LOGAN COUNTY, W.Va. – Gov. Jim Justice and officials with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources met today with a 16-year-old who recently unearthed an elk antler at a Wildlife Management Area in Logan County.

The young man, Chase Herndon of Holden, led Gov. Justice and WVDNR Elk Project Leader Randy Kelley to the antler’s location deep inside the WMA, so state officials could properly retrieve it.

Video and photos of the retrieval are available for download here

State law prohibits anyone from taking elk antlers for themselves. Herndon, an avid young bowhunter, did the right thing by reporting his discovery immediately.

“I’m really proud that Chase did the right thing and got in touch with my office when he came across this antler,” Gov. Justice said. “He’s a true outdoorsman like me and it’s great to see a young hunter respecting this piece of nature so it could be retrieved the right way.”

Throughout the day, Gov. Justice and Herndon talked about their shared love for bowhunting and during their conversations the Governor learned that Herndon has already won several major awards for his hunting prowess. In 2016, at the age of just 13, he won a world archery championship.

Officials with the WVDNR traded the young man one prized find for another, taking the elk antler and giving him a DNR hat as thanks for his efforts.