West virginia code requires all persons born on or after january 1, 1975, to successfully complete an approved hunter ED course before purchasing a hunting license

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WV DNR) received a $980,884 Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611). The grant supports a range of wildlife conservation, habitat management, and hunter education initiatives in West Virginia. Key activities include conducting wildlife population surveys, implementing habitat restoration projects, managing conservation areas, and delivering hunter safety training courses. The grant aims to enhance wildlife populations, conserve natural habitats, and provide public engagement opportunities for outdoor recreation. The award period is from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

Studies have indicated that the availability of these classes influences the decision of our youth whether to hunt or not. Also, state demographics indicate approximately 60% of our population purchases a hunting and or fishing license. In 2015, west virginia saw its second fatality-free year on record for hunter-related injuries. Even though we have met a major goal and are achieving major success in eliminating hunting incidents overall, we must not rest. We must continue to educate everyone on how to hunt safely and ethically. With hunters still on the decline nationally, we must continue to remove the barriers of hunter education without compromising the quality of the hunter ED course. We continue to improve and create alternative course delivery methods. We must continue to recruit those who would not normally TRY the sport of hunting. We must retain those new hunters that have been certified. Encourage those middle-aged hunters, whether male or female, to always find time to spend with family and friends in the outdoors. We must never forget to reactivate those hunters who have taken a break from the sport of hunting. IT is essential to reactivate this valuable population sector so that they can extend a hand to youngsters. Taking youth hunting will reinvigorate and bring back the memories of why they hunted so long ago. Reactivation of our older hunters may be as important as recruiting the young sportsmen. With the use of mentoring programs such as learnhunting.ORG, west virginia will be able to reactivate and recruit adult hunters.