SIX-MONTH HUNTING CALENDAR Download a six-month hunting guide by clicking here.

By Jeff Knapp

Making the most of our state's diverse hunting opportunities calls for wise pre-hunt planning. From the balmy conditions of September well into the freeze of late winter, a multitude of hunting options are available for the West Virginia sportsman.

Here's a look, presented in calendar form, at six high-quality hunting choices to help guide you through the season.

McClintic WMA is located in Mason County near Point Pleasant. The WMA's 3,535 acres contain some of the most diverse blends of habitat of any state-owned land. Farmland, brush land, wetland and areas of mature timber are all found at McClintic. The WMA also features tracts specifically managed for doves.

According to West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) District 5 supervisor Tom Dotson, there is an abundance of habitat at McClintic to attract doves.

"There are about a dozen dove fields there," Dotson said. "They range in size from a couple of acres to about 10 acres. Naturally, it seems the doves will pick just two or three fields to use heavily. And it doesn't necessarily have to be the biggest fields."

A variety of grains are planted at McClintic, including buckwheat and winter wheat. Typically, edges of fields are mowed prior to hunting seasons to assist hunters in finding downed birds. Fields are strip mowed and disked.

Doves are migratory, making this a weather sensitive hunt. The number of birds available for McClintic hunters is largely dependent on the conditions at hand.

"A severe cold front can really move the birds out," Dotson notes. "But when things are right, McClintic is about as fine a dove hunting spot as you are going to find."

As one might expect of a public area that provides excellent dove shooting potential, hunting pressure can be high. Weekday hunters might well experience a higher quality hunt. Dove seasons are set during the late summer or early fall and are released through the local media. Hunters must be registered in the Harvest Information Program (HIP) to hunt doves.

McClintic WMA is located near state Route (SR) 62, about five miles north of Point Pleasant and eight miles south of Mason.

According to Jim Pack, the DNR's top wild turkey biologist, hunting pressure in the Monongahela has been on the decrease during the fall turkey hunt. Pack attributes this to a couple of factors.

"Wild turkeys have become quite widespread as compared to 10 years ago," he noted. "Hunters don't have to travel to the forest to enjoy a good fall hunt. Also, the popularity of bowhunting seems to have cut into the numbers of fall turkey hunters. Most of the places where I hunt in the fall, I never see another hunter."

This is good news for the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) fall turkey hunter. Also, the vastness of the MNF, coupled with the numerous wildlife management areas found there, ensures there is something for every hunter.

Some of these areas are quite accessible, ideal for the less adventurous. Those in need of putting distance between themselves and the beaten path will find this can be accomplished, too.

Basically, Pack said turkey populations tend to be stronger in the oak-hickory forests, with numbers decreasing as one climbs into the higher elevations of the national forest.

For sheer get-away-from-it-all fall turkey hunting, Pack said the Cranberry Wilderness Area of the Cranberry WMA provides about as much of a wilderness experience as a hunter could ask for. The wilderness area comprises about 36,000 of the WMA's 150,000-plus acres. The wildlife management area is the largest in the national forest.

Motorized vehicles are not permitted in the wilderness area. About 60 miles of trails assist foot traffic. Elevations of over 4,000 feet are found in the WMA, though as Pack pointed out, turkeys are more numerous at more moderate elevations.

Other national forest WMAs that provide excellent fall turkey hunting are Rimel and Neola. Rimel covers over 67,000 acres. It's found in Pocahontas County. Neola contains nearly 100,000 acres in both Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties. Fall hunters can find camping at Pocahontas and Bird Run campgrounds in Rimel and Lake Sherwood Recreation Area and Blue Bend Recreation Area in Neola.

Additional information on the Monongahela National Forest can be obtained by phoning the forest supervisor's office at (304) 636-1800.

Photo by John R. Ford

The Elk River WMA is located in Braxton County near Sutton. It covers over 18,000 acres, with the main attraction being Sutton Lake. A mix of brush lands and mature timber can be found on this public-hunting land, along with topography that ranges from moderate to steep.

According to District 3 biologist Ray Knotts, Elk River WMA is a popular choice for deer hunters, with good reason.

"Elk River has something for every deer hunter," the biologist notes. "For hunters willing to work a bit, it's possible to get away from the crowds. This puts a person in a better position to harvest an older age-class deer. But there is good deer hunting throughout the area. It's not necessary to hike into the more rugged areas to take a whitetail. It just depends on the type of experience you are looking for."

Footbridges are in place in some areas to assist hunter access. The Elk River WMA also features a handicapped access for hunters with a Class Q license.

The WMA surrounds Sutton Lake and extends up the reservoir's three main feeder waters, the Elk River and both the left and right forks of the Holly River. One of the better spots, as recommended by Knotts, is Ware Mountain, which is located in the southeastern potion of the tract.

"Basically, both sides of the reservoir are steep," Knotts said. "The flatter terrain is found on the northern portion of the Elk River. Some of this is on the Corps property. There are some open fields in that area."

Logging has taken place on the WMA, which was once a game refuge prior to the creation of Sutton Lake. According to Knotts, salvage operations have occurred to remove timber downed as a result of both blowdowns and ice storms. The regeneration that's taken place in such areas can be a key spot for whitetail hunters.

The Holly River section of the Elk River WMA can be found by taking the Flatwoods exit off Interstate 79 and traveling south on SR 19. Go about two miles, then proceed east on SR 15. The Elk River section can be accessed off SR 19 by turning east onto SR 17.

For more information on the Elk River WMA, contact the resource manager's office at (304) 765-2816.

The Green Bottom WMA is found in Cabell and Mason counties, not far from Huntington. It covers 1,100 acres of choice habitat, which includes farmland, forest and open water. Also included in this mix are 165 acres of wetlands. While most state wildlife management areas are predominately wooded, favoring forest species, the habitat found within Green Bottom is tops for farm game species and waterfowl.

"There was an original swamp there," said District 5 biologist Tom Dotson. "That's been added to over the years." Dotson noted that the area features manmade wetlands that cover nearly 100 acres. The area is divided up into four sections. Much of the terrain surrounding the swamp and wetlands is covered in buttonbush and low-growing shrubs.

As one might expect, Green Bottom is a popular waterfowling area, particularly during the early portion of the season. At that time, the dominant species are wood ducks and teal. Hunts are limited to morning affairs at that time.

The quality of late-season hunts on Green Bottom relies on the weather. Mild weather will allow for open water, meaning ducks will have available roosting habitat. Conversely, cold weather will lock things up and force waterfowl to look for nearby areas of open water, sometimes on nearby private land. It's a bit of a roll of the dice as to whether conditions will allow a late-season hunt on Green Bottom, but if things are favorable, you can be in for a quality hunt with little competition.

By the time December rolls around, the early-season woodies and teal will be long gone. Expect the late-season bag to include mallards and black ducks. Late-season hunting is not limited to the morning-only restriction.

For more information on the Green Bottom WMA, call the District 5 office at (304) 675-0871.

Stonewall Jackson WMA covers an impressive 18,289 acres in Lewis County. The cornerstone of the wildlife area is the lake of the same name and the fine warmwater fishing opportunities found there. But Stonewall Jackson offers much more than good fishing. The diverse habitat provides food and cover for many game species, including ruffed grouse.

Like the wild turkey, ruffed grouse have suffered from the effects of several cold, wet springs in recent years. These poor nesting conditions have been responsible for a decrease in ruffed grouse numbers. Wildlife managers are hopeful reproduction was better this past spring and that the next population trend will be one of grouse numbers on the rise.

Though grouse numbers have been somewhat depressed of late on Stonewall Jackson, it isn't due to a lack of quality habitat. The mix found there is one that favors "edge" species such as grouse. The soil of Stonewall Jackson is unusually fertile by West Virginia standards. The topography falls into the "rolling hills" category. The tract is complete with reverting farmland, which typically equates into the perfect blend of food and cover beneficial to grouse.

Also present are several old strip mines, which, too, can help grouse, particularly areas that have grown up in pine. Pine furnishes important thermal habitat for grouse during the winter.

As grouse hunters well know, grouse tend to prefer the edges of habitats, such as where an alder thicket gives way to more open woods. Manmade openings create a multitude of edges. Stonewall Jackson contains lots of these. Over 350 natural gas wells are present. Not only do the well openings provide edges, but the associated access roads do as well. This wildlife management area has much to offer the ruffed grouse as well as those that pursue them.

Given the current state of affairs in terms of grouse numbers, this hunt has the potential to qualify as one of those "take your gun for a walk" kind of hunts. Still, what better way to shed a few of those post-holiday pounds?

Stonewall Jackson WMA can be accessed from exits 96 and 91 of Interstate 79. More information can be obtained by calling the resource manager's office at (304) 269-7463.

Hillcrest WMA is found in the extreme upper portion of the state's Northern Panhandle, in Hancock County. It covers 2,212 acres. The topography includes rolling hills and bottomlands.

According to Gary Foster, District 1 supervisor, Hillcrest is an ideal home for farm game species like rabbits.

"About 45 percent of the wildlife management area is made up of open land habitat," he explained. "That's pretty unusual for West Virginia."

Foster said grain crops are interspersed throughout the open land range of the wildlife area. Brushy habitat is present, too, with blackberry and sumac being abundant. Reverting farmland is present. Foster said about 300 old orchards are found within the tract.

During a late-season hunt, sportsmen will be wise to seek out the type of habitat that provides thermal protection. Areas of blackberry may well fit this bill.

Because of its location, Hillcrest sees a fair amount of hunting pressure. This comes from not only West Virginia, but from the neighboring states of Ohio and Pennsylvania that are only a few miles away. Still, during a February rabbit hunt, one should not feel too crowded. And it sure beats waiting around for the trout-stocking truck to plant its cargo.

Additional information on the Hillcrest Wildlife Management Area can be obtained by calling the District 1 office at (304) 367-2720.

Before heading out on any of these hunts, be sure to consult your current brochure of hunting regulations, particularly if you haven't done so for some time. Regulations do change, particularly during this time of more enlightened management practices. The DNR's Web site is an excellent source of information on what's happening on the hunting scene. Log on to www.wvdnr.gov.