DNR PRESS RELESAE:
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) announced today that hunters harvested 111,646 deer during the 2024–2025 seasons, which is a 2 percent increase over the previous year’s harvest of 109,246 and 1 percent above the 5-year average of 110,296.
According to preliminary numbers, hunters harvested 41,435 bucks during the traditional buck firearm season, 33,057 antlerless deer during all antlerless firearm hunting opportunities, 32,240 deer during the urban and regular archery/crossbow seasons, 4,173 deer during the muzzleloader season and 741 deer during the Mountaineer Heritage season.
“This year’s encouraging increase in deer harvests highlights the dedication of West Virginia’s hunters and the incredible opportunities our state offers for outdoor recreation,” said WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. “Deer hunting not only allows hunters to experience the beauty of West Virginia’s great outdoors but also plays a vital role in managing our natural resources and ensuring healthy wildlife populations for generations to come.”
Click here to download county-by-county 2024–2025 deer harvest numbers.
Antlerless Deer Season
Hunters harvested 33,057 deer during the 2024 antlerless deer season, which includes the youth, class Q and class XS deer season. This total represents a 14 percent increase compared to 2023 and is 9 percent above the five-year average of 30,464. The top ten counties for antlerless deer harvests were: Preston (1,657), Jackson (1,321), Mason (1,298), Lewis (1,262), Wood (1,242), Upshur (1,203), Ritchie (1,129), Randolph (1,101), Monroe (998) and Roane (925).
Muzzleloader Deer Season
Hunters harvested 4,173 deer during the 2024 muzzleloader season, which was 8 percent less than the 2023 harvest of 4,521 and 5 percent below the five-year average of 4,404. The muzzleloader deer season harvest does not include the deer taken with side lock and flintlock muzzleloaders during the Mountaineer Heritage season. The top ten counties for muzzleloader deer harvests were: Nicholas (207), Randolph (206), Preston (171), Upshur (150), Greenbrier (145), Wood (129) Barbour (119), Ritchie (116), Jackson (114) and Mason and Webster (110).
Archery and Crossbow Deer Season
Hunters harvested 32,240 deer during the 2024 archery and crossbow season — 12,920 with bows and 19,320 deer with crossbows. The 2024 harvest was a 6 percent increase over the 2023 harvest of 30,287, and a 2 percent increase over the five-year average of 31,527. The archery and crossbow harvest does not include deer taken with recurves or longbows during the Mountaineer Heritage season. The top ten counties for archery and crossbow deer harvests were: Preston (1,503), Randolph (1,144), Raleigh (1,136), Kanawha (1,099), Wood (1,044), Jackson (949), Wyoming (944), Mason (922), Upshur (873) and Fayette (872).
Regulations Public Meetings
Hunters are reminded that in-person public meetings on proposed hunting regulations will be held on March 10 from 6-8 p.m. in Beckley, Buckhannon, Cairo, Farmington, Martinsburg and Milton, and on March 11 in Moorefield, Lewisburg, Logan, Parkersburg, Summersville and Triadelphia. Hunters are encouraged to attend and submit comments on proposed regulation changes, which will be made available at WVdnr.gov later in February.
For more information about hunting in West Virginia and to purchase a 2025 license and stamps, visit WVdnr.gov.