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CHARLESTON -- The 2019 Firearms Buck Season got underway on Monday, but initial numbers are behind last year.
There were around 15,000 deer checked in statewide as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, said Gary M. Foster, assistant chief-game management with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.
''That is a little bit behind last year, but it is still early,'' Foster said. ''People are still checking in animals from the first day.''
With people off for Thanksgiving and the long weekend, he is expecting more people to be able to get out to do some hunting.
The Firearms Buck Season goes through Dec. 7. Foster said a county by county breakdown would not be available until after the season concluded.
Officials are expecting a harvest of around 40,000-45,000 deer this year. The state averaged around 44,000 the last couple of years, Foster said.
Col. Jerry Jenkins, chief of the law enforcement section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, said there was only one accidental shooting on Monday involving a juvenile in Roane County.
The individual accidentally shot himself in the foot after carrying a loaded weapon on a UTV Side by Side vehicle. Jenkins said the person was in surgery Tuesday and may have a toe amputated, but is still expected to make a full recovery.
''It is illegal to carry a loaded weapon on a motor vehicle,'' Jenkins said of vibrations and other factors that could cause the weapon to go off. ''We strongly discourage people from carrying loaded weapons in vehicles."
There were slip and fall accidents across the state and one person fell from a tree stand.
''Overall, it was relatively quiet,'' Jenkins said.
If hunters are going out over the coming days, they are encouraged to wear blaze orange vests to be better seen by other hunters.
''That has helped cut down on incidents over the years,'' Jenkins said.
He also encourages people to take hunter education classes.
Hunters are also encouraged to take their cell phones with them in case they run into a problem and might need help.
Jenkins also advises people to be mindful of any underlying medical conditions that could impact them while out. If someone has heart trouble, they shouldn't overexert themselves.
It would also be helpful for hunters to go out with a companion who can help if the need arises, Jenkins said. Tell someone the area they will be in in case something happens, he said.
Foster said this is the time to introduce hunting to younger people and reconnect people to it who might have gotten away from it for a while.
''Now is the time to expose them to that opportunity,'' he said. ''We want everyone out there to be safe.''