CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The W.Va. Division of Natural Resources announced the winners of the 2025 West Virginia Big Buck Photo Contest during the opening ceremony of the West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
Now in its fifth year, the contest highlights the state’s hunting traditions while promoting ethical wildlife management and conservation. More than 170 finalists were selected from entries submitted by resident and nonresident hunters during the 2025 deer hunting season.
Brett McMillion, director of the division, said the contest highlighted outstanding deer and the traditions that define hunting in West Virginia, while underscoring hunters’ role in conservation.
“This year’s Big Buck Photo Contest showcased impressive deer and the stories and traditions that make hunting in West Virginia special,” McMillion said.
“By participating in hunting seasons and contests like this, hunters play a vital role in stewarding our state’s natural resources and showcasing the incredible opportunities West Virginia has to offer.”
The contest was open to youth and adult hunters who legally harvested a buck during the 2025 West Virginia hunting season.
Participants were required to submit a photograph of their deer along with a brief written account of the hunt and proof of a valid West Virginia hunting license. Each entry also included a state-issued 13-digit game check number.
Finalists were selected through a random drawing from eligible entries, while winners were chosen by a judging committee based on photo composition, antler size, number of antler points, and the quality of the written hunt description.
Seven winners were selected this year, including one resident adult, five resident youth hunters, and one non-resident adult. No entries were received from non-resident youth hunters.
2025 West Virginia Big Buck Photo Contest Winners
Resident Adult Division
• Emma Malcomb, Tallmansville
Resident Youth Division
• Judah Brooks, Cool Ridge
• Bridger Williams, Jane Lew
• Kylo Benton, Summersville
• Kelsey Ferguson, Summersville
• Hunter Miller, Advent
Non-Resident Adult Division
• Hunter Murcko, Cortland, Ohio
The resident adult grand prize winner will receive a lifetime West Virginia hunting license and a West Virginia State Parks cabin stay. The non-resident adult winner will receive a state park cabin stay or a Bass Pro Shops prize package. All youth winners will receive Bass Pro Shops prize packages.
Winners will be contacted directly by the state to claim their prizes.
The West Virginia Big Buck Photo Contest is held annually by the state to celebrate responsible hunting, youth participation, and the Mountain State’s outdoor heritage.
History of the West Virginia Big Buck Photo Contest
The West Virginia Big Buck Photo Contest was established by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources to celebrate the state’s deer hunting traditions and give hunters a chance to share photos of their harvests from the annual deer season.
Now held annually, the contest invites licensed resident and nonresident youth and adult hunters to submit a photo of a buck they legally harvested along with a brief account of the hunt.
Winners are selected from eligible finalists based on antler size, photo quality, and hunt description, with prizes that have included lifetime hunting licenses, state park cabin stays, and outdoor gear packages.
Over the years, the contest has grown in participation and serves as a showcase of West Virginia’s rich hunting heritage and quality deer hunting opportunities.
Economic impact of hunting in West Virginia
Hunting makes a significant economic contribution to West Virginia, generating hundreds of millions of dollars each year through license sales, retail purchases, travel, lodging, restaurant sales, and outdoor gear purchases.
Estimates indicate that hunting-related activity contributes roughly $550 million annually to the state’s economy, with deer hunting retail sales alone accounting for more than $300 million and drawing both resident and out-of-state participants who spend on supplies and travel.
These expenditures support local businesses, contribute to tourism, and help sustain rural economies across the Mountain State.
Deer hunting in West Virginia
Deer hunting is one of West Virginia’s most popular and longstanding outdoor traditions, drawing tens of thousands of resident and nonresident hunters each year. The state offers diverse whitetail deer habitat, from hardwood forests and reclaimed mine lands to agricultural valleys, supporting a healthy and well-managed deer population.
Seasons are carefully regulated by the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources through archery, muzzleloader, and firearm seasons to balance herd health, hunter opportunity, and conservation goals.
For many families, deer hunting is both a recreational pursuit and a cultural tradition passed down through generations, while also playing an important role in wildlife management and the state’s outdoor economy.
Outdoor living in West Virginia
Outdoor living has long shaped West Virginia’s identity, economy, and culture, from early Indigenous communities and frontier settlers who depended on the forests and rivers for survival to generations of coal miners, loggers, farmers, hunters, and anglers whose livelihoods were tied directly to the land.
The state’s rugged terrain fostered a strong tradition of self-reliance, outdoor work, and recreation, with activities such as hunting, fishing, foraging, and hiking woven into daily life rather than treated solely as leisure.
Today, those same natural assets are increasingly central to West Virginia’s future, as outdoor recreation, conservation, and nature-based tourism drive economic diversification, attract new residents and remote workers, and support small businesses in rural communities.
As the Mountain State looks ahead, outdoor living continues to serve both as a cultural foundation and a strategic asset for sustainable economic growth and quality of life.
For more information about hunting and fishing opportunities in West Virginia, or to purchase a 2026 hunting license and stamps, visit WVDNR.gov.