Deer - Buck Season
2007-2008 Hunting Regulations

Buck Counties Map | Additional Buck Season Gun Stamps | Special Seasons and Restrictions | Concurrent Hunting during Buck Deer Season

Only deer having one or both antlers more than 3 inches in length above the hairline are legal during the buck season (see Concurrent Hunting during Buck Season).

Two deer may be taken with a gun or bow during the buck season -- the first deer must be taken on one of the following valid base licenses or license combinations: resident (Class X, Class XJ, Class AB-L, Class A-L, or Classes A+CS); or free license: (Military, Disabled Veteran, former POW or Senior Citizen); or nonresident: (Classes XXJ+CS/LE or Classes E+CS/LE). Underage residents and resident landowners hunting on their own land (see definition of resident landowner privileges) may take a first antlered deer without a license. A second deer may only be taken with a Class RG stamp, Class RRG stamp, or by resident landowners hunting on their own property.

A hunter may take no more than three antlered deer per calendar year in all archery and firearms seasons combined.

Legal firearms for hunting deer during the buck season shall include:

• a rifle using centerfire ammunition.
• a rifle using .25 caliber or larger rimfire ammunition.
• a muzzleloading rifle, with or without scope, and muzzleloading pistol of .38 caliber or larger.
• a handgun using a straight-walled case of .357 magnum cartridge or larger or a bottle-necked case of .24 caliber or larger (see Pistol Laws and Regulations). A Class A-1 handgun stamp is required.
• a shotgun loaded with solid ball ammunition.

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Buck Counties

All counties except Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming are open.

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Additional Buck Season Gun Stamps

Class RG and Class RRG

During a calendar year a resident may purchase only one Class RG stamp and a nonresident may purchase only one Class RRG stamp.

Only one deer may be taken with a Class RG or Class RRG stamp. The Class RG and Class RRG stamps must be purchased before November 19, 2007, prior to the opening of buck season. The Class RG and Class RRG stamps are valid for buck hunting in all counties open to buck season.

To take an additional deer, all residents, except resident landowners, (see definition of resident landowner privileges) hunting on their own land are required to purchase a Class RG gun stamp. All nonresidents are required to purchase a Class RRG gun stamp if they choose to take an additional deer. (See license requirements for deer hunting).

Hunting on the Class RG or Class RRG gun stamps can begin on the day after legally checking the first antlered deer.

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Special Seasons and Restrictions

Wilson Cove Deer Study Area and Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area

Wilson Cove Deer Study Area located in Hardy County on the George Washington National Forest and Hillcrest WMA, located in Hancock County will have a buck muzzleloader season November 19 - December 1, 2007. Only single shot muzzleloaders, including “in-lines” of .38 caliber or larger are legal. These two areas will not be open to the traditional buck firearms season. All muzzleloader license requirements apply (see license requirements for deer hunting, WMAs and other Public Lands Regulations and Deer - Muzzleloader Season). The annual antlered deer bag limit is one deer for archery and muzzleloader seasons combined.

Older-aged Deer Management Areas

All antlered deer taken on Beech Fork Lake, Bluestone Lake, Burnsville Lake and McClintic WMAs and Coopers Rock State Forest must have a minimum outside antler spread of 14 inches (ear tip to ear tip). The annual antlered deer bag limit is one deer for all archery and firearms seasons combined. It is illegal to bait or feed wildlife on these areas.

Hampshire County CWD Containment Area

See special regulations regarding deer carcass transport and baiting and feeding of wildlife within this designated portion of Hampshire County.

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Concurrent Hunting during Buck Deer Season

Antlerless deer hunting is legal on private land in 42 counties or portions thereof during the buck season (November 19 thru December 1). To hunt antlerless deer during the buck season, a valid Class N or NN stamp is required for all hunters except for resident landowners (see Deer - Antlerless Season) hunting on their own land. Hunters may take only one deer per day; therefore, a buck and an antlerless deer may not be taken on the same day.

Small game hunting is prohibited during the first three days of buck season in all counties having a buck season; provided, waterfowl hunting is legal on lakes, rivers and waterways during the open waterfowl season, bear hunting is legal in specified counties, and coyote hunting is legal. Small game hunting is legal during open small game seasons beginning November 22, 2007. While hunting small game during the buck season, No. 4 shot or smaller and slugs may be carried with a shotgun only if the hunter is legally hunting deer or bear.

A combination rifle-shotgun (over-under, etc.) is legal for deer hunting and concurrent small game hunting.

After killing the legal limit of deer, a hunter shall not be afield with any firearm with solid ball ammunition (unless legally hunting bear) or shot shells containing larger than No. 4 shot. Waterfowl hunters may use nontoxic shot larger than No. 4.

It is illegal to hunt small game during the buck season with any centerfire, with any rimfire larger than .22 caliber, or with a shotgun using solid ball ammunition or shot larger than No. 4 in a county that is not open to buck season.

Archery hunting for deer is legal during buck season. A bow may be substituted for a firearm to take antlered deer, or if hunting on a Class N or NN stamp, antlerless deer may be taken during the buck season on private land in specified counties (see White-tailed Deer Hunting Seasons Tables and Antlerless Deer Season Table).

All persons hunting during a deer firearms season, 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.

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