Thanksgiving week is upon us. In West Virginia that has always meant the first week of buck season for as long as I have hunted.

Even with the drop in the number of hunters and less accessible hunting land, I’m sure this is still one of the busiest weeks of the year in our state.

It is a time when a lot of families get together to hunt, go to a traditional deer camp and celebrate Thanksgiving.

I have visited several deer camps where it seemed to be about more the camaraderie of camp than the harvesting of a deer.

If you were lucky enough to get a deer that just afforded you some bragging rights.

If you are fortunate and take a larger buck, you can take advantage of the WVDNR Big Buck Certification program. Although the contest part of the program was discontinued in 2013, they continue to officially score and certify your buck harvest.

The WVDNR website also can help you with tips on how to take care of your game after the kill, along with a few wild game recipes.

Up to this point, I have Archery hunted very little. I have taken one doe to share with some of my family, but other than that, I have just spent time hunting with my grandsons and waiting for maybe a decent-sized buck.

I have had a few bucks on trail camera but have not connected with one while hunting.

I have seen friends and family have many large bucks on camera and a few have been fortunate enough to connect with some good ones.

From mine and other people’s observations, oak seems to have hit quite sporadic this year. With some saying one side of a ridge it was laying like marbles and then the opposite side barely noticeable.

It may take a little scouting for you to find the best place to hunt under these conditions.

Keep in mind that a hunter is only allowed three antlered deer total for all seasons combined, and as a reminder this will change to two bucks total for the 2024 season. Also, if you are interested in purchasing an additional antlered deer stamp, you must do so before Nov. 20..

Earlier this month the DNR sent out a press release to remind hunters in Barbour, Jackson, Mason and Upshur counties that deer harvested on Nov. 20th and 21st must be brought to a designated station for a carcass examination by WVDNR personnel.

Hunters in these four counties need to check the WVDNR website for station locations and times.

And as always, if you harvest more deer than you can use or would like to donate, you can take a deer to one of the Hunters Helping the Hungry locations on the DNR website. This is always a worthwhile program.

So to end, I would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you have a successful deer season.

Stay Safe and Stay Outdoors.

Thanksgiving means the first week of buck season