J U L Y 2 0 1 4 - J U N E 2 0 1 5 R E G U L A T I O N S S U M M A R Y 33 Resident and Nonresident Turkey Hunting License Privileges Three wild turkey may be taken by hunters who possess one of the following valid base licenses or license combinations: resident license (Class X, Class XJ, Class AHJ, Class XS, Class AB-L, Class A-L, Classes A+CS+BG , Classes AH+CS+BG); or a free license (Military, Disabled Veteran, former POW, Class DT or Senior Citizen); or nonresident license (Classes E+CS/LE+WW, Classes AAH+CS/LE+WW, Classes XXJ+CS/LE , Classes AAHJ+CS/ LE or Class DT). Class DT license holders must be accompanied by a properly licensed parent, guardian or other designated competent adult 21 years of age or older. Underage residents and resident landowners hunting on their own land (see page 10) may take three turkeys without a license. Two bearded turkeys may be taken in the spring and one either-sex turkey in the fall. However, no more than one turkey may be taken in the fall. No more than one turkey may be taken per day. Additional licenses must be purchased: • to hunt on national forest lands: Class I (required for Class E or Class AAH). • to hunt with a handgun: Class A-1 (must be age 21 or older, required for all hunters except resident landowners hunting on their own land). Resident Landowner Privileges: West Virginia resident landowners (see page 10) may hunt on their own land without obtaining a license. Resident landowners hunting on their own property without a license can take the same number of turkeys as a licensed hunter. A hunter (licensee or landowner) cannot take more than the number of turkeys allowed in the respective seasons. Firearms and bows legal for hunting wild turkey: Wild turkey may be hunted with rifles, handguns, muzzleloaders, shotguns, or bows (see exception for Youth Spring Gobbler Season on page 35). Field Tagging, Checking and Transporting Each person killing a turkey must either attach a completed field tag to the turkey or remain with the turkey and have upon their person a completed field tag before removing the carcass from where it was killed. A person who does not possess a field tag must make one. This tag must bear the hunter’s name, address, hunting license number (if required) and the date, time and county of kill. Immediately upon arriving at a residence, camp, hunting lodge, vehicle or vessel the field tag shall be attached to the turkey and must remain on the carcass until it is tagged with an official game checking tag. The carcass of each turkey shall be delivered to an official game checking station or a Natural Resource Police officer for checking and retagging before it is either skinned or transported beyond the boundaries of the county adjacent to that in which the kill was made and within 72 hours from when it was killed or 24 hours from the close of the respective season, whichever comes first. The checking tag shall remain on the bird until it is dressed for consumption. No person may transport or possess wildlife killed by another hunter, unless the wildlife or parts thereof are accompanied by a paper tag filled out legibly bearing the signature, address, date of kill, hunting license number (if required) and the official game checking tag number (if required) of the hunter who killed the wildlife. The tag shall also specify the species and quantity of wildlife. COMMON VIOLATIONS Following are the most common violations observed by Natural Resource Police officers during the turkey hunting seasons: • Hunting over bait • Hunting without license • Improper license • Making false application for license • Exceeding the limits • Loaded gun in a vehicle • Failure to field tag turkey • Illegal possession of wildlife • Hunting without permission Reward Reward for information leading to arrest and conviction of person found guilty of: • illegally killing a turkey - $200 • hunting turkey over bait - $100 • willfully destroying a turkey nest or eggs - $100 Sponsored by: WV Chapter of NWTF General Regulations TURKEY 34 W E S T V I R G I N I A H U N T I N G A N D T R A P P I N G Season Limit: 1 October 11-18 October 11-18 and October 27 − November 1 October 11-18 and October 27 − November 15 Barbour Harrison Jackson Marion Mason Monongalia Pleasants Ritchie Summers Taylor Tyler Wetzel Wyoming Brooke Hancock Marshall Ohio Preston Wirt Wood Berkeley Grant Greenbrier Hampshire Hardy Mineral Monroe Morgan Nicholas Pendleton Pocahontas Randolph Tucker Webster Shooting hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. Only one either-sex turkey may be taken during the fall hunting season with either bow or gun. It is illegal: • to use electronic calls. • to hunt with the use of bait. Closed: to all fall turkey hunting TURKEY 2014 Fall Season Regulations For information about BOW workshops: (304) 558-2771 • www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/bow.shtm Learn new outdoor skills and recreation activities. Weekend workshops provide a comfortable learning environment just for women. J U L Y 2 0 1 4 - J U N E 2 0 1 5 R E G U L A T I O N S S U M M A R Y 35 Season Limit: 2 bearded turkeys Statewide: April 27 - May 23, 2015 Shooting hours: ½ hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. It is illegal to: • have an uncased firearm or a bow in your possession in the woods after 1 p.m. • hunt with dogs • use electronic calls • hunt with the use of bait • take more than one bearded turkey per day Spring Gobbler Survey The Division of Natural Resources conducts an annual Spring Gobbler Survey. Spring turkey hunters interested in participating in the survey should contact: Division of Natural Resources Operations Center c/o Dr. Randy Tucker P.O. Box 67 • Elkins, WV 26241 (304) 637-0245 • email: Randy.L.Tucker@wv.gov Youth Spring Gobbler Season A special one-day youth spring gobbler season will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015. Class Q/QQ and Class XS license holders are not eligible. The bag limit is one bearded turkey and the harvested bird will count toward the hunter’s annual bag limit. Only shotguns using shot size no larger than #4 or smaller than #7½ are legal. Youth hunters: • must be at least 8 and less than 18 years old; youth hunters age 15-17 must comply with all licensing requirements (see pages 41). • between the ages 8-14 must be accompanied by a licensed adult who cannot carry a gun or a bow and must remain close enough to render advice and assistance. and, if a nonresident, • possess a Class XXJ license + CS/LE stamp or Class AAHJ+CS/LE stamp. Nonresident adults accompanying youth hunters must possess Class E+WW+CS/LE licenses and if hunting on National Forest lands, a Class I stamp. ATTENTION SPRING TURKEY HUNTERS Starting with the 2015 Spring Gobbler Seasons, you may check game by one of the following three methods: 1. Going online to www.wvhunt.com. 2. Stopping at any hunting and fishing license agent. For a current list of license agents, visit www.wvdnr.gov. Note: you are not required to bring the animal to the license agent. 3. By calling 1-844-824-3251 (1-844-UCheck1). Hunters must be registered in the system and know their unique DNR ID number to use the telephone check option – to obtain a DNR ID number (which will be valid for your lifetime) please see information below. If you are not required to buy a license (e.g., landowner, underage, etc.), you may visit any license agent or log onto www.wvhunt.com after January 1, 2015 to obtain a DNR ID number. If you are a lifetime license holder (e.g., AB-L, A-L, XS, etc.), you will already be in the system. To obtain your DNR ID number, visit www.wvhunt.com or any license agent after January 1, 2015. Holders of annual base licenses (e.g., X, XJ, E, etc.) will receive their DNR ID number at the time of license purchase. No matter what classification of hunter you are, your DNR ID number will be valid for your lifetime and will be used in all future game checking transactions with the DNR. Upon finishing the electronic game check process, you will be given a 13-digit number that will serve as verification that you have completed the game checking process. This unique number must be written down on a sheet of paper with your name and address, or on your field tag, and attached to the animal. This number shall be affixed to the animal or parts thereof and remain affixed until it is dressed for consumption or processed into commercial fur. It will let the Natural Resources Police officers know that the animal has been officially checked. You may view your game checking history at www.wvhunt.com. 2015 Spring Gobbler Season Regulations TURKEY