West Virginia · Turkey · 2026–27 Edition
West Virginia Turkey Season 2026–27: Fall & Spring Dates, Bag Limits
01 — Fall turkey
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fall turkey · single-segment counties | Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Raleigh, Ritchie, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Wetzel, Wirt and Wyoming — these counties get no second segment | Oct 10 – Oct 18 |
| Fall turkey · counties running to Nov 1, first segment | Brooke, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Preston, Putnam, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur and Wood | Oct 10 – Oct 18 |
| Fall turkey · counties running to Nov 1, second segment | The same sixteen counties | Oct 26 – Nov 1 |
| Fall turkey · counties running to Nov 15, first segment | Berkeley, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, Tucker and Webster | Oct 10 – Oct 18 |
| Fall turkey · counties running to Nov 15, second segment | The same fourteen counties — the longest fall turkey season in the state | Oct 26 – Nov 15 |
| Mountaineer Heritage Season | Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties only — one deer, one bear and one turkey | Jan 14 – Jan 17 |
02 — Spring gobbler
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Spring Gobbler Season | Statewide, under 18 — shotguns, bows or crossbows only. Class Q and Class XS holders are not eligible | Apr 17 – Apr 18 |
| Spring Gobbler Season | Statewide, bearded turkeys only | Apr 19 – May 23 |
03 — Bag limits
| Annual total | Three wild turkeys a year — two bearded in spring and one of either sex in fall. Never more than one turkey in a day |
|---|---|
| Fall | 1 turkey of either sex, taken with bow, crossbow or gun |
| Spring | 2 bearded turkeys, and no more than one per day |
| Youth spring | 1 bearded turkey per day, 2 in possession — and it counts against the annual limit |
| Mountaineer Heritage | 1 turkey, in Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties only |
| Dogs | Legal in the fall season, prohibited in spring |
| Prohibited | Electronic calls and baiting in every season, and air rifles under .22 caliber |
| Tagging | Field-tag the bird, then register it electronically within 72 hours of the kill or 24 hours after the season closes, whichever comes first |
04 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (October 10, 2026) 06:57 — 19:20
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset in the fall. Spring gobbler is the exception and closes at 1 p.m., with no uncased firearm, bow or crossbow allowed in the woods after that. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local West Virginia sun times for any other date.
05 — License
A West Virginia hunting license and turkey permit are required. Spring and fall permits are often sold separately, and some states cap the number of gobblers per hunter per year across both seasons.
West Virginia hunting license cost & turkey permits →
Where to hunt public land in West Virginia — WMAs by county & access rules →
06 — Scouting gear
Patterning a gobbler's roost and strut zone before West Virginia's opener usually means glassing from a distance and running a trail camera through late winter and early spring.
- Hunting binoculars on Amazon →
- Trail cameras on Amazon →
- Trail camera SD cards — class, capacity & format explained →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category links, not a single named pick — we run no product tests of our own.
07 — FAQ
When does turkey season start in West Virginia?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is October 10, 2026. Fall and spring seasons run separately — see the tables above.
When does turkey season end in West Virginia?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is May 23, 2027. Individual segments and zones close on their own dates.
When does spring turkey season start in West Virginia?
Youth Spring Gobbler Season opens April 17, 2027 (Statewide, under 18 — shotguns, bows or crossbows only. Class Q and Class XS holders are not eligible).
When does fall turkey season start in West Virginia?
Fall turkey · single-segment counties opens October 10, 2026 (Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Raleigh, Ritchie, Roane, Summers, Wayne, Wetzel, Wirt and Wyoming — these counties get no second segment).
How many turkeys can you shoot in West Virginia?
2026–27 bag limits: Annual total — Three wild turkeys a year — two bearded in spring and one of either sex in fall. Never more than one turkey in a day. Fall — 1 turkey of either sex, taken with bow, crossbow or gun. Spring — 2 bearded turkeys, and no more than one per day. Youth spring — 1 bearded turkey per day, 2 in possession — and it counts against the annual limit. Mountaineer Heritage — 1 turkey, in Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties only. Dogs — Legal in the fall season, prohibited in spring. Prohibited — Electronic calls and baiting in every season, and air rifles under .22 caliber. Tagging — Field-tag the bird, then register it electronically within 72 hours of the kill or 24 hours after the season closes, whichever comes first. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting turkey in West Virginia?
On opening day (October 10, 2026) legal light runs 06:57 to 19:20. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset in the fall. Spring gobbler is the exception and closes at 1 p.m., with no uncased firearm, bow or crossbow allowed in the woods after that. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local West Virginia sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt turkey on my own land in West Virginia without a license?
West Virginia resident landowners, their resident children or parents, and resident tenants may hunt, trap, or fish their own land without a license — except on land designated a wildlife refuge or preserve. Some species stamps carry their own separate landowner rules.
Verified · West Virginia Division of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. From the official West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary for July 2026 to June 2027, published 24 July 2026. WATCH THE SPRING HOURS: fall turkey runs half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, but the spring gobbler season closes at 1 p.m. — a fixed clock time, not a sunset offset — and it is illegal to have an uncased firearm, bow or crossbow in the woods after 1 p.m. The legal-light figure above is computed for opening day, which falls in the fall season. Fall counties split three ways by season length, listed row by row. Dogs are legal in the fall season and prohibited in spring. Electronic calls and baiting are illegal in every season, as are air rifles under .22 caliber. Each bird must be field-tagged and then registered electronically within 72 hours of the kill, or 24 hours after the season closes, whichever comes first.