Published: November 01, 2008 01:38 am      

DNR predicts ‘banner year’ for deer hunters

MORGANTOWN — Two weeks into archery season, Paul Richards has again emerged from the woods without a deer. And his wife — unhappy with high grocery prices — is on his case about it.

“She’s wanting me to kill one now,” he said Thursday morning, his face still smeared with camouflage as he grabbed a snack and endured the ribbing of friends at Cool Springs Grocery.

Last year, the 26-year-old, laid-off construction worker killed four deer to help feed his family of four.

“This year,” he says, “I’m gonna try to make it more.”

State wildlife officials say that budget-conscious mentality is combining with several other factors to create what could be another record-breaking year for West Virginia deer hunters.

Biological conditions are good, and so far, so is the weather. The rules for antlerless deer season have been liberalized, with more of the state’s 52 counties open for hunting and many offering higher bag limits.

And because rain last year kept many hunters out of the woods and many deer in hiding, the herd is bigger and fatter.

“If they’re a year older, that’s another year for growth and antler development,” said Paul Johansen, assistant chief of game management for the Division of Natural Resources. “So not only are there more deer out there, but there are more deer with larger racks.”

Weather is always the biggest factor in the success of a season, he said, “but if we have a good couple of opening days for buck season, it should just be an absolutely banner year.”

Last year, hunters killed a record 145,577 white-tailed deer in the combined seasons, a 6 percent increase over 2006. DNR has no preliminary kill figures yet, but game checking stations are reporting increases.

Deer processors are also reporting more butchering orders.

Pioneer Meat Processing in Waverly and Hunter’s Choice LLC of Shady Spring both report a 30 percent increase over this time last year, while Deer Legg’s in Charleston says business is up about 20 percent.

“I know several hunters that are planning to take more than what they have in the past,” said Jay Robertson, owner of the Wood County shop. “It’s good for all of us. It cuts their grocery costs and it gives us more work.”

Brian Legg, owner of the Charleston operation, says the $47 fee he charges helps keep things affordable.

“You hear a lot of people coming in here saying, ’I’m filling up my freezer this year. I’m cutting down on the Wal-Mart bill.”’

Lori Redden, who runs the Raleigh County butchery with husband Gary, took in 150 deer in the first week alone. For $58, hunters got back vacuum-sealed venison they can freeze for up to three years.

“I wasn’t sure going into this season how the economy would affect us,” she said, “but I do feel hunters are thinking that instead of buying beef and other types of meat, they’re going to use their deer as much as they can.”

And that has a trickle-down effect: It’s more business for the Reddens and more work for the temporary employees they hire during the season.

Redden laughs as she thinks about what deer hunting was like in her home state of Illinois.

“They hunt in Illinois. It’s popular,” she said. “But here, it’s almost a religion. Everybody does it, and they plan all year for it. It’s hard-core hunting.”

The DNR has few numbers to back up its predictions that more deer will be killed this year, but Johansen said there is one indicator: Online sales of extra deer stamps to bow hunters is about 10 percent higher than last year. For an extra $20 stamp, archers can take three deer apiece.

Licenses for the other forms of hunting will be sold throughout the season, so final tallies won’t be available until late winter or early spring. But Johansen has little doubt high food prices will help push them higher.

“Generally speaking, folks in West Virginia are deer hunting not only for the deep tradition and the camaraderie, but also because they like to eat venison,” he said. “It’s good for you, it’s a good source of protein, and it saves on the grocery bill.”