Want to help the economy? Buy a hunting license. Hunters in West Virginia boosted the Mountain State economy by $500 million in 2015, including $230 million from the recent firearms season. according to Christopher Ryan, a spokesman for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Additionally, the 2015 rifle deer harvest was 32 percent higher than the 104,707 deer hunters killed in 2014.
If you’ve never considered hunting in West Virginia, you’re missing out. The state is blessed with huge amounts of public land, including the Monongahela National Forest, with vast tracts of remote mountainous terrain. Archers love the opportunity to take deer, black bear, and wild turkeys during the special archery season, which opens for all three species at the same time. Additionally, crossbows can be used during the archery season, opening the exciting aspects of bowhunting to those not experienced with traditional archery gear. West Virginia operates their hunting program on a calendar-year basis, which means if you buy a 2016 license this spring, it’s also good for the fall hunt. As you plan your outdoor events for 2016, keep the Mountain State in mind.
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