The Jug Wildlife Management Area of West Virginia

The Jug Wildlife Management Area (also commonly known as a public hunting and fishing area) is located just outside of Middlebourne, WV. Middlebourne is located in northwest West Virginia near the Ohio state line. The Jug takes its name from an area where the river makes a large circle in the shape of a jug. The Jug consists of over 2800 acres of land according to WV's Division of Natural Resources website (wvdnr.gov). The Jug has a wide variety of differing terrain, from large open fields in the river bottom, to brushy overgrown pastures, and open forest.

The Jug provides ample opportunity for hunters to pursue whitetail deer, turkey, squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, woodcock (note that you need to have a free Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program card to take woodcock and other migratory birds), and other species. Like most Wildlife Management Areas, The Jug is well used during antlered deer (buck) season, but is remarkably desolate during other seasons. A friend and I usually rabbit and grouse hunt in this WMA in January and February three or four times per year and have only once seen another hunter.

Like most other areas grouse are spotty and few and far between but rabbits are often encountered at The Jug. I have hunted throughout most of the WMA, but have encountered the most rabbits in the river bottom and the brushy areas on the sides of the river. Grouse are found along the ridge tops, but again are not encountered often.

Middle Island Creek runs through the area and provides a great place to fish. Though called a creek it is a good size that can fished from the bank, wading, or in a canoe or small boat. Game fish in the creek include large and smallmouth bass, catfish, drum, bluegill, and muskellunge. There is a stretch of Middle Island Creek that ends at the Jug and begins 6 miles upstream that is catch and release only for Musky. The area is marked by signs posted along the bank and signs that hang above the creek for boaters. Conaway Run Lake WMA is a few miles down the road from The Jug and offers more public hunting and a small lake for fishing.