Bill > HB2470

This bill modifies hunting and fishing license requirements in West Virginia by adding a new provision that allows any person to hunt on private property during open season, provided they have the landowner's permission. The bill primarily amends an existing statute that already outlines various circumstances where individuals are exempt from obtaining hunting or fishing licenses. These existing exemptions include resident landowners hunting on their own property, active-duty military personnel on leave, residents over 65, certain disabled veterans, residents of bordering states hunting on shared rivers, and individuals with specific disabilities. The new provision (subsection l) explicitly states that hunting on private land is permitted during legal hunting seasons, with the crucial condition that hunters must first obtain permission from the property owner. This change effectively clarifies and potentially simplifies hunting regulations for private land in West Virginia, emphasizing the importance of landowner consent while removing previous restrictions on license requirements for private property hunting.

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http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=2470&year=2025&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill