West Virginia Code
Article 3. Forests and Wildlife Areas
§20-3-3. Establishment of Wildlife Areas; Leasing Lands Therefor

The director shall establish and maintain wildlife areas on lands purchased, leased or given for this purpose. Upon such state-owned or leased lands under its administration, or lands purchased from departmental funds for the establishment of wildlife areas, or upon lands purchased in cooperation with any agency of the federal government or leased therefrom or managed cooperatively therewith, the director shall regulate public hunting, chasing for sport, shooting, and limit the number of wildlife, which may be taken from such areas open to public shooting in any year. The director may establish special open seasons on any such lands, and may close any such areas, or parts thereof, to public shooting.
It shall be unlawful at any time to hunt, pursue or molest in any manner, any animals, birds or fowls on that section of any wildlife area designated as wildlife refuge, except that any legally constituted enforcement officer, or other person designated by the director, may hunt, pursue, catch and kill in any manner predatory animals and predatory birds thereon.
On the boundary of each state wildlife refuge, there shall be posted in conspicuous places, not more than one hundred and fifty yards apart, notices bearing the following words:"State wildlife refuge -- hunting is unlawful," and such other information or rules and regulations as the director may deem advisable. On the boundary line of any such wildlife area which has been established as a public shooting ground, the director shall have posted in conspicuous places, not more than one hundred and fifty yards apart, notices bearing the following words:"Public shooting grounds," together with information as to when hunting is legal on such tract.
The director shall also have the power to lease lands for this purpose for not less than ten-year periods, the rental price thereof not to be more than the amount of the annual property taxes on such land, and in no event to exceed 10¢ per acre per annum.
The director may, with the consent of the owner, set apart any tract of land in the state as a wildlife area. When such lands have been set apart, the director shall manage them in the same manner and for the same purpose as wildlife areas owned by the state. Such lands not owned by the state and now operated by the director as wildlife areas shall, at the expiration of the agreement, be reorganized as wildlife areas or be discontinued.

Structure West Virginia Code

West Virginia Code

Chapter 20. Natural Resources

Article 3. Forests and Wildlife Areas

§20-3-2. Acquisition of Suitable Lands by Director; Maintenance Thereof as State Forests or Wildlife Areas; Relinquishment of Construction and Maintenance of Roads to the Commissioner of Highways

§20-3-3. Establishment of Wildlife Areas; Leasing Lands Therefor

§20-3-3a. Cabwaylingo Pilot Project

§20-3-4. Authority and Duties of Director of the Division of Forestry and Others as to Forest Fires; Expenditures for Forest Fire Control; Limited Liability of Certain Persons Fighting Forest Fires

§20-3-5. Forest Fire Seasons; Prohibited and Permissible Fires; Burning Permits and Fees; Fire Control Measures; Criminal and Civil Penalties

§20-3-5a. Prescribed Fire Program

§20-3-6. Failure of Person to Extinguish Fire Started or Used by Him or Her; Throwing Lighted Material on Forest Land; Enforcement by State Fire Marshal; Penalties

§20-3-7. Starting Fire on Lands of Another; Penalties

§20-3-8. Duty of Railroad Company to Protect Against Fires

§20-3-9. Right of Railroad Company to Clear Land Adjacent to Right-of-Way

§20-3-10. Spark Arresters for Sawmills, etc.; Risk and Hazard Reduction to Protect Against Fires; Underground Coal Fires

§20-3-11. Recovery of Costs Incurred in Fighting Fires; Landowners Responsibility to Extinguish Fires

§20-3-12. Timberland and Forest Land Defined

§20-3-13. Director Authorized to Secure Federal Cooperation; Annual Appropriation

§20-3-14. Financial Assistance From Owners of Forest Lands; Expenditures by Director

§20-3-15. Owner Not Relieved From Civil Liability for Damage From Fire

§20-3-16. Prima Facie Evidence of Negligence in Certain Actions for Injury Due to Fires

§20-3-17. Disposition of Proceeds of National Forests

§20-3-17a. Same -- Counties Embracing Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area

§20-3-18. Disposition of Flood Control, Navigation and Allied Funds From the Federal Government

§20-3-19. Protection of Forests Against Destructive Insects and Diseases; Purposes and Intent of Section

§20-3-20. Governor's Authority to Execute

§20-3-21. When and How Compact Becomes Operative

§20-3-22. Compact Administration; Advisory Committee

§20-3-23. Compact Committee Powers and Duties; Cooperation Therewith

§20-3-24. Other Powers of State Forester Supplementary

§20-3-25. Governor's Authority to Execute

§20-3-26. When and How Compact Becomes Operative

§20-3-27. Compact Administration

§20-3-28. Compact Committee Powers and Duties; Cooperation Therewith

§20-3-29. Other Powers Supplementary