DNR PRESS RELEASE:
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Preliminary counts of game checking tags indicate West Virginia hunters harvested a total of 105,743 white-tailed deer during the recently completed bucks-only, antlerless, muzzleloader, archery and youth/Class Q deer seasons, according to Division of Natural Resources Director Frank Jezioro. This year’s total harvest was 32 percent below the 2009 deer harvest of 155,214 and ranks as the 26th highest total on record. A total of 44,134 bucks, 34,365 antlerless season deer, 21,203 archery killed deer and 6,041 muzzleloader season deer were taken during the 2010 season.
Antlerless Deer Season
The 2010 antlerless deer season, which includes the youth/Class Q deer seasons, was 37 percent below 2009 and 29 percent below the 5 year average of 48,225. “It is important to note that part of the deer management strategy is to regulate the harvest of antlerless deer in individual counties to raise or lower the future deer population,” said Jezioro. The top 10 counties are: Preston (1,905), Mason (1,648), Lewis (1,297), Jackson (1,289), Monongalia (1,232), Ritchie (1,214), Harrison (1,199), Wood (1,198), Barbour (1,185) and Monroe (1,081).
Muzzleloader Deer Season
The 2010 muzzleloader harvest of 6,041 was 35 percent less than the 2009 harvest of 9,232, and 27 percent below the 5 year average of 8,290 and ranks as the 21st highest total on record. The top 10 counties are: Randolph (390), Preston (306), Barbour (225), Braxton (220), Mason (214), Lewis (196), Harrison (193), Wood (188), Monongalia (183), and Marshall (174).
Archery Deer Season
The bow hunters take of 21,203 deer was 26 percent below the 2009 harvest of 28,482, and 21 percent below the 5 year average harvest of 26,916 and ranks as the 21st highest total on record. The top 10 counties are: Preston (1,140), Randolph (1,001), Kanawha (687), Monongalia (686), Mason (677), Nicholas (649), Raleigh (589), Wood (565), Wyoming (559), and Greenbrier (524).