Summary of Changes
2012-2013 Hunting Regulations

1. The statewide archery deer season will open this year on September 29, 2012 and runs through December 31.
2. The September Special Antlerless Archery and Muzzleloader Seasons have been eliminated for 2012.
3. All private land in counties having a firearms antlerless deer season (Class N or NN) will be open October 25-27, November 19– December 1, December 13-15 and December 28-31. All public lands having an antlerless deer season will be open November 19 – December 1, December 13-15 and December 28-31. Bag limits vary among counties but will be either one or three antlerless deer. See pages 13-18.
4. Fall wild turkey hunting season has been increased in 2012 with 15 counties open October 13-20; seven counties open October 13- 20 and October 29 - November 3; and 14 counties open October 13-20 and October 29 - November 17. See page 33.
5. The statewide archery bear season has been expanded in 2012 and will be a split season open September 29 – November 17 and re-open again on December 3 and run through December 31.
6. Black bear gun hunting seasons in 2012 include nine counties open September 24-26; 12 counties open September 24-29; eight counties open November 19 – December 1 during the Buck Season, and all 55 counties open December 3-31. The daily bag limit is one bear per day with a season bag limit of two bears, provided at least one bear comes from Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan,
   McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh or Wyoming counties. See pages 38-39.
7. It is now legal to hunt between 1/2 hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise with a .22 caliber centerfire firearm or smaller or a shotgun using #2 shot or smaller. See pages 3, 5 and 6.
8. Coyotes and fox can be hunted with any color artificial light in open seasons. See pages 2 and 6.
9. Beginning January 1, 2013, resident Apprentice Hunting and Trapping Licenses (Class AH and AHJ) and nonresident Apprentice Hunting and Trapping Licenses (Class AAH and AAHJ) will be available to those individuals who have never had a valid base hunting license. Prior completion of a hunter training course is not required to purchase an Apprentice Hunting and Trapping License, but holders of one of these licenses must be accompanied and directly supervised by a licensed adult. See pages 7 and 42.
10. The Lifetime Senior Hunting/Trapping/Fishing License (Class XS) is required for resident hunters, trappers, and anglers who have reached 65 years of age on or after January 1, 2012. The Class XS license has the same privileges as the Class X license, except that holders of a Class XS license can participate in the Special Split Youth/Q/QQ/XS antlerless deer seasons, and those deer do not count towards the hunter’s annual antlerless deer bag limit. See pages 30 and 41-42.