Outside the Washington metro, Logan leads West Virginia's Buck Index at 89, followed by McDowell at 88 and Wyoming at 86. Inside it, Jefferson leads at 54 and is the only county there in this snapshot. Mingo, Kanawha and Mercer complete the top six at 75, 73 and 70. The county order compares documented big-buck history per estimated bow-huntable acre on a national scale. Scores run from 25 to 89 across all 55 counties, which gives a specific county comparison while leaving permits and the actual property to be checked separately.
KEY FINDINGS
- Outside the Washington metro, Logan leads at 89. Inside it, Jefferson leads at 54. FDR names the leaders on each side of the line, and a big metro means a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
- Logan leads at 89, followed by McDowell at 88. Wyoming is third at 86. Mingo is fourth at 75.
- Hancock, Raleigh, Clay and Fayette share a displayed score of 63. They hold twelfth through fifteenth place. Their underlying order is retained, but a rounded tie is not a measured difference in hunting opportunity.
- All 55 West Virginia counties are included. The score is a relative Buck Index, not an official county harvest rate.
West Virginia county finder
Where does your county rank?
Derived FDR scores on a national 0 to 100 scale. History: 2011 through 2025. Captured October 17, 2026. Order uses the underlying rate before rounding. Zero is a valid score. Not rated means the county has no qualifying bow-huntable acreage or is mostly inside city limits. Counties marked metro sit inside a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
10 of 55 entries shown
| State rank | County | Buck Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Logan | 89 |
| 2 | McDowell | 88 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 86 |
| 4 | Mingo | 75 |
| 5 | Kanawha | 73 |
| 6 | Mercer | 70 |
| 7 | Cabell | 68 |
| 8 | Boone | 68 |
| 9 | Putnam | 68 |
| 10 | Jackson | 66 |
01County comparison
Logan leads, with McDowell and Wyoming next
Logan holds first place at 89 and McDowell second at 88. Wyoming's 86 holds third place, ahead of Mingo at 75.
The denominator is estimated bow-huntable acreage. A county with less qualifying acreage can rank high when its documented big-buck history is concentrated relative to that acreage. The score does not identify which parcel produced that history or whether a hunter can gain access to it.
02County comparison
Mingo, Kanawha, Mercer and Cabell hold places four through seven
Mingo is fourth at 75, Kanawha fifth at 73 and Mercer sixth at 70. Gaps of a few points between neighboring counties should not drive a county choice.
Cabell is seventh at 68, and Lincoln is eleventh at 64. Jackson sits tenth at 66 between them. Seventh through eleventh place covers a range from 68 to 64 on the displayed score. The full table is more useful than a short winners list when a specific property comes into view outside the top few counties.
03County comparison
Berkeley, Hampshire and Pocahontas do not land in the same band
Berkeley ranks forty-second at 48. Hampshire is fifty-second at 32 and Pocahontas fifty-fifth at 25.
Berkeley's 48 is above Hampshire's 32 and Pocahontas's 25 under this measure. That is a documented difference in county history after the acreage adjustment. Any explanation for the gap would need evidence beyond the score.
04County comparison
Keep the county, management unit and property together
West Virginia's state wildlife agency's deer hunting information supplies the agency context for seasons and rules. This report does not allocate harvest totals or permit counts to counties. Before a county becomes a trip, check the season and permit conditions for the exact ground being considered.
The state wildlife agency's hunting pages are the next place to look. Start with a county you can actually hunt, then compare the substitutes that fit the same trip. A move from Kanawha to Mercer changes the rank, and the displayed Buck Index moves from 73 to 70. Access may decide the trip long before the index does.
05Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR derived this October 17, 2026 snapshot from the 2011 through 2025 history window, estimated bow-huntable acreage and national scaling. The public display ranges from 0 to 100, with no interpretation as harvest odds, population density or guaranteed access.
Compare the other states in the FDR county report series.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR scores on a national 0 to 100 scale. History: 2011 through 2025. Captured October 17, 2026. Order uses the underlying rate before rounding. Zero is a valid score. Not rated means the county has no qualifying bow-huntable acreage or is mostly inside city limits. Counties marked metro sit inside a Census metro area of 1 million people or more.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR county scores and interpretations are independent analysis. A county ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
Keep reading
FDR Scout puts county harvest history like this on the map of the ground you hunt. Open Scout →