Small Game Seasons Open to Hunters Nov. 7
West Virginia hunting and trapping seasons for numerous species open November 7, 2026, with electronic registration required for several furbearers.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Hunting
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West Virginia's small game hunting and trapping seasons open November 7, 2026, covering species including bobwhite quail, cottontail rabbit, raccoon, mink, and bobcat. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources also requires electronic registration of harvested beaver, fisher, otter, and bobcat.
Why it matters
Hunters and trappers must follow species-specific rules, including closures and registration requirements, to remain in compliance with state regulations. The registration and pelt-tagging requirements also support state wildlife management and monitoring of furbearer harvests.
Ring-necked pheasant hunting at Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area in Hancock County runs November 14 through December 5, 2026, and bobwhite quail hunting is closed on the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in Logan County. Trappers must attach a WVDNR-issued confirmation number to beaver, fisher, or otter pelts until they are sold, tanned, processed, or mounted.
The players
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
The state agency that sets hunting and trapping seasons, issues registration confirmation numbers, and operates the Elkins Operations Center and district offices.
The details
Small game seasons cover bobwhite quail, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, and male ring-necked pheasants, while trapping seasons cover raccoon, mink, muskrat, fisher, beaver, otter, skunk, opossum, coyote, and weasel. Hunters and trappers buy licenses and register harvests online at WVhunt.com, and trappers who deliver a registered otter carcass to a WVDNR district office receive a $20 gift card.
Timeline
November 7, 2026: Small game hunting and trapping seasons open statewide.
November 14 through December 5, 2026: Ring-necked pheasant hunting runs at Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area.
February 28, 2027: Latest season end date for some species.
Season Trajectory
The 2026 notice reaffirms the existing CITES seal requirement for out-of-state sales of bobcat and otter pelts under federal wildlife trade rules. It continues a pattern of tying furbearer harvests to electronic registration and traceable tagging.
Hunters and trappers should buy licenses and register beaver, fisher, otter, and bobcat harvests at WVhunt.com before heading out. Trappers selling bobcat or otter pelts out of state need a CITES seal, available from the WVDNR Elkins Operations Center or local district offices.
The takeaway
Checking species-specific rules and registration requirements before the November 7 opening helps hunters and trappers avoid violations. Keeping WVDNR confirmation numbers attached to pelts until processing completes is a simple step that keeps trapping compliant.
What happens next
Ring-necked pheasant hunting at Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area runs November 14 through December 5, 2026, and season dates extend through February 28, 2027, depending on species.
Further reading
Explore more on Hunting across the state's seasons and regulations.
More information
Register harvests and buy licenses at the electronic harvest registration and license purchase portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WOWK 13 Huntington.
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