Economy Slows Down Hunting Season
By: Katie Kyros
Updated: November 26, 2012
MORGAN COUNTY, WV - Deer hunting season is now underway in Maryland and Pennsylvania. In West Virginia, it started last week, and if their numbers so far are any indication, the economy is going to be a friend to deer this year.
Rick Vincent shot a four-point buck at the Sleepy Creek hunting area. He's got plans for it.
"Make slim jims, deer jerky and stuff like that," says Vincent.
"Eat them," says Gary Silver, a hunter. "We cut them into steaks, cut tenderloins, butterfly them and everything."
Hunters checking in at Shanghai Grocery said this year deer are headed for the dinner table. They're not shooting for recreation.
"I love when the season comes in, that saves on the grocery bill," says Silver.
Local checkpoints say it's been a quieter hunting season so far than in years past. They're seeing less hunters shooting for sport.
"This year seems to be a lot slower than previous years," says checkpoint owner Dorothy Snow. "But it's like each year with the economy the way it is, people don't have jobs, they don't have money, they can't afford a license, can't afford the guns and shells, ammo's going up extremely high."
And local hunters say, the woods are quiet. There are fewer hunters to scare the deer.
"Previously, it was nothing for us to do 250-300 deer in that one day," says Snow. "And we'd have to have four people running the store. Now we can do two people and check deer."
The deer firearm season runs until December 1st in West Virginia. In Maryland and Pennsylvania, it runs through December 8th.
Rick Vincent shot a four-point buck at the Sleepy Creek hunting area. He's got plans for it.
"Make slim jims, deer jerky and stuff like that," says Vincent.
"Eat them," says Gary Silver, a hunter. "We cut them into steaks, cut tenderloins, butterfly them and everything."
Hunters checking in at Shanghai Grocery said this year deer are headed for the dinner table. They're not shooting for recreation.
"I love when the season comes in, that saves on the grocery bill," says Silver.
Local checkpoints say it's been a quieter hunting season so far than in years past. They're seeing less hunters shooting for sport.
"This year seems to be a lot slower than previous years," says checkpoint owner Dorothy Snow. "But it's like each year with the economy the way it is, people don't have jobs, they don't have money, they can't afford a license, can't afford the guns and shells, ammo's going up extremely high."
And local hunters say, the woods are quiet. There are fewer hunters to scare the deer.
"Previously, it was nothing for us to do 250-300 deer in that one day," says Snow. "And we'd have to have four people running the store. Now we can do two people and check deer."
The deer firearm season runs until December 1st in West Virginia. In Maryland and Pennsylvania, it runs through December 8th.
