It is by far the most popular and most anticipated hunting season of the year in West Virginia.   The West Virginia DNR estimates more than 280-thousand hunters will be in the woods Monday for the opening of the buck firearm season.

"Deer populations are excellent and continue to be very abundant throughout the state," said DNR Game Management Chief Paul Johansen. "This is going to be, I think, a fairly outstanding deer season for us."

Johansen makes that prediction based on the deer numbers and continuing reports of larger than normal numbers of antler bucks being spotted around the state.   The one factor that cannot be controlled, and therefore cannot be factored into his prediction is the weather.  

The 2008 opening date in West Virginia was marred by horrible weather.  Southern West Virginia counties were deluged by rain while those in the northern counties of the state were beset with nearly a foot or more of snow.    The weather doesn't necessarily impact deer behavior, but plays a big role in hunter behavior and therefore can lower the anticipated harvest dramatically.

"Just anecdotally, we've got reports of some dandy bucks roaming around out there this year," said Johansen in a recent edition of West Virginia Outdoors. "For those guys and gals who want the opportunity to kill a big buck, I think it's going to be there fore them this year."

The increased average antler size in West Virginia is credited to a continuing liberalized policy of killing antlerless deer in West Virginia.  During the buck season in all West Virginia counties that have an antlerless season, hunters on private land can also kill a doe again in 2009.     Hunters must possess the Class N Stamp, and the bag limits vary from county to county.

"By having that concurrent antlerless season and buck season come in at the same time, we're seeing a little bit of pressure being taken off the buck segment of the population," said Johansen. "There are a number of bucks surviving and getting a little age on them.  That's a key component of antler development is age."

The biggest numbers of deer in the state will be found in the central and northwest counties of the state.    The most developed racks, available to gun hunters, will be found in counties bordering the Ohio River.     The biggest racks in the state will be found in the four-southern West Virginia counties closed to gun hunting.    

This year's mast conditions are spotty at best in many parts of the state.  Those conditions will be helpful if hunters are careful in selecting where they hunt.    The lack of acorns in many counties will likely push deer feeding into the fields where they will be found in the late evenings and early mornings.   Travel corridors between those areas and bedding zones are key locations for hunters to setup and watch.

The volume of hunters on the first three days typically changes the dynamics of scouting.   Mass movement can keep deer stirred up and on the move, making the likelihood of a buck rushed into your hunting area highly probable.   The bulk of the deer killed during the two week season are taken in the first three days.