The archery harvest in Tables 3, 4, 8, and 9 include 250 deer taken by hunters in the special urban deer season. This special archery deer-hunting season is available to incorporated cities, which may open 14 days prior to the opening of archery season and close December 31. During this special season two deer may be taken which do not count toward the regular archery deer season bag limit. In 2003, four cities had an urban deer archery season. For information regarding implementing a special season contact your local city government.

The antlerless deer harvest (Tables 5, 6, 8, and 9) include 3311 antlerless deer harvested in the special youth and Class Q deer season. This season was open on private land in any county, or portion thereof, open to the antlerless deer season and on 29 DNR Wildlife Management Areas across the state on November 1, 2003 and again December 22 and 23, 2003. This was the sixth year this special season was held. To participate hunters had to hold a Class Q license or be a youth at least 10 and no more than 14 years of age on the day of the season, and be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 21 years of age. The daily bag limit was one antlerless deer, which did not count against the hunter's annual antlerless deer season bag limit. Youth and Class Q hunters harvested 2492 deer on November 1st and an additional 419 and 400 deer on December 22nd and 23rd, respectively. The recorded harvest for the 2003 special Youth and Class Q deer season declined by 31% from that of 2002. The reduced harvest in December can be attributed to the wariness of the deer and decreased participation because of colder weather in late December. However, the first day harvest was off 37% from 2002


Written by James M. Crum

Click On Links Below For PDF Versions of Tables 1-9.

Table 1. West Virginia Antlered Buck Harvest, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 6.02KB)

Table 2. Antlered Buck Gun Harvest By Locality In West Virginia, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 7.37KB)

Table 3. West Virginia White-Tailed Deer Bow Harvest, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 5.85KB)

Table 4. Deer Bow Harvest By Locality In West Virginia, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 7.21KB)

Table 5. West Virginia Anterless Gun Harvest, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 6.00KB)

Table 6. Antlerless Deer Harvest By Locality In West Virginia, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 6.96KB)

Table 7. Muzzleloader Deer Seasons In West Virginia, 1999-2003.
(PDF format, 6.33KB)

Table 8. Deer Mortality By Type of Season, 2003.
(PDF format, 6.19KB)

Table 9. West Virginia 2003 Deer Kill Per Square Mile of Habitat By Season
(PDF format, 6.39KB)

Table 10. Nonseasonal white-tailed deer mortalities in West Virginia, 1978-2003.
(PDF format, 6.39KB)

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