season — no special crossbow permit is required beyond your standard hunting license and applicable stamps. Seasons run September 27 through December 31, 2025, giving bowhunters more time in the woods, fewer crowds, and closer encounters with game than firearms seasons often allow.
Crossbows are required to have a draw weight of at least 125 pounds, a working safety, bolts and arrows that are at least 16 inches long — including the insert and nock — and broadheads with at least two sharp-cutting edges at least ¾ inch in width.
Crossbows must only have one string and a working safety. This rule specifically prohibits double-string designs. Beyond the string requirement, the West Virginia Code sets out the full equipment specifications hunters must follow.
Important Note: Crossbows are not permitted in Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties unless you have a Class Y permit. These four southern counties are designated bow-only areas where crossbow use is restricted to hunters with qualifying disabilities.
If you qualify for a special Class Y crossbow permit, you can use a crossbow to hunt during all established archery and firearm seasons. To qualify, you must hold a Class Q permit and have a physician certify that you have a substantial loss of function in one or both hands or one or both shoulders. You must also have a valid statewide regular hunting license.
A bow and crossbow can be substituted for a firearm during any of the deer firearm seasons except during the muzzleloader season. This gives crossbow hunters added flexibility to extend their season into the firearms window without needing a separate firearms license for deer.
If you hunt in neighboring states, compare these rules with the bow hunting laws in Virginia, where crossbow regulations differ in several key areas.
Species You Can Hunt with a Bow in West Virginia
West Virginia’s archery season targets three primary big game species: white-tailed deer, black bear, and wild boar. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are West Virginia’s most popular game species, and the archery and crossbow season offers a prime opportunity to hunt them. You can harvest up to three deer with a bow or crossbow — one on your base license and two more with RB/RRB stamps (one stamp per additional deer).
Deer of either sex may be taken during the archery and crossbow season. While hunters can harvest two deer per day, they are only allowed one antlered deer per day. Hunters can only take three antlered deer during regular deer seasons and the Mountaineer Heritage Season combined.
Bowhunting for black bears (Ursus americanus) is a rewarding, high-adrenaline pursuit. Hunters may take up to two bears annually, provided one is taken in Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, or Wyoming County. To hunt black bears, you must have a Bear Damage Stamp (Class DS) in addition to your base license.
Dogs may not be used during archery or crossbow seasons. This applies to bear hunting as well as deer — keep your hounds home until firearms season opens.
Wild boar hunting is legal only in Boone, Logan, Raleigh, and Wyoming counties. During this season, hunters may harvest one wild boar per year across all seasons. Wild boar in these areas are a challenging quarry that demands patience and careful scouting near thick cover and food sources.
Fall turkey hunting with a bow is also legal in West Virginia. West Virginia’s fall turkey season opens October 11, 2025. Archery equipment is a legal method for taking wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) during both fall and spring seasons. For more on turkey-specific rules, see the turkey hunting season in West Virginia guide.
| Species | Archery Legal? | Bag Limit | Additional Stamp Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Yes | Up to 3 per season (with stamps) | Class RB stamp for additional deer |
| Black Bear | Yes | Up to 2 per year | Class DS Bear Damage Stamp |
| Wild Boar | Yes (select counties) | 1 per year | Valid hunting license + Big Game Stamp |
| Wild Turkey | Yes | Check current regs | Turkey stamp required |
License and Tag Requirements for Bow Hunters in West Virginia
Every bow hunter in West Virginia needs a valid base hunting license before heading afield. As of the 2025–2026 license year, a resident base hunting license costs $19, while a nonresident license costs $119. Licenses are valid from July 1 through June 30 and can be purchased online at WVhunt.com or through approximately 175 retail agents statewide.
Beyond the base license, archery hunters need specific stamps to pursue big game legally:
- Class RB Stamp — Required to take additional deer during archery season (one stamp per additional deer, up to two stamps)
- Class DS Bear Damage Stamp — Required to hunt black bear
- Big Game Stamp — Required for deer, bear, and turkey
- Class I National Forest Stamp — Required if hunting on National Forest lands
Underage residents and resident landowners who are hunting on their own property do not need a license to take a deer by archery or crossbow. However, a resident landowner may hunt on their own land without buying a license but must follow all season and bag limits just like a licensed hunter. Nonresidents cannot hunt on land they own in West Virginia without buying a valid hunting license.
Hunters may only harvest two deer per day. The first deer of the day does not need to be electronically registered before the second deer of the day is harvested. However, deer harvested must be electronically registered and legally tagged before the hunter goes out to hunt again. All electronic registration is handled through WVhunt.com.
For deer hunters in the eastern panhandle, note that deer carcass transport is restricted in CWD-affected counties. Deer carcass transport regulations for Grant County and baiting and feeding restrictions in Pendleton County are in effect for the 2025–2026 season. Check county-specific rules before transporting any deer carcass out of the eastern panhandle region.
For context on how West Virginia’s deer season structure works across all weapon types, the deer hunting season in West Virginia article breaks down every season window in detail.
Bowhunter Education Requirements in West Virginia
West Virginia does not require a separate bowhunter-specific education course. Instead, all hunters must meet the state’s general hunter education requirement before purchasing a license. Both resident and nonresident hunters born on or after January 1, 1975, must show proof of completing a certified hunter education course prior to purchasing a base license.
All hunters born on or after January 1, 1975, must complete a certified hunter education course. West Virginia offers a free online course with a required field day. The apprentice program allows first-time hunters to hunt under supervision.
If you have not taken the course and want to try hunting, an Apprentice Hunting license is available. This license allows you to hunt without completing the course and replaces the base hunting license. However, you must still purchase the required stamps. While hunting, anyone with an Apprentice Hunting license must be accompanied by and supervised by a licensed adult.
The WVDNR also runs an Archery in Schools Program for young hunters. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources offers the Archery in Schools Program, which is committed to partnering with schools across the state. Through this program, physical education students are given an opportunity to become involved in a life skill that has no barriers.
Pro Tip: You have three options to complete your hunter education requirements in West Virginia. The first two options are presented by the WVDNR and take an average of 12 hours to complete. Completing the course online with a mandatory in-person field day is the most flexible path for most hunters.
For young nonresident hunters, nonresident hunters between the ages of 8 and 17 may purchase a nonresident junior sportsman license (XXJ) for $16 along with a CS/LE stamp for $13 to take one buck gun, one archery or crossbow, and one muzzleloader deer during the traditional seasons.
Land and Safety Restrictions for Bow Hunting in West Virginia
West Virginia has nearly 1.5 million acres of public hunting land across 96 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), nine state forests, and sprawling national forest lands. Access to this land comes with specific rules that differ from private land hunting.
West Virginia law prohibits hunting within 25 yards of any building used for human occupancy without the owner’s permission. This rule applies to all types of firearms and archery equipment. Bow hunters sometimes assume the 25-yard setback only applies to firearms — it does not.
Additional land and safety rules every bow hunter must follow include:
- Only portable tree stands may be used on public lands.
- Everyone should use a safety harness and lifeline when hunting from a tree stand.
- Wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange during overlapping firearm deer seasons, unless you are in a bowhunting-only area.
- Bows and crossbows cannot be used on the Bright McCausland Homestead Wildlife Management Area.
- It is illegal to bait a deer on public land in West Virginia.
- An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be used for tracking and locating mortally wounded deer, bear, wild turkey, or wild boar.
- Only one leashed dog can be used for tracking and locating mortally wounded deer, bear, wild turkey, or wild boar.
Sunday hunting is legal on private lands if you have the written consent of the landowner. This is a meaningful benefit for bow hunters who want to maximize their time in the field during the long archery season.
Nonresidents who own land in the state cannot hunt on property they own in West Virginia without first obtaining a nonresident license. This is a commonly misunderstood rule — property ownership does not grant hunting rights without a valid license for out-of-state owners.
Verify county-specific season dates and any special season rules such as Earn a Buck, training-period restrictions, or electronic registration requirements. Follow hunter safety guidelines, avoid hunting in restricted or private areas without permission, and be mindful of chronic wasting disease rules and sampling requirements.
For more on hunting regulations across the Mountain State, the West Virginia hunting laws guide covers licensing, weapon rules, and land access in full detail. You can also review the duck hunting laws in West Virginia and the dove hunting season in West Virginia if you plan to pursue migratory birds during the same fall window. Hunters who split time across state lines should also check the hunting laws in Virginia for a side-by-side comparison of regulations in the neighboring state.
Always download the current WVDNR Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary before each season. Dates, county rules, and bag limits can change year to year, and hunting with outdated information puts your license — and the resource — at risk.