Electronic Licensing System and Game Check Comes of
Age in West Virginia
Faced with an antiquated mix of electronic and paper
hunting and fishing license systems, the West Virginia
Division of Natural Resources has been working the last
few years to come up with a state-of-the-art system that
will be more efficient and convenient for both the public
and DNR personnel.
collection of license fees by the DNR more efficient. In
addition, the DNR will no longer have to print licenses
and stamps such as the Class A license, and Class N and
RG stamps, which will save the time and cost of printing,
packaging and shipping the stamps and licenses.
Electronic Game Check
The BIG change for hunters, and for trappers of
Online Licensing System
beaver, bobcat, fisher and otter will be the ability to
The goWILD licensing system was developed
check in game by phone or computer starting April 1,
in-house by the DNR in 2002. Obviously, computer
2015. Those who still like to talk in-person about their
software has improved by leaps and bounds since that
hunting experiences will be able to stop by one of the
time, and old programs are no longer sustainable. The
approximately 180 official license agents and check in
old saying goes -- if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Well, in
their game. However, unlike past years, they won’t have
this case, it was broken, and it had to be fixed.
to bring the animal in with them. Hunters and trappers
will still have to follow the time and transportation
The new licensing system began January 1, 2015.
The only folks who should notice much of a difference restrictions as listed in the regulations. To check game in
are those who bought an old paper license with affixed by phone, hunters will have to know their unique DNR
stamps at a license agent, which accounted for only 20 ID number which is valid for their lifetime. That number
percent of license buyers. Licenses will still be sold at will be printed on the top of the license for those folks
approximately 180 license agents around the state, but who buy a license each year. Lifetime license holders
will need to log in to the system to obtain their DNR
the agent will enter your information on a computer
ID number, whic