W. Va. Hunters Kill Fewer Deer In 2021, Preston County Tops The List

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The number of white-tailed deer killed in West Virginia during the recently completed hunting seasons fell slightly compared to a year ago, wildlife officials said.

Hunters killed 105,278 deer last year, a 1.5% drop from the 106,861 deer killed in 2020, the Division of Natural Resources said Wednesday in a news release.

Most deer were killed in Preston, Jackson, Randolph, and Upshur counties.

The DNR said hunters killed more than 42,000 bucks during the traditional buck firearm season, 31,000 were killed by bows and crossbows, nearly 28,000 antlerless deer were killed during all firearm seasons, and nearly 3,600 deer were killed by muzzleloader hunters. In addition, 633 deer were taken with primitive bows and rifles during the Mountaineer Heritage season.

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