Staff report
The Parsons Advocate
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Applications for controlled deer hunts in 2017 are being accepted at four West Virginia State Parks.
Those parks are Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park in Wood County, Pipestem Resort State Park in Summers County, Cacapon Resort State Park in Morgan County and North Bend State Park in Ritchie County. For the first time, multiple-day hunts are scheduled at Cacapon and North Bend State Parks.The deadline to apply is Aug. 13, 2017.
All West Virginia hunting regulations will apply. Applications must be submitted at www.wvhunt.com. Applicants with a DNR ID number must log in using their existing account.
New customers need to create an account on the Electronic Licensing and Game Checking System.“Controlled hunts have been successful in deer management in previous years,” said Sam Cowell, hunt coordinator for the West Virginia State Parks system.
“It is an effective and efficient means of maintaining a biologically and socially balanced deer herd at our parks experiencing overpopulation.”
Dates for the 2017 controlled hunts at state parks are as follows:
- Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park – Sept. 25 and Oct. 23
- Pipestem Resort State Park – Oct. 9-10
- Cacapon Resort State Park – Nov. 3-4
- North Bend State Park – Nov. 6-8 and Nov. 13-15
Controlled Hunt Application ProcessApplications must be submitted at www.wvhunt.com. Once logged in, applicants must select “Enter Lottery” and then choose only one of the hunting options listed for the park where the applicant is applying to hunt. Multiple entries for the same park hunt may disqualify you.Applications must be completed by midnight Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Hunters will be selected at random. Successful applicants will be notified by the end of August.
Controlled Hunts Benefits Controlled hunts help manage deer populations. Over-browsing by deer leads to loss of native vegetation, prevents forest regeneration and alters habitats for all wildlife species living in the park. The primary goal of controlled hunts is to reduce deer numbers to levels that prevent habitat loss, property damage, vehicle collisions and potential human injuries. Hunting contributes to wildlife conservation while maintaining a healthy deer herd population.
State park contacts are: Nathan Hanshaw, Pipestem Resort State Park (304-466-1800); Miles Evenson, Blennerhassett Island State Park (304-420-4800); Scott Fortney, Cacapon Resort State Park (304-258-1022); and Steve Jones, North Bend State Park (304-643-2931).West Virginia Division of Natural Resources hunting regulations will apply to all managed hunts. To learn more, visit www.wvhunt.com.
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