KENNA, W.Va. — A steady stream of deer hunters rolled into a DNR checkpoint in Jackson County Monday with bucks to be sized up by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.
“We’re just collecting some general biological data from the deer. On the bucks we’re doing antler measurements. On all the deer we’re taking DNA samples and on some we’re taking blood samples. It’s just an opportunity for us to get out into the field and collect data,” said Biologist Holly Morris.
Hunters in Jackson, Mason, Upshur, and Barbour Counties are required to bring the deer killed on Monday and Tuesday to the check points to allow for collection of those samples. The counties are also part of an ongoing mortality study by the DNR to try and determine deer movements and how many of them die. A large number of deer in those areas are outfitted with a tracking collar. The deer are fair game to shoot, but the DNR wants the collar back.
Most hunters indicated the rutting activity was still underway. The buck season is generally timed to happen after the peak of rutting activity so the largest number of bucks will be done breeding before they are killed. However, since West Virginia’s opening day is always the Monday before Thanksgiving it varies from year to year how far past the peak of rutting the hunting season occurs. This year it’s fairly close.
“He just came in at about 15 yards on a hot doe, I stopped him and shot him,” said Gage Landis of Kenna, West Virginia as the wildlife managers worked up blood samples from his 9 point buck.
Young Hunter Gravely had a nice eight point. It was the third deer for the six year old who killed it while hunting Monday morning with his dad.
“As as he walked in, I told Dad it was a 10 point, he said it was an 8-point, and I said, ‘Ill take it,'” Hunter proudly proclaimed.
Gunner Sharp from Pittsburgh was in for the Thanksgiving holiday with family. Hunting on his family’s property he also got a nice buck on opening morning.
“The sun comes up and I turn around and there he was, not too far behind me. He came in about 20 yards behind me. I didn’t want to move too much because there was a doe behind me, but I watched him for a while and finally decided to take him,” said Sharp.
The weather conditions on opening morning were cool and overcast. There is rain in the forecast for Tuesday. Rainfall has a tendency to drive hunters from the woods early and can negatively impact the season’s overall harvest.
The buck season runs for two weeks in West Virginia.