HARRISVILLE - The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is investigating the death of a Ritchie County man while hunting Monday on the first day of deer gun season in West Virginia.
DNR spokesman Hoy Murphy said officials are investigating the death of Joe Louis Clayton, 73, of Smithville, on Monday. Clayton died of an apparent heart attack while hunting near Hazelgreen Road in Ritchie County.
Murphy had no further information Tuesday about the incident and said there were no reports of similar incidents around West Virginia.
Raiguel Funeral Home in Harrisville announced that visitation will be held from 1-3 p.m. today at the funeral home. No services will be held and Clayton will be interred in Lawford Cemetery.
In Wood County, the first couple of days of the season were going well, according to DNR game biologist Jeff McCrady.
No official numbers were available on the number of deer harvested locally or statewide, but McCrady thought there would probably be more kills this year compared to last year due primarily to the better weather this year for the season's opening.
McCrady said biologists were visiting checking stations this week to collect information on ages, weights and other data about the bucks and does being harvested. The size of most of the deer being brought in has been consistent with last year's harvest, he said.
West Virginia's deer gun season will continue through Dec. 1. Hunters are limited to two bucks during gun season and three does a year, whether during archery or firearms season. Buck season is now open in every county but Logan, Mingo, McDowell and Wyoming.
