What Kind Of Firearm Does The Wvu Mascot Wield?

In the 1930s, the unofficial mascot of West Virginia University (WVU) was seen carrying a muzzle-loading rifle while wearing a flannel shirt, sheep or bearskin vest, and a coonskin cap. Volunteers like Burton “Irish” Crow, Lawson Hill, and William “Buckwheat” Jackson made appearances throughout the season. Gene Wotring, the new maker of the Mountaineer rifle, took over his dad’s business, making 949 black powder rifles.

The Mountaineer Mascot has been a tradition at WVU since the 1930s, with Mikel Hager, a Boone County native, serving as the 69th mascot after former mascot Mary Roush passed him the rifle during a ceremony. The authentic period rifle that the Mountaineer now carries has been crafted by the same person since 1977. Since 1978, every muzzleloader fired by the West Virginia University Mountaineer mascot has been crafted by the same West Virginian.

The Mountaineer wears buckskins made from deer hide and tailored for each mascot. They also wear a handmade coonskin cap. West Virginia officials say the Mountaineer’s musket fires powder, much like a starter pistol. Former mascot Brandon Flower said the mascot fires the musket at the beginning and end of each half and whenever West Virginia scores.

In response to the controversy surrounding the Mountaineer mascot, Gene Wotring created a brand new, authentic, American-made black powder rifle for the beloved Mountaineer. The 21-caliber, non-heeled projectile offers several advantages over the standard.22-caliber projectile but remains affordable. The Mountaineer also wears a handmade coonskin cap and moccasins, carries a handmade powder horn, and an American-made black powder rifle.