West Virginia black bear season 2026-27 Open
Black bear season in West Virginia is open now, closes Dec 31, 2026.
Dates only. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Read today.
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery and Crossbow | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 | Open open, closes in 47 days |
| Gun, Selected Counties segment 3 | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Gun, Selected Counties segment 4 | Statewide | Oct 22, 2026 to Oct 25, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Gun, Selected Counties segment 5 | Statewide | Nov 23, 2026 to Dec 6, 2026 | Opens soon opens in 9 days |
| Gun, Selected Counties segment 6 | Statewide | Dec 7, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026 | Upcoming opens in 23 days |
| Youth/Class Q/Class Xs segment 2 | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026 | Closed closed |
| Winter 2027 Mountaineer Heritage | Statewide | Jan 14, 2027 to Jan 17, 2027 | Upcoming opens in 61 days |
Black bear hunting in West Virginia runs from Sep 26, 2026 (Archery and Crossbow) to Jan 17, 2027 (Winter 2027 Mountaineer Heritage) in the 2026-27 season, and is open now, closes Dec 31, 2026.
Statewide seasons: archery and crossbow Sep 26, 2026 to Dec 31, 2026; gun, selected counties Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026; youth/class q/class xs Oct 17, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026; winter 2027 mountaineer heritage Jan 14, 2027 to Jan 17, 2027.
Some seasons run in two or more segments; each segment is its own row.
Source: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, WVDNR 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Seasons (page). Read today.