SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The biggest bucks killed in West Virginia last fall are officially logged in the record books for all time. The DNR unveiled the top scores for 2012 this week.
DNR officials say 189 hunters had deer antlers scored from the 2012 season and 105 of those racks met the minimum score to qualify for “trophy status” in West Virginia. Deer killed with a rifle or muzzleloader are scored under the Boone and Crockett scoring system. Archery killed deer are scored under the Pope and Young grading system. Records are separated into typical and non-typical categories for both. The minimum score for bucks taken with a gun or rifle is 140 typical and 165 non-typical. The archery standards for qualifying are 125 typical and 155 non-typical.
The biggest buck killed with a rifle goes to Michael Taylor of Jumping Branch, W.Va. His buck was a 15 pointer killed in Summers County which scored 169 5/8ths. No non-typical bucks were entered in the gun category.
William Crothers II of Mineral Wells, W.Va. scored the top typical buck killed with a muzzleloader. The 14 point buck he bagged in Wirt County scored 173 0/8ths. No non-typical bucks killed with a muzzleloader were entered.
Bowhunters always show magnificent rack scores, largely from the four southern W.Va. counties which are for archery hunting only. The winner for the typical bow category was Roger Maynard of Williamson, W.Va. Maynard killed a 15 point buck in Mingo County which scored 170 1/8th.
The non-typical bow kill came from Fayette County where Daniel Light knocked down a 17 pointer scoring 195 0/8. Light’s buck became number four on the all-time list in the non-typical bow kills in the state.
Each of the four winners will receive a plaque and public recognition of the achievement during the 2013 National Hunting and Fishing Day Celebration in September at Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park.