West Virginia Hunter Safety Course

Hunting Laws vs. Hunting Regulations

Laws and regulations differ on how they are put into place. A law is created by a statute that originates from a legislative bill which is introduced by the Senate or the Assembly of a State or Nation. Once a law is introduced, it is very difficult to modify or overturn the law.

Regulations, on the other hand, are standards which are adopted as rules by wildlife management agencies. Regulations must still be approved by the administrative office, but can very easily change on a regular basis. For example, hunter orange requirements, season dates and bag limits, are all regulations, and will often change from one year to the next.