“This contest has been an incredible opportunity to get West Virginians everywhere excited about enjoying our woods and streams. We all know there is no better place in the world to enjoy the outdoors than right here in Almost Heaven,” Gov. Justice said. “As a lifelong hunter and angler, I want to thank our Tourism Office and Division of Natural Resources for all the goodness and all the opportunities they're bringing through their efforts.”
The promotion, which ran through the month of December, required applicants to be a West Virginia resident and purchase a 2020 Sportsman or Junior Sportsman license in December. The 13 prize winners were randomly selected over the weekend from a list of more than 10,000 eligible entrants.
Prizes included a Lifetime Sportsman Hunting, Trapping and Fishing License (Class AB-L), 11 overnight stays at West Virginia state parks and forests, and 12 gift bags filled with hunting and fishing gear.
Prize winners include:
• Christopher Davisson — Fairmont (Lifetime Sportsman Hunting, Trapping and Fishing License)
• Justin Thaxton — Charleston (Two-night stay at Tygart Lake State Park cabin & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Shannon Brown — Craigsville (Two sled run tickets with overnight lodge room at Blackwater Falls State Park & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Dustin Rexrode — Durbin (Two zipline tour tickets with overnight lodge room at Pipestem Resort State Park & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Steven Albright — Ona (Two-night stay at Kumbrabow State Forest cabin & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Tammy Collins — Ona (Two-night lodging at Hawks Nest State Park & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Larry Powell — Glenwood (Two-night lodging at North Bend State Park & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Mark Robinson — Brandywine (Two-night stay at Babcock State Park cabin & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• William Hamilton — Bridgeport (Two-night lodging at Cacapon Resort State Park & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Roland Albright — Branchland (Two-night stay at Holly River State Park cabin & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Joseph Gill — Beckley (Two-night stay at Lost River State Park cabin & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Robert Flinner — Charleston (Two-night stay at Greenbrier State Forest cabin & WVDNR Gift Bag)
• Lillian Fauliner — Shinnston (Blennerhassett Island Historical Park mansion tour, passage on the Island Belle Sternwheeler, and admission to the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History & WVDNR Gift Bag)
“I just want to thank all the sportsmen and women who participated in this promotion by buying a license for themselves or a family member,” DNR Director Stephen McDaniel said. “There’s no doubt that West Virginians are passionate about hunting and fishing and we hope this is only the start of the next generation taking up a lifetime of enjoying the outdoors.”
Gov. Justice also announced that for 2019, DNR hunting and fishing license sales were up 50% and pre-sales doubled from the previous year. After six straight years of declines, 2019 also saw the first increase in hunting and fishing license sales, selling more than 73,000 licenses to those who didn’t have one the previous year.