West Virginia

Migratory Waterfowl Stamps

West Virginia began requiring resident and non-resident sportsmen to purchase waterfowl stamps in 1987. From 1987 through 1996, the stamps were pictorial. Four types of pictorial stamps were printed each year – with the exception of 1988, when there were six; separate resident and non-resident stamps were produced for sale primarily to hunters and printed in booklet panes. From 1987 through 1996-97 the booklet type stamps were printed in panes of five (1 x 5) with a tab at the top. These booklet type stamps had a straight edge along both sides and those from positions five had an additional straight edge along the bottom. One pane was stapled between cardboard covers to form a booklet.

For 1988, only, there were two printings of both the resident and non-resident booklet type stamps; one was serial numbered on the back and the other was not.

Separate resident and non-resident stamps were also printed in sheets of 30 (5 x 6) with perforated selvage on all four sides through 1996-97. All sheet type stamps had perforations on all four sides and were sold primarily to collectors (see Figure WV1 below).

In 1991, only, a souvenir sheet was issued. It featured six stamps (3 x 2; three resident stamps across the top row and three non-resident stamps across the bottom) with a decorative selvage on all four sides. The regularly-issued souvenir sheets were perforated between the stamps and between the stamps and the selvage, overprinted "OR" for Ohio River and serial numbered along the bottom of each stamp. A small number of imperforate souvenir sheets (<40) were made available to those who purchased large numbers of the regular sheets; one imperforate sheet was given for every 100 regular sheets purchased. The imperforate souvenir sheets were not serial numbered and can best be classified as proofs.

Starting with the 1997 issue and continuing through at least 2004, the black and white stamps were non-pictorial and fairly similar to the 2011 – 2013 Vermont stamps (see Figure VT2). It is believed that following the 2004 season, West Virginia discontinued issuing adhesive stamps altogether and, like Vermont, went to “point of sale.” If anyone knows differently, please contact us.

The stamps were die cut, measured approximately 52 mm x 26 mm and mounted on a protective backing that was separated into strips of ten (1 x 10). Across the top was printed the year date, “Migratory Waterfowl” and the abbreviation “MW.” There were white spaces on both sides of each stamp, with the one to the left imprinted with a copy of the stamp’s serial number for accounting purposes.