Can You Hunt on Sunday in West Virginia?

Yes, you can hunt on Sunday in West Virginia, on private land and on public land, under current state law. The confusion comes from history, because Sunday hunting was a county-by-county vote and limited to private ground for a long time, and plenty of hunters still remember it that way.

Before you head out, open the current West Virginia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary from the WV DNR. Season-specific rules and any local exceptions live there, and that document is the final word. Updated November 13, 2026.

Is Sunday hunting legal in West Virginia?

Sunday hunting is legal in West Virginia today. The legislature has loosened the old restrictions over the years, and current law allows it on both private and public land statewide.

That doesn’t mean every Sunday is open for every animal. Seasons still have their own start and end dates, and a Sunday outside a season is closed the same as any other day. Think of Sunday as a regular hunting day now, then check the season you’re hunting.

Why do so many people think it’s still illegal?

Most of the confusion comes from how long the old rules stuck around. West Virginia kept Sunday hunting restrictions on the books long after most other blue laws faded, and when the state first opened the door, it left the decision to each county.

That created a patchwork. A hunter in one county could sit in a stand on a Sunday morning while somebody one ridge over in the next county couldn’t, and public land stayed closed on Sundays regardless. If you learned to hunt under those rules, or your granddad drilled them into you, “no hunting on Sunday” is a hard habit to shake.

Older websites and forum threads add to it. A lot of what ranks in search still describes the county-vote system as if nothing changed, so check the date on anything you read, including this.

Does it matter if you’re on private or public land?

Under current law, both private and public land are open on Sundays during legal seasons. The private and public split was the heart of the old system, which is why people still ask about it.

Public land does have its own wrinkles. Wildlife management areas can carry area-specific rules, and the Monongahela and George Washington national forests follow state hunting regulations but also have their own road, camping, and vehicle rules. Read the WMA listing for wherever you plan to hunt.

Expect company on Sundays. Weekend hikers, leaf-peepers, and people out looking for elk around the Tomblin WMA in southern West Virginia all share that ground, so if you want a sense of where those crowds gather, our guide on where to see elk in West Virginia covers the spots. Wear blaze orange when it’s required and know your backstop every single time.

Can you deer hunt on Sunday in West Virginia?

Yes, you can deer hunt on Sunday in West Virginia during any open deer season. That covers archery, muzzleloader, and the firearm seasons, subject to the dates and county rules in the regs.

The traditional buck firearm season opens the Monday before Thanksgiving, so the first Sunday inside it falls at the end of opening week. For a lot of families, that Sunday used to be the day you packed up camp and drove home. Now it’s one more morning in the woods, and with pressure easing off by then, it can be a good one.

If you’re still sorting out the calendar, our breakdown of when West Virginia deer season opens walks through how the seasons stack up. Antlerless seasons and county-specific limits change more often than the buck season, so double-check those every year.

Can you bow hunt or turkey hunt on Sunday?

Bow hunting on Sunday is legal during archery season, which runs through the fall and into winter. The same Sunday rule applies to crossbows during the seasons they’re allowed.

Turkey is where you want to slow down and read. Fall turkey seasons are only open in certain counties, and spring gobbler season has had its own set of rules over the years. Look at the turkey section of the current regulations summary before you assume a Sunday is open.

Can you squirrel hunt on Sunday?

Yes, squirrel and other small game can be hunted on Sundays during their open seasons. Squirrel season is long in West Virginia, so it gives you a lot of Sundays to work with.

A Sunday afternoon squirrel hunt is about as low-key as hunting gets, and it’s a good way to bring a kid along without a 4 a.m. wake-up. Our post on when squirrel season starts in West Virginia covers the timing. Just remember that once buck gun season opens, small game hunters in the woods need to follow the blaze orange rules too.

Do you need written permission on private land?

If it isn’t your land, get the landowner’s permission in writing and keep it on you. Older versions of the Sunday law specifically required written permission for Sunday hunting on private land, and a signed note is still the smart move whether or not that exact requirement applies to you.

It doesn’t need to be fancy. A short note with the landowner’s name, your name, the property, the dates, and a signature settles most questions fast if a conservation officer or a neighbor stops you.

It’s also good manners. Some landowners are fine with hunting six days a week and still don’t want guns going off on Sunday morning, so ask the question directly instead of assuming.

How do you check the current rules?

Go straight to the WV DNR. The annual Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary is posted on the DNR website and is available wherever licenses are sold, and it lists Sunday rules alongside every season date and bag limit.

Skip secondhand sources for anything with a date or a number in it. That includes Facebook groups, the guy at the gas station, and blog posts, this one included. Things change from one legislative session to the next, and the DNR summary is the version a conservation officer is going by.

While you’re planning, keep an eye on the forecast too. Late November Sundays up high can turn icy without much warning, and our look at when snow usually starts in West Virginia gives you a feel for what the mountains tend to do that time of year. If you’re still filling gaps in your cold-weather kit before buck season, you can browse current outdoor gear deals here.

Frequently asked questions

So go ahead and plan that Sunday hunt. Check the current regs for your season and county, carry written permission if the ground isn’t yours, and wear your orange when it’s required.

And if you hunt near a trailhead, give the hikers some grace. Sunday is their day out too, and a friendly wave goes a long way toward keeping Sunday hunting the normal thing it’s finally become.