Charleston, West Virginia; December 16th, 2025
Official harvest data released by the WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES show that hunters harvested fewer antlered deer during the 2025 traditional buck firearms season than in each of the two previous years, according to preliminary figures collected through the agency’s electronic game check system.
The WVDNR reported that hunters harvested 33,775 antlered deer during the 2025 buck firearms season, which ran from November 24th through December 7th. The agency stated that this total reflects preliminary harvest data submitted by hunters statewide.
For comparison, the WVDNR reported that 41,435 antlered deer were harvested during the 2024 buck firearms season, while 44,888 antlered deer were harvested during the 2023 season, based on the agency’s published season summaries.
The 2025 total is therefore 7,660 fewer antlered deer than in 2024 and 11,113 fewer antlered deer than in 2023, based on first-hand agency figures.
The WVDNR press release does not characterize the change in harvest totals as significant or insignificant, nor does it assign causes, trends, or interpretations to the year-over-year differences. The agency’s release presents the data as reported harvest totals and does not include evaluative language regarding the magnitude or meaning of the change.
In addition to statewide figures, the WVDNR released preliminary county-level totals for the 2025 buck firearms season. According to the agency, Greenbrier County recorded the highest number of antlered deer harvested with 1,730, followed by Preston County with 1,349, Randolph County with 1,198, Hardy County with 1,165, and Pendleton County with 1,135.
The agency did not compare county-level results to prior years within the release, nor did it offer commentary on regional variation or localized conditions. As with the statewide totals, the county figures were presented without interpretation.
The WVDNR also did not provide explanations within the release for differences between seasons, such as weather conditions, hunter participation levels, herd management objectives, or biological factors. Any assessment of those variables would require additional first-hand documentation or future agency analysis.
Based on the available first-hand record, the data establish only that fewer antlered deer were harvested during the 2025 buck firearms season than in 2024 and 2023. The agency has not issued findings regarding causation, impact, or long-term implications.
Opinion regarding what the numbers indicate is inherently subjective. Readers may draw their own conclusions based on the published figures, while recognizing that the WVDNR has not characterized the change beyond reporting the totals themselves.
Additional information, including final verified harvest numbers or explanatory analysis, may be released by the agency at a later date as the season’s data are fully reviewed and compiled.
The Appalachian Post is an independent West Virginia news outlet dedicated to clean, verified, first-hand reporting. We do not publish rumors. We do not run speculation. Every fact we present must be supported by original documentation, official statements, or direct evidence. When secondary sources are used, we clearly identify them and never treat them as first-hand confirmation. We avoid loaded language, emotional framing, or accusatory wording, and we do not attack individuals, organizations, or other news outlets. Our role is to report only what can be verified through first-hand sources and allow readers to form their own interpretations. If we cannot confirm a claim using original evidence, we state clearly that we reviewed first-hand sources and could not find documentation confirming it. Our commitment is simple: honest reporting, transparent sourcing, and zero speculation.
Sources
Primary First-Hand Sources
• WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, official press release and preliminary harvest data for the 2025 buck firearms season
• WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, published buck firearms season harvest summaries for 2024 and 2023
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