West Virginia publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 55 hunt units. Hancock County is highest at 14.9 deer harvested per square mile in 2025. Brooke County has 11.0 in 2025 and Ohio County has 7.7 in 2025. Harvest in a hunt unit includes private land, so the public share is shown next to each unit. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.
KEY FINDINGS
- Hancock County has the highest harvest per square mile at 14.9. The agency reported 1,234 deer on 52,870 acres in 2025.
- 55 hunt units are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured in 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
West Virginia public land rankings
Best public land in West Virginia
Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Season measured 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Download all ranked rows (CSV)
Hunt units
Top 15 of 55 ranked hunt units by deer harvest per square mile. Hunt units include private land, so the public share column shows how much of each unit is public land open to hunting.
15 of 55 hunt units shown
| 1 | Hancock County | Hancock | 52,870 | 2025 | 1,234 | 14.9 | 3.4 | 4.2% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Brooke County | Brooke | 56,983 | 2025 | 976 | 11.0 | 4.3 | 4.8% |
| 3 | Ohio County | Ohio | 67,862 | 2025 | 818 | 7.7 | 0.5 | 0.5% |
| 4 | Upshur County | Upshur | 226,968 | 2025 | 2,575 | 7.3 | 0.5 | 0.1% |
| 5 | Preston County | Preston | 415,241 | 2025 | 4,570 | 7.0 | 35.2 | 5.4% |
| 6 | Jefferson County | Jefferson | 133,945 | 2025 | 1,442 | 6.9 | 5.8 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Berkeley County | Berkeley | 205,524 | 2025 | 1,990 | 6.2 | 27.2 | 8.5% |
| 8 | Taylor County | Taylor | 110,573 | 2025 | 1,035 | 6.0 | 4.7 | 2.7% |
| 9 | Mineral County | Mineral | 209,845 | 2025 | 1,948 | 5.9 | 13.4 | 4.1% |
| 10 | Barbour County | Barbour | 218,278 | 2025 | 1,952 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 0.7% |
| 11 | Monongalia County | Monongalia | 230,460 | 2025 | 2,050 | 5.7 | 18.6 | 5.2% |
| 12 | Monroe County | Monroe | 302,563 | 2025 | 2,677 | 5.7 | 39.7 | 8.4% |
| 13 | Lewis County | Lewis | 247,637 | 2025 | 2,088 | 5.4 | 32.1 | 8.3% |
| 14 | Morgan County | Morgan | 146,621 | 2025 | 1,216 | 5.3 | 12.2 | 5.3% |
| 15 | Marion County | Marion | 197,622 | 2025 | 1,577 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 0.6% |
01Hunt units
55 hunt units ranked on harvest per square mile
Hancock County has the most deer harvested per square mile at 14.9 in 2025. Brooke County has 11.0 in 2025 and Ohio County has 7.7 in 2025.
The public share is the part of each unit that is public land open to hunting.
02Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured in 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.
A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.
Sources
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Season measured 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
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