Funding for research into how CWD spreads May 16, 2023 Virginia, CBS19 News 

... The Virginia Hound Heritage recently gave $30,000 to the Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources and Environment ... use molecular tools with a goal to estimate the potential extent of future spread...

County recommends leaving baby deer alone April 28, 2023 Virginia, Fairfax Times

... Effective May 1, the rehabilitation of deer fawns in Fairfax County will be prohibited... to reduce the potential transmission and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) within deer populations in the Commonwealth...

See a baby deer? Leave it alone, Fairfax Co. police say April 20, 2023 Virginia, WUSA9

... Beginning May 1, the rehabilitation of fawns in Fairfax County is prohibited.  These restrictions on fawn rehabilitation, which are administered and enforced by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, are implemented to reduce potential transmission and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) ...

Lucky Dogs: Rescue dogs get a new lease on life as vineyard patrol April 12, 2023 Virginia, Rappahannock Record

... The four-legged members of the vineyard’s Grape Vine Patrol Squad are dedicated to their work, living among the vines, just now bursting into life, to keep hungry predators like deer, turkeys and opossum at bay, according to owner Katie Krop...

Commentary: Virginia’s inaugural elk hunt: elk hunting or shooting fish in a barrel? April 4, 2023 Virginia, The Roanoke Times

... If hunter success (100%) and funds raised (greater than a half-million dollars) were the criteria of success, then I agree, the inaugural elk hunt was a success. However, if hunting ethics and fair chase hunting were the criteria of success, then I disagree, and the inaugural elk hunt was not a success...

Herds Without Hunters March 31, 2023 Virginia,  EIN Presswire

... From just under 300,000 licensed deer hunters in the early 1990s to approximately 185,400 in fall 2021, the Department has lost approximately 38 percent of its licensed deer hunters ... Only two items have temporarily stopped or reversed this declining trend over the last 30 years—economic recession(s) and Covid...

Latest numbers released on disease claiming lives of Virginia deer March 9, 2023 Virginia, WRIC

...  The latest Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) numbers show minimal spread among white-tail deer in the New River Valley ... During the most recent fall and winter deer hunting seasons, 1,170 deer were harvested in DMA3. Of those, eight tested positive..,

Naturalists to study deer impacts as Arlington considers population control measures February 22, 2023 Virgnia, ARLnow.com

...  the county had its deer population counted by drone and a report summarizing what the drone recorded found parts of Arlington had populations of 20-39 deer per square mile  [15 - 28 was considered optimal in a recent study] ...  the group will list possible management strategies and engage the community ...

Virginia 2022–2023 Deer Kill Summary February 15, 2023 Virginia DWR

... During the 2022–23 deer hunting season, hunters harvested 184,968 deer in Virginia, down approximately 3% from the 190,582 deer taken during the same time frame the previous season...   down 8% from the last ten-year average of 200,351, was likely impacted by above average hard mast conditions across much of the state which generally leads to decreased deer movements and lower harvests. Weather during the 2022-23 deer season was also highly variable ..,

Year-round deer hunt, menhaden ban bills die January 18, 2023 Virginia, Richmond Times-Dispatch

The deer bill would have allowed year-round hunting on private property, instead of the current limited seasons for various weapons and different counties set by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources...

State's deer, bear and turkey harvest numbers declining March 9, 2023 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... In the 10-county region ...The 2022–23 deer season kill ... is about a 20% drop against the 10-year average, which far exceeds the statewide average.  Something else besides weather and abundant acorns is tanking the deer kill in counties along the Interstate 95 corridor...

Hunt of a lifetime: Elk population thrives in Southwest Virginia to allow lottery hunt December 29, 2022 Virginia, WRIC

... Six hunters in Southwest Virginia were given the chance ... the DWR reported 31,951 applicants threw their names into the lottery. The lottery generated more than $513,000, which the DWR states will go toward conservation efforts...

Deer hunting season extended to March in some areas to control spread of chronic wasting disease December 6, 2022 Virginia, WVTF

... The first confirmed case in Virginia was in 2009 in the northwestern part of the state. There have now been cases in eight counties in the Shenandoah Valley and the New River Valley...  in areas where the disease is believed to be spreading, the season has been extended to March 26..,

How Virginia's Deer Change in December and January November 30, 2022 EIN Presswire

... “Whether a doe fawn breeds in December during the so-called “second rut” is all about body weight and condition,” Martin said. “In our state, based on DMAP [Deer Management Assistance Program] data, fawns have to weigh about 70 pounds to enter estrous. In the north, the magic weight is about 80 pounds. In a year like this with a heavy acorn crop, we may see more fawns breeding, which usually occurs during the second and third weeks of December...

Deer season predicted to be stable in Tidewater  October 8, 2022 Virginia, Shore Daily News

..According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, unless there is a significant Hemorrhagic Disease event, deer populations and the deer kill across most of the state should be stable to increasing...

Elk were decimated in the Eastern U.S. Now a herd is thriving in Va. September 6, 2022 Virginia, The Washington Post on MSN.com

... Centuries ago, herds of elk roamed the United States, but their population was decimated due to over-hunting and destruction of their habitat... Now — a decade after wildlife officials reintroduced them in southwest Virginia — there’s a herd of more than 250 elk in the region...

Tysons Forest removed from sites open for Fairfax County's yearly deer hunts August 16, 2022 Virginia, FFXnow

... Voicing safety concerns, residents and other community members near the 33-acre Tysons Forest ... successfully campaigned to get it removed from a list of areas marked for deer hunting...

DWR officials confirm viral disease among local deer populations August 15, 2022 Virginia, NBC12

...  several reports of deer in the state having a fatal viral disease known as hemorrhagic disease (HD)...Not all deer that contract the disease will perish, those that survive the infection may develop hoof lesions/pain and are more susceptible to pneumonia..,

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources encourages residents not to disturb fawns May 26, 2022 WCYB

... “It’s not uncommon for deer to drop their fawns off near buildings or houses. That fawn is not orphaned. The mom is coming and going at night, undetected by people," ... Each county has certified, licensed rehabilitators available to assist residents. We have placed their information here ...

Virginia private property owners sue over hunting dog law May 11, 2022 Fox News

... Private property owners in Virginia are suing the state Department of Wildlife Resources over a law allowing hunters to enter their land when retrieving their dogs... during deer season ...

Virginia researchers considering new ways to warn drivers about elk crossings May 10, 2022 Virginia Mercury

... Once abundant in Appalachia, Virginia’s elk population was wiped out by the late 1800s due to habitat loss and overhunting. After several failed attempts to bring elk herds back to the state, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources successfully reintroduced an elk population starting in 2012. Beginning with 71 adults and 4 calves, Virginia’s elk population has grown to more than 250 animals, according to state officials..,

Reversing centuries-old ban, Virginians can hunt public lands Sundays starting July 1 July 1 April 12, 2022

Richmond Times-Dispatch

... Fairfax Democrat State Sen. Chap Petersen introduced the legislation to allow Sunday hunting on public land more than 200 yards from places of worship ...

The Virginia Appalachian Deer Study: How Fawns are Faring West of the Blue Ridge Mountains  April 1, 2022 EIN - Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

... Bath County, Virginia, where deer herds have demonstrated declines (particularly on public lands) over the last 20 years based on reported harvests ... initial findings suggest that many of the issues surrounding fawn survival are attributed to changes in habitat quality, as elevation increases from low to high...

Virginia Announces More CWD-Positive Deer Near North Carolina Border March 11, 2022 EIN News

... one deer harvested in Floyd Co. and one deer harvested in Montgomery Co. tested positive for CWD. This is the first time a CWD-positive deer has been found in Floyd Co. and it was harvested approximately 28.5 miles from the North Carolina border. This is just a few miles closer than the CWD-positive deer reported last year in Montgomery Co ... 

Survival of white‐tailed deer fawns on Marine Corps Base Quantico March, 2022 Virginia, Journal Wildlife Management

... Some jurisdictions in the eastern United States have reduced harvest of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) because of perceived declines in recruitment and population size over the last decade. Although the restoration of American black bears (Ursus americanus) and the colonization of coyotes (Canis latrans) have increased fawn predation in some areas, limited information exists on how temporally dynamic resources and weather influence fawn survival... Our results highlight the importance of oak mast in eastern deciduous forests ...

First-ever Floyd County deer tests positive for chronic wasting disease March 8, 2022 Virginia, WSLS 10

... In Virginia, a total of 134 deer from eleven counties have tested positive for the disease since 2009... a diseased deer killed in Floyd County this hunting season...

Deer, bear, turkey harvests decline  March 7, 2022 Virginia, Northern Virginia Daily

... Deer hunters took 190,582 whitetails last year, down about 8 percent from the 208,131 deer killed the year before... There’s no question there are fewer deer around, but “the decline was likely due to the unusually warm and dry weather across the state,” according to Deer Project Coordinator Matt Knox..,

Timber Stand Improvement for Wildlife March 3, 2022 EIN News

... Ground cover exploded when sunlight reached the forest floor. The thicket provides security cover, and the food plot provides forage ... Working with a chainsaw is efficient ....

Virginia's contentious 'right to retrieve' law remains intact March 3, 2022 Virginia Mercury

... law allowing hunters to go on other people’s property without permission to retrieve hunting dogs will remain on the books unchanged after two bills that would have slightly tweaked it failed in the Senate...

Arlington, Staff not sure deer-culling is the way to go February 24, 2022 Virginia, Sun Gazette

... A drone survey conducted over most of Arlington last year found 290 deer, working out to an average of about 13 for every square mile studied...

Deer harvest drops precipitously around the area and state February 17, 2022 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

...  the reported white-tailed deer kill in a 10-county area surrounding Fredericksburg was off 17 percent last season, more than double the statewide average drop of 8 percent ... Deer Project Coordinator Matt Knox notionally attributes the decline to unusually warm and dry weather ... DWR is aggressively managing to reduce deer populations ...

Arlington animal control disputes ‘deer problem’ raised in study February 9, 2022 Virginia, ARLnow.com

... Since November 2020, when it launched an online reporting system, AWLA has received over 650 wildlife concerns, and of those, 17 (3%) related to deer... and the most common concern was about the health of orphaned fawns...

House panel shows little appetite for hunting law changes  February 3, 2022 NBC12

...  still has to take up proposals related to Virginia’s controversial “right to retrieve” law, a 1938 statute that allows hunters to go on other landowners’ property without permission to retrieve hunting dogs...

Alexandria, Challenges, concerns, hopes discussed as Alexandria re-examines idea of having a deer hunt in city limits  February 3, 2022 Virginia, Echo Press

... “There’s people who love to see the deer and wildlife,” Kent said. “The other piece is a safety issue. That’s quite frankly a concern. When you have hunting arrows and broadheads, we know it doesn’t take much of a tree branch to send it going a different way...

Arlington deer population exceeds 'healthy' levels, study finds December 29, 2021 ARLnow.com

... From April 8-12, drones registered and the independent firm Steward Green confirmed the presence of 290 deer in Arlington ...  Arlington has a total of 26 square miles [11 deer per square mile, below healthy level for a forest]

State Veterinarian Approves Entry of Santa's Reindeer into Virginia December 22, 2021 WFIR News

... the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), has issued a permit to Nicolas “Santa” Claus, of the North Pole, to bring his herd of “eight tiny reindeer” and one additional rare red-nosed reindeer into Virginia on the evening of Dec. 24...

Two albino deer shot and killed in VA, sheriff offers reward December 8, 2021 Virginia, Charlotte Observer

...  two rare albino deer, found shot dead with missing body parts apparently taken as trophies... a mother doe and her fawn ... “We enjoyed having them around, and it was just so rare,” ...

State deer kill dropped slightly in 2021 November 25, 2021 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... This year’s hard mast crop, at least in some counties, was bountiful... “Deer don’t have to move much when there’s a good mast crop,” ... [Matt Knox, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources deer project coordinator] ...

Culprits who decapitated, mutilated deer evade Radford authorities November 19, 2021 Virginia, WSETLynchburg

 ...Three large deer were shot last month with what the Radford Sheriff's Office believes is a crossbow. Their heads and tails were cut off and the remainder of the bodies were left behind.  One of the deer was positioned as if it had been posed for a photo...

Biologist: Effects of deer disease on humans unknown  October 22, 2021 Virginia, Winchester Star 

... The disease apparently spread from West Virginia to Virginia between 2005 and 2009. It has been detected in the region, including Clarke and Frederick counties...  Only two deer in Clarke County have tested positive for CWD, and those instances occurred several years ago..,

Hunters left 3 deer carcasses headless, tailless. Now a Virginia sheriff is hunting them down October 19, 2021 Virginia, Virginian-Pilot

...  along a road and in a city park last week... Radford Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to help  ... more than $3,800 has been raised for a reward ...

Virginia 2021 White-Tailed Deer Forecast October 7, 2021  Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

... A major increase or decrease in the statewide deer kill total is not expected. Over the past 29 years, the statewide annual deer kill has ranged from about 179,000 to 259,000 and averaged about 213,600.

     Past experience indicates that the ups and downs in annual deer kill totals are in part attributable to mast – acorns, mostly – conditions and/or HD outbreaks. In years of poor mast crops, the deer kill typically goes up. In years of good mast crops, the deer kill typically goes down...

Deer Management Program Starts Saturday In Fairfax County September 7, 2021 Virginia, Patch

... The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors first approved the annual program in 2000. The first archery hunt began in Fiscal Year 2010 ...

Wildlife corridors report urges projects to reconnect pieces of habitat September 7, 2021 Virginia,  CBS 19 News

... two such wildlife corridors near Charlottesville, one of which is near a very highly trafficked part of Interstate 64.  The release says an analysis of the corridor system found that the two corridors reduced vehicle-wildlife collisions by 92 percent...  The Full Report

September, February and March firearms deer seasons enacted August 17, 2021 Virginia, Northern Virginia Daily

...  To combat CWD, DWR has enacted new antlerless only firearms deer seasons ... slightly over 100 CWD deer detected in the last 12 years ... first detected in the state in fall of 2009 near Gore in Frederick County...

Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses with Fencing Reduces Wildlife Crashes and Connects Habitat 2021, Human–Wildlife Interactions

...Our study found that the addition of wildlife fencing to certain existing isolated underpasses can be a highly cost-effective means of increasing driver safety and enhancing habitat connectivity for wildlife. The benefits from crash reduction exceeded the fencing costs in 1.8 years, and fencing resulted in an average saving of >$2.3 million per site over the 25-year lifetime of the fencing. The results add to the growing body of knowledge about effective ways we can use existing infrastructure to connect wildlife habitat and increase driver safety...

Board passes resolution on using dogs to hunt deer July 7, 2021 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... Virginia DWR sources shared that the Supreme Court decision did factor into the board decision to strike proposed language related to the right-to-retrieve [hunting dogs] law from the resolution  The 6-3 Supreme Court decision ruled that the government cannot force people to allow third parties to trespass on their property...

State proposes longer deer hunting season in Montgomery County to stop spread of Chronic Wasting Disease July 7, 2021 Virginia, WSLS 10

... in late May that a deer killed in Montgomery County tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease ... This two-week extension of the general firearms season aims to slow the spread and transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease and reduce deer populations in affected counties... The full proposal ...

VB veterinarian comes to aid of fawn found with eyes covered in ticks on Eastern Shore July 5, 2021 Virginia, WAVY.com

... a blinded fawn ran frantically, bumping into stopped cars ... “The cornea was thankfully fine, the swelling of the eyelid has protected her eyes, so the ticks didn’t get to the eye because it was so swollen,” ...

Chronic wasting disease takes hold July 5, 2021 Virginia, Rappahannock News

...Since its first detection in Virginia in 2009, 109 cases of CWD have been identified in Virginia across nine counties... “It’s important to remember that one single positive deer means that we tested one positive deer. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t other positive deer on the landscape,” ...

Unlike some hunting dogs, 'right to retrieve' debate keeps on coming back June 29, 2021 Virginia, Virginia Mercury

... “Right to retrieve” has been causing strife for more than a decade between hunters who use dogs to track their quarry — most often deer — and landowners onto whose property the dogs sometimes stray... “I think this is clearly going to be an issue in the General Assembly.” ...

  Baby Deer Visits Dog Who Saved It From Drowning June 16, 2021 Virginia, NDTV

... found Harley, the dog, swimming alongside a baby deer in a lake close to his home... a few days later ... they touched noses and sniffed each other...

State board seeks clarity on controversial dog-deer hunting June 8, 2021 Virginia, 

Fredericksburg.com

... Besides Virginia, eight other southeastern states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina) allow deer hunting with dogs. As part of the “Way Forward” study, VDGIF conducted a 2008 nationwide survey that showed 70 percent of states with deer-dog hunting reported serious problems between landowners and hound hunters (of any game)...

State board approves new hunting regulations June 2, 2021 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... Using drones to hunt, herd or drive an animal is prohibited; how long before an area could be hunted was the issue. The approved recommendation makes it illegal for a person to hunt or assist a hunter on the same calendar day that the drone was employed...

VDW veterinarian discusses Chronic Wasting Disease in Montgomery County May 14, 2021 Virginia, WDBJ 

... This past year they sampled over 2,600 deer for us from all of Virginia and the only positive detection for us out of that batch was here in Montgomery County ...

     Chronic wasting disease detected for first time in Montgomery Count  May 12, 2021 Virginia, The Roanoke Times

... A 2 1/2-year-old male deer legally harvested in southwestern Montgomery County tested positive ... the hunter did not notice any outward signs of disease ... the deer was harvested more than 160 miles from the closest prior detection in Madison County ..,

How many deer are in Arlington County? Drones are flying above the area to find out. April 12, 2021 Virginia, WJLA

... When the drone is in the sky it collects heat signatures of deer and it does not identify people... In one study, it was shown that drones can be about 43 to 96% more accurate than ground or human-made observations in counting wildlife..,

DWR releases results of CWD surveillance efforts in DMAs April 9, 2021 Virginia, CBS19 News

...  20 deer ... tested positive ... 13 were taken in Frederick County, two were harvested in Shenandoah County, and one each was taken in Madison, Loudoun, Fauquier, Rappahannock and Warren counties...,

A stable deer harvest March 11, 2021 Virginia, The Daily Progress

... In 2009, the deer harvest in Virginia hit a record high of about 255,000. That’s when the Game Department biologists decided to put the brakes on the booming deer population by allowing more does to be harvested ... for the 2020-21 season 208,131, about a 1% increase from the previous year..,

Virginia's deer, turkey and bear harvests were strong in 2020 March 3, 2021 Fredericksburg.com

... the statewide total of 208,131 deer reflected just under a 1 percent increase from 2019-20 ... numbers may have been slightly higher if not for several Hemorrhagic Disease outbreaks scattered across Virginia in late summer and early fall 2020..,

Virginia legislators pass bill to expand protection of wildlife corridors February 25, 2021 Virginia, WVIR

... A bill that was passed in last year’s legislative session directed the commonwealth to create a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that identifies areas where collisions with animals are high... More than 60,000 deer-related crashes happen each year across the state ...

CWD detected in a deer taken in Rappahannock County February 11, 2021 Virginia, CBS19 News

... This was the first time the neurological disease was detected in Rappahannock County.  An adult buck that was harvested during the latter half of the regular firearms season ...

 A deer friend: 4-year-old boy makes an unlikely companion  January 27, 2021 Virginia, WRIC

... After taking pictures, Brown asked Dominic to lead the deer back to the woods. The 4-year-old did as he was asked and the deer followed him back to its proper home...

Legislation to protect Virginia wildlife corridors introduced in State Senate January 19, 2021 Virginia, Augusta Free Press

... More than 60,000 deer-related crashes occur in Virginia each year ... SB 1274 builds on the successful wildlife corridor legislation passed last year that directed the state to produce a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan to identify important wildlife corridors and road crossings...

The Virginia Appalachian Deer Study: Understanding Population Dynamics of Whitetails West of the Blue Ridge January 7, 2021 Virginia, EIN News

... To date, the field crew has investigated a total of 22 fawn mortality events, with predation suspected as the primary cause of death... We equipped 21 pregnant does with GPS tracking collars and internal transmitters for the upcoming fawning season...

Chronic wasting disease detected in Madison Co. deer December 23, 2020 Virginia, WWBT

... confirmed the case of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, during surveillance of the state’s disease management area, which includes Madison County. The area was outlined after a deer in Culpeper County had the disease during the 2018-19 season...

Landscape Ecology of Chronic Wasting Disease in Virginia. December, 2020 Steven N. Winter

...  evidence that, at least in Virginia, researchers can use satellite information

with disease data to predict CWD on the landscape and estimate its spread. This information can be used by wildlife managers to control the disease...

Historic Virginia Deer December 7, 2020 Fredericksburg.com

... Virginians began killing deer in 1619, and by the late 1800s, these animals were all but wiped out in most parts of the state... By 1930, it was estimated that only about 25,000 animals were left in the entire state...,

First Case of Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Loudoun County Deer November  18, 2020 Virginia, Loudoun Now

... The deer was located less than 10 miles from the closest previous detection in Clarke County and less than 2 miles from the West Virginia border ...

Buchanan County elk reintroduction boosts tourism, economy October 20, 2020 Virginia, WCYB

...  the three-year elk release from 2012 to 2014. The elk were brought in from Kentucky to restart Virginia's program. The recorded number went from 75 to now, an estimated 300... “The number of people who come to see that after just a few years that it’s been done is pretty amazing," ..,

2020 Acorn Report: Can You Believe It's Normal?!  October 13, 2020, Virginia, EIN News

... surveys revealed that both white and red oak acorn crops were close to the long-term median in 2020...  throughout the mountains were extremely low for white oak ... Red oak production was consistently above average in the mountains ...

Animal strikes spike in fall in Virginia  October 6, 2020 Augusta Free Press

... According to 2019 crash data provided by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, 6,523 crashes involved deer collisions, with the majority (53%) of incidents (3,477) happening in the last three months of the year.  Virginia saw an 11% increase in deer crashes and a 16% increase in injuries compared to 2018...

Disease Management Areas for 2020-2021 hunting seasons September 30, 2020 Virginia, CBS19 News

... Chronic wasting disease has been detected in 74 deer from Frederick County, 10 deer from Shenandoah County, two deer from Clarke County, one deer from Culpeper County, and one deer from Fauquier County since 2009... Deer carcass transport is restricted in both Disease Management Areas..,

Preventing Animal-Vehicle Crashes using a Smart Detection Technology and Warning System C Druta, AS Alden - Transportation Research Record, 2020, Virginia

... buried cable animal detection system (BCADS) to provide roadside or in-vehicle warnings to approaching drivers based on the active presence of an animal ... approximately 80% of drivers either braked or slowed in response, indicating that the sign was effective. A 75% reduction in deer-vehicle crashes was observed in the first year after system deployment...

With wildlife corridor plan, Virginia officials hope to reduce highway collisions with animals August 4, 2020, WWBT

... the General Assembly passed legislation to create a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan, an effort to identify hotspots and recommend crossing projects – such as overpasses or underpasses – that might make life easier for both animals and humans ... collisions with deer alone cost an average of around $533 million per year ...

  Meet Bill Dixon, a former hunter who became a deer whisperer July 31, 2020 Virginia, Daily Press

... Bill Dixon rehabilitates orphaned baby deer that have been brought to his home on the western shoreline of Back Bay in Virginia Beach. A lifelong hunter, the walls of his home are adorned with trophy deer mounts. Helping save young animals has given him another perspective...

Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses With Fencing to Decrease Wildlife Crashes and Increase Habitat Connectivity, 2020, Virginia Transportation Research Council

... comparisons among different fence end designs and jumpout designs applied at the study sites.  The study found that the addition of wildlife fencing to certain existing isolated underpasses can be a highly cost-effective means of increasing driver safety and enhancing habitat connectivity for wildlife. After fencing installation, DVCs were reduced by 92% on average (96.5% and 88% at the box culvert and bridge underpass, respectively). Deer crossings increased 410% at the box culvert and 71% at the bridge underpass. Use of the culvert and bridge underpasses by other mammals increased 81% and 165% ...

Bristol, Virginia firefighters save fawn after mother deer collided with vehicle June 6, 2020 WJHL-TV News Channel 11

... "Upon further investigation the deer had given birth to a fawn, sadly the momma deer did not make it. Engine 3’s crew was able to give the care needed to keep the fawn healthy and dry until the arrival of Virginia Department Of Game. The fawn was taken to a wildlife rehab center ..." [from fire dept. Facebook page]

Community wonders if deer hemorrhagic disease has decreased local populations June 3, 2020 Virginia, Martinsville Bulletin

... People in some areas are saying the deer population appears to be lower, but reports to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries are inconclusive on whether or not that could be because of the deer hemorrhagic disease...

VDGIF reminding everyone to leave fawns alone May 22, 2018 Virginia, NBC29

... Fawns, born from May through July, are purposely left alone ... does stay away from the fawns to avoid leading predators such as dogs or coyotes to their location. The whitespotted coat camouflages a fawn as it lies motionless in vegetation...

Chronic Wasting Disease found in 21 white-tailed deer in Virginia May 8, 2020 WWBT NBC12 News

... The numbers of deer with CWD were found in these counties: Fredrick, (13).  Shenandoah (5).  Clarke (2).  Fauquier (1)

Deer hunters experience better success during recent season March 31, 2020 Virgina, Northern Virginia Daily

... hunters harvested 206,976 deer ... “the majority of the increase in the fall 2019 harvest can be attributed to the liberalization of either-sex deer hunting days and expansion of the Earn A Buck program. These changes resulted in a significantly higher number of antlerless deer being taken, which increased over 10,000 from fall 2018 to fall 2019.”..,

Deer and turkey harvest data released March 3, 2020 Virginia, Shore Daily News

... preliminary figures for the 2019-20 hunting season... hunters harvested 206,976 deer in Virginia, up about 9% from the 190,636 deer taken during the same time frame the previous season. This year’s total included 99,994 antlered bucks, 901 bucks that had shed their antlers, 13,820 button bucks, and 92,261 does (45%)...

Chronic Wasting Disease confirmed in 21 deer in northwestern Virginia in 2019 February 27, 2020 Harrisonburg WHSV

... 21 new cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) were confirmed in white-tailed deer in northwest Virginia throughout 2019... No CWD cases were confirmed in central Virginia, where it was detected for the first time in 2018...

Virginia's last wild areas must be protected and connected February 7, 2020

Washington Post

... Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) has introduced a bill with three Republican co-sponsors that encourages wildlife corridors on federal public lands, albeit slowly. The Senate companion bill was introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and co-sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)...

Buena Vista, Community is concerned with the handling of its deer population  February 2, 2020 Virginia, WDBJ

...  a public works fella who works over here and he told me they were up here killing deer ... "I was looking up through the field and I seen a deer run out the woods ... I thought he was just running, then I rode towards the deer and saw her hind leg dangling." ...

Support chronic wasting disease research December 18, 2019 Virginia, Northern Virginia Daily

... There are at least six bills in Congress (three paired House/Senate bills) proposing federal support for CWD research and management to assist hunters, farmers, processors and those who simply enjoy venison. Each pair of bills has value. S. 382 and H.R. 837 support a study by the National Academy of Sciences. This, however, potentially delays action as there already is a significant body of research. S. 689 and HR 1550 promote immediate action to assist with surveillance and containment ...

Virginia Deer Season Forecast November 21, 2019 YourGV.com

... Tidewater ... deer kill numbers are down from a decade ago but are stable to very slightly increasing over the past five years ... Southern Piedmont ... deer populations are down over the last decade but increasing and recovering over the last five years... Northern Piedmont ... stable to slightly declining over the last decade ... West of the Blue Ridge Mountains ... decline in the public land deer kill in the mountains..,

Wildlife fencing decreases deer collisions November 20, 2019 Virginia, WDBJ

... There has been a 98 percent reduction in deer collision in two sections of I-64 since 2017...

Virginia deer hunters reminded of mandatory disease sampling on Saturday November 14, 2019 WSLS 10

... If you kill a deer in these areas, you’ll need to comply with the sampling:

Disease Management Area 1: Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren counties

   Find a sampling location here.

Disease Management Area 2:  Culpeper, Madison and Orange counties

  Find a sampling location here.

Sheriff's Office reminds people not to feed deer after September 1 October 16, 2019 Virginia, WSET

... It is illegal to feed deer or elk in any county, city, or town during any deer or elk hunting season. ...

Deer season outlook for the valley October 14, 2019 Virginia, Northern Virginia Daily

... Deer populations should be similar to last year... hemorrhagic disease outbreaks were very low across the state this past fall... the first case of chronic wasting disease was found in Culpeper County, a new area..,

EHD, Drought is the best predictor for viral disease killing deer October 4, 2019 Virginia, WDBJ

...  Hemorrhagic Disease. They've seen this disease before, but the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries says it's biggest outbreak in our area in over 20 years... Whenever there's a drought, water levels fall and you get these mud banks ... perfect breeding habitat for these midges ..,

EHD, Wildlife officials confirm hemorrhagic disease outbreak in Virginia deer October 3, 2019 Virginia, WHSV

... According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), they've received 87 reports of hemorrhagic disease (HD) in 38 counties, involving 180 deer... 

Second meeting on Chronic Wasting Disease to be held next month in Culpeper September 29, 2019 Virginia, Fredericksburg Today

... confirmed Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) for the first time in Culpeper County in February 2019 ... In Virginia, a total of sixty-eight deer have tested positive since 2009..,

Deer time is upon us, so watch out while driving September 29, 2019 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

...  the peak time for deer-related crashes runs from October through December, as hunting and rutting seasons converge... They often travel in packs and are most active at dusk and dawn, when light and dark converge...

Annual Montgomery County Deer Population Management Underway September 19, 2019 Virginia, Virginia Connection Newspapers

... The program to address the problems caused by overabundant deer populations began 23 years ago... Over 19,500 deer have been removed from select parks since the beginning of the program ..

Concern rising over Chronic Wasting Disease September 4, 2019 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... Virginia first detected CWD in 2009, in a deer killed in Frederick County, not far from the West Virginia state line... last year, an adult buck that was killed just south of the town of Culpeper tested positive. This shook up both hunters and wildlife managers since this deer was many miles from the original containment area. In response, DGIF has a second containment area ..,

Effectiveness of Seasonal Deer Advisories on Changeable Message Signs as a Deer Crash Mitigation Tool BM Donaldson, YJ Kweon - Transportation Research Record, 2019 Virginia

... The Virginia Department of Transportation began posting deer advisory messages on changeable message signs (CMSs) along a 16.7-mi segment of Interstate 64 in October 2015. The posting of these messages during the peak of deer activity ... Posting seasonal deer advisories every other day on the five existing CMSs in this study’s project area is expected to save approximately $700,000 to $1.4 million over the service life of the CMSs...

Restoring the American chestnut by researching its genome July 23, 2019 Virginia, EurekAlert 

... In 1904, a fungal blight was first discovered on trees in New York City, accidentally introduced via imported Asian chestnut trees. The invader spread quickly ... The large tree was a crucial food source, producing nuts that were a staple in the diets of white-tailed deer ...

  Sheriff saves injured fawn July 5, 2019 Virginia, WDBJ

...  a baby deer who was injured after being attacked by dogs...

Elk reintroduction ignites backlash in Southwest Virginia June 30, 2019 Virginia, Mercury

... nearly 250 animals today ... it could really be devastating to the farmers ... eight- to 10-foot fencing required to keep elk out of a pasture or crop field..,

Deer-killing disease cases nearly double in Frederick County May 6, 2019 Virginia, The Winchester Star

... The deer-killing chronic wasting disease (CWD) hit a record high in Frederick County last year, with 26 new cases reported ... A total of 68 cases have been confirmed in Virginia..,

Culpeper County deer tests positive for Chronic Wasting Disease April 19, 2019 Virginia, Inside NoVA

...  the hunter did not notice any outward signs of disease ... The disease has been identified in northwest Virginia for more than nine years, but this is more than 40 miles from the nearest positive deer in Frederick and Shenandoah counties...

Supervisors say no to elk — again April 16, 2019 Virginia, Coalfield.com

...  passed a resolution Thursday objecting to Wise County’s designation as part of an elk management zone ... states that elk can carry diseases that could harm cattle and that elk can damage farm crops, lawns, shrubbery and flower gardens...

Staunton, Police snipers cull more than 50 deer in Staunton April 10, 2019 Virginia, Staunton News Leader

... came across a disturbing find a couple of weeks ago when he spotted a dead deer with half of its face shot off. Johns said the animal did not immediately die ... it makes sense that the city received so few complaints considering the cull was done in secret...

Reducing wildlife collisions on Virginia roads April 3 2019 The News & Advance 

... VDOT installed fencing along the roadside adjacent to the existing large underpasses to funnel the animals underneath... about half the deer were already using these passages ... In the last two years, researchers found a 90 percent reduction in collisions...

Valley hunters enjoy good deer season March 12, 2019 Virginia, The Northern Virginia Daily

...  the last three seasons have seen a fairly stable harvest ... much of the Commonwealth experienced heavy rain and high winds on several of the big deer hunting weekends... the continued steady decline in the number of licensed deer hunters in Virginia ...

2018-19 Bear, deer and turkey harvest data announced March 8, 2019 Virginia, The Daily Progress

...During the deer hunting season that ended on January 5 (so, excluding the late urban archery seasons), hunters harvested 190,636 deer in Virginia, including 96,239 antlered bucks, 12,342 button bucks, and 82,055 does. This data shows a slight increase in harvest over last year’s numbers, but is still lower than the 15-year average...

Cooperation with regional deer management needed to reverse declining stocks February 28, 2019 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... Doe harvest is regulated since it is the doe population that drives overall herd numbers. Does made up 43 percent of the total deer kill last year. In past years, does sometimes comprised nearly 50 percent of the deer taken... [for population estimates] ... We use a buck kill per unit area index and an exponential regression ...

Dwindling deer population a diverse problem February 27, 2018 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com18h

... King George, Caroline. Essex and Westmoreland Counties are all down extensively [harvest], 50 percent or more, against those five-year averages. Meanwhile counties at the margins of the region, such as Fauquier, Orange and Culpeper are only down 11, 20 and 21 percent, respectively...

As hunting continues to decline, VDGIF eyes new programs February 22, 2019 Virginia, WDVM 25

... According to a 2018 report by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service based on data from 2016, only five percent of Americans ages 16 and old are hunting anymore... since the 1980s, the sport of hunting has been in decline, and Virginia is losing about three percent of its hunters every year...

2018 Harvest Data Released February 20, 2019 Virginia, NBC 29 News

...  Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fishers ... The deer harvest was up a little from last year, with just more than 190,000 deer harvested... 

Charlottesville to kill 125 deer to manage population February 14, 2019 Virginia, WSET

... In 2018 ... 125 deer were culled on nine City of Charlottesville-owned properties...

DGIF confirms Chronic Wasting Disease in 28 deer February 14, 2019 Virginia, Augusta Free Press ·

... Chronic Wasting Disease was confirmed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in 26 deer from Frederick County and two deer from Shenandoah County during 2018... Over 1,550 deer from Frederick, Clarke, Warren, and Shenandoah counties were tested for CWD during the 2018 hunting season...

Virginia imposes new hunting rules after sick deer discovered in Tennessee December 21, 2018 wtvr.com

... Starting on December 21, 2018, deer carcasses shall not be imported into Virginia from anywhere in Tennessee.  ... the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reported the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) for the first time in their state...

Smithsonian's baby Eld's deer makes her first appearance December 20, 2018 Virginia, virginiafirst.com

... The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal celebrated the birth of an endangered deer this fall ... with just 34 Eld's deer living in North America outside of the Institute. Keepers are hoping that the breeding program will allow for eventual reintroduction of the species into the wild...

Elk population in Virginia is growing November 12, 2018 Staunton News Leader

... When Europeans first came to settle America, it was estimated that as many as 10 million elk roamed the land [Kathy Funk, the Virginia volunteer state chair for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation]  ...  in 2012, and over a three-year period, 72 animals were brought into the state from Kentucky. Currently, that number has grown in excess of 200..,

Endangered Eld’s Deer Born at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute  November 8, 2018 Virginia, Newswise 

...  Scientists are studying their reproduction and creating a self-sustaining population in human care with the help of animal keepers. SCBI is one of four institutions in North America accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that breed the species...

DGIF launches program, sweepstakes to attract new hunters November 7, 2018 Virginia, CBS19 News

...For the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, about 267,000 hunting licenses have been certified each year in the last five years, including a three-percent decline in the last year.  This is down from the nearly 340,000 licenses that were issued annually about 25 years ago...

2018 Virginia Deer Forecast November 2, 2018 Game & Fish

... the deer harvest last year crept up approximately 5.5%, which is well within what biologists feel is a stable scenario... Competition for hunting rights/permission is high. VDGIF is adding WMA’s as fast as they can for public access and it helps, but pressure on public land hunting is high ..,

Deer Population, Risk of striking a deer rises for Virginia drivers as mating season begins October 17, 2018 Virginia, Richmond.com

... Nelson Lafon, the deer project coordinator for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, said the state has about 850,000 deer ... November is the month that drivers are most likely to strike a deer..,

Elk restoration moving forward in Buchanan County October 17, 2018 Virginia, Chatham Star-Tribune

... The current restoration project began in 2012. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries supervised the moving of a group of elk from a large herd located in Kentucky. In the last five years, the Virginia herd in Buchanan County has grown to approximately 75 elk..,

State warns about chronic wasting disease in deer October 16, 2018 Virginia, WWBT

... Chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in 40 deer in Virginia since 2009... advises against consuming meat from any game animal that appears ill ...

Effectiveness of Seasonal Deer Advisories on Changeable Message Signs as a Deer Crash Reduction Tool October 11, 2018 Virginia, 

... If the 51% reduction of DVCs [deer-vehicle collisions] found in this study remains throughout the service lives of the CMSs, posting seasonal deer advisories on the five existing CMSs in this study’s project area every other day would result in a savings of nearly $1.2 million over the service lives of the CMSs..,

Deer-killing disease on the rise in Frederick County October 7, 2018 Virginia, The Winchester Star

... Thirty-eight cases of [chronic wasting disease] have been discovered in Virginia since 2009, and of those, 35 were in Frederick County. The other three cases were in Shenandoah County... irst identified in Virginia in 2009. ..,

Newport News deer hunting still point of disagreement as season begins October 6, 2018 Virginia, Daily Press

... The city’s draft of state legislative priorities indicates it might push for limiting where people can shoot arrows ... could hunt on their property, regardless of size or location or zoning ...  worry about a stray arrow going off someone’s property and hitting a house, car, pedestrian or pet...

Deer collisions decrease in Virginia October 1, 2018 WCYB

... deer claims across the U.S ...  are down from 2016 statistics. That is a surprising fact considering their are four million more licensed drivers on the highways ... The likelihood of having a collision with a deer in Virginia is 1 in 99, a decrease of 4.7% since the 2016-2017 study...

Newport News holds fire on longer deer hunting season  September 4, 2018 Virginia, Daily Press

... Even though public outcry didn’t cause the city to step back from urban archery this time around, Lee said the public will be involved in the process before staff potentially recommends that City Council extend hunting season...

Outlook for coming deer season September 3, 2018 Virginia, The Northern Virginia Daily 

... Matt Knox, deer  project coordinator ... “deer management in western Virginia remains the tale of two different deer situations. Deer herds on private lands over most of western Virginia have been stable over the past two decades (with an exception in the three Alleghany-Highland counties.) That contrasts with the public land situation where herds and the deer kill declined significantly, then have slowly rebounded...,

Fairfax County Deer Management Program Explained August 14, 2018 Virginia, ConnectionNewsPapers

... Following a fatal deer-vehicle collision in 1997, and public demand for local government to address the issue of deer population, the Board of Supervisors mandated that a strategy to control the deer population in the area be put in place...  Some residents object to destroying an animal that is just trying to survive in a vanishing wilderness ...

Have You Seen This? Deer tries (and fails) to play volleyball July 3, 2018 Virginia,

KSL

... this group of friends who were enjoying a weekend volleyball game in Virginia. Apparently, they needed a replacement for one of their players, and the deer showed up just in time to sub in...

New regulations proposed for 2019 June 26, 2018 Virginia, Richmond Register

... Commissioners recommended creating three areas closed to elk hunting in order to emphasize elk viewing opportunities... In deer-related business, the commission recommended changing the crossbow season ...

Feeding of wildlife in some parts of Virginia is illegal June 5, 2018 WHSV

... 22 deer with Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, have been found in northwestern Virginia, with the first in 2009 in western Frederick County, according to the 2017-2018 Virginia Hunting & Trapping Regulations.  You cannot feed deer or elk from September 1 through the first Saturday of January statewide...

New focus on stopping spread of deadly deer disease May 8, 2018 Virginia, The Roanoke Times

... the DGIF has tested more than 12,500 deer for Chronic Wasting Disease, turning up 38 positive cases... Since its detection in Frederick County in 2009, $800,000 has been spent dealing with it, and that doesn’t count staff salaries ... Banning hunting over bait... Limiting the feeding of deer..,

Abnormal White Deer Struggle to Survive in Virginia Wild April 14, 2018 Virginia, U.S. News & World Report

... Held for centuries as magical, mystical and even sacred, white deer are simply genetic mutations often crippled by birth defects — from blind eyes to twisted spines and hunched backs — and have a slim chance of survival in the wild...

     Mesmerizing white deer April 2, 2018 April 2, 2018 Virginia, The Daily Progress

...  White deer have been spotted in and around Charlottesville ... According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, albino deer lack genetic color coding and have pink eyes and white hooves. Their color makes hiding difficult for fawns, and their eyesight varies from dismal to nigh onto blind...

Rappahannock County,  Lowest deer harvest in 20 years for Rappahannock County March 5, 2018 Virginia,  Rappahannock News

... 643 antlered males taken this season in Rappahannock, 87 male fawns, and 805 females ... deer management effort over the past decade had been to increase the female deer harvest over much of the state, especially on private lands in eastern Virginia ..,

Deer Harvest Numbers Stable for 2017 March 4, 2018 Virginia, Shore Daily News

... According to Deer Project Coordinator Matt Knox, the stable or declining deer harvest trends experienced in most Virginia counties over the past decade were expected. Knox further noted that the Department’s primary deer management effort over the past decade had been to increase the female deer harvest over much of the state, especially on private lands in eastern Virginia, to meet the deer population objectives of stabilizing or reducing deer population..,

No cougars in Virginia . . . so far February 22, 2018 Virginia, Rappahannock News

... In “Wild Mammals of Virginia,” published in 1947, authors Handley and Patton write that the last eastern cougar in Virginia was killed in Washington County in 1882. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the last records of eastern cougars are believed to be in Maine (1938) and New Brunswick, Canada (1932) ..,

Virginia DGIF Announces Bear, Deer, Turkey, Harvest Data February 22, 2018 The Roanoke Star

... During the 2017-18 deer hunting season, hunters harvested 189,730 deer in Virginia.  This total included 95,474 antlered bucks, 12,822 button bucks, and 81,434 does (43%)... the stable or declining deer harvest trends experienced in most Virginia counties over the past decade were expected...

Charlottesville,  Deer culling begins to manage population in Charlottesville February 20, 2018 Virginia, The Charlottesville Newsplex

... shooting the deer at night with suppressors on the guns ... the city will not release where exactly the culling will be happening...  "There are people who do not care for what may be going on and will try to disrupt." ...

Charlottesville to Implement Deer Population Management Operation February 12, 2018 Virginia, NBC 29 News

...  Under the cover of darkness, trained sharpshooters hope to take down between 125 and 150 ... will be suppressed rifles ...  will cost the city $50,000...

More than a dozen CWD-infected deer found in Virginia during 2017 hunting season February 9, 2018 WSLS

... Fourteen white-tailed deer had the disease in Frederick County, while two were found carrying the disease in Shenandoah County ... Since 2009, 38 have tested positive: 35 from Frederick County and three from Shenandoah County..,

Tracking dogs, Boatload of bills impact outdoorsmen January 23, 2018 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Tracking dogs are becoming a popular means of locating dead or wounded deer and bear. HB 995, introduced by Del. Kathy Byron, R-Forest, would require a license for such dogs...

Legislation would legalize hunting deer and bear with dogs on Sundays January 10, 2018 Roanoke Times

... Outdoorsmen would be able to use dogs when hunting deer and bear on Sundays under legislation introduced 2018 Virginia General Assembly by Del. Terry Kilgore (R-Gate City)...

Vigilance key in stopping spread of CWD in deer December 5, 2017 Virginia, The Carroll News

... Deer behavior also helps spread CWD. Kirchgessner explained that male deer tend to have a higher risk of contracting the deadly prion because they can cover a lot of territory.  “It is the nature of male deer. Does (in the same family) tend to stay in limited, overlapping territory with other related females. Bucks cover a lot more ground and meet a lot of other deer along the way,”  ...

Regional planners search for solutions to reduce I-64 crashes November 29, 2017 Virginia, Charlottesville Tomorrow

... fences are to guide animals to two tunnels that allow them to cross I-64 without coming into conflict with vehicles...  made of galvanized steel in a woven-wire style and is 8 feet high and about 1 mile in length in each location ... draft study reports that there have been no vehicle-wildlife collisions in fenced areas since they were installed...

Deer count down, but quality of bucks is up November 24, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Virginia’s deer kill is down 13 percent through the youth, bow, muzzleloading and first week of firearm’s seasons ... The quality of deer only is going to get better as hunters give bucks a chance to mature by letting the smaller ones walk...

National forests not the wasteland many hunters believe November 21, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Since the mid-1990s, DGIF has documented a 60-percent decline in the number of deer killed on public land west of the Blue Ridge ... The migration of deer and deer hunting away from the national forest is blamed on a number of factors. Foremost is the lack of timber harvesting to provide quality deer habitat ...

VDOT Installs Fences Along I-64, Sees Reduction in Crashes Involving Wildlife November 20, 2017 Virginia, NBC 29 News

... By this time in 2016, there were about eight crashes involving deer on Interstate 64 near Ivy. That number has dropped to zero since the fencing went up ...

Virginia hunters needed for chronic wasting disease surveillance, management November 19, 2017 Virginia, Augusta Free Press

... Chronic wasting disease has been detected in twenty one deer in Frederick County and one deer in Shenandoah County ... Any deer ... killed in the Containment Area on these two days must be brought to one of the designated sampling stations  ...

Residents Concerned About Fairfax County's Use of AR-15s to Control Deer Population November 10, 2017 Virginia, NBC4 Washington

... Some residents of Fairfax County, Virginia, say they're concerned about how many deer police are killing and the weapons ... sharp shooting team plans to use AR-15 rifles to kill deer in ... the Alexandria area ...

Deer disease moves to the western part of the state, October 20, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... in Virginia reported killed by hemorrhagic disease (HD) in recent weeks has surpassed the 150 ... just the eastern boundary of a much larger and more serious HD problem that spread through the Appalachian Mountains this summer ...

EHD Virus kills 100+ deer found dead in Virginia October 13, 2017 WTVR-TV

... The current Virginia outbreak is part of a larger outbreak also reported along the Appalachian Mountains from eastern Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and into Ohio and Pennsylvania..,

Deer In Reston Better Watch Out, Police Say September 11, 2017 Virginia, Patch.com

... Deer Management Archery Program kicked off this weekend ... began in fiscal 2010 ... Because of its proven track record of safety, archery is a preferred deer management method in Fairfax County ...

Outbreak of disease in deer has hunters asking questions September 5, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Once confined to Eastern Virginia, hemorrhagic disease in deer has made a late-summer appearance in the far southwest section of the state ... approaching 70 reports... The cause of this western movement is unknown, but it represents a major change in the distribution of HD..,

State “Earn A Buck” Campaign In Effect In All Incorporated Cities and Towns September 1, 2017 Virginia, The Roanoke Star

... Beginning with the 2017 deer season, the ‘Earn a Buck’ (EAB) requirement that’s already in place in some counties will also be in effect within the incorporated limits of all towns and cities (except Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach) that allow deer hunting in Virginia...

Virginia's deer feeding ban begins Friday August 30, 2017 Virginia, WAVY-TV

... It’s illegal to feed deer or elk during any deer or elk hunting season...

Hemorrhagic deer disease found locally August 25, 2017 Virginia, Coalfield.com

...The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Wednesday confirmed that a viral disease known as hemorrhagic disease has caused a number of deer deaths in the region, with the bulk of the reports coming from the Pound River area in Wise County...

Deer in SW Va. dying from viral disease August 23, 2017 VirginKingsport Times News

...  hemorrhagic disease, has caused a number of deer mortalities in several counties... Dickenson, Lee and Wise counties have reported dead or dying deer with hemorrhagic disease symptoms to the department, the release stated...  reports of the same symptoms from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia...

Oh deer, what should we do? Addressing the suburban deer dilemma August 3, 2017 Virginia, Washington Post

... Overall, the deer population in Northern Virginia is declining. In Loudoun and Prince William, we have data that shows a statistically significant decline in the deer herd... , a linear relationship has not been established between deer population density and the abundance of the disease...

Elk poacher draws wrath of angry sportsmen August 1, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... was charged with poaching. He was sentenced to more than 6 years in jail, stripped of his hunting privileges for 5 years and charged a restitution fee of more than $25,500 for poaching four elk, three deer, a black bear and a bobcat ...

Blacksburg research to help cars avoid deer related crashes July 28, 2017 Virginia, WDBJ7

... Virginia Tech Transportation Institute teamed with Toyota and Michigan Tech to create its own deer detection technology based on research on the back roads of Virginia... Car companies like Volvo are already adding similar technology in cars...

Charlottesville, Proposed Charlottesville ordinance to allow bow hunting closer to approval July 19, 2017 Virginia, The Daily Progress

... could soon be able to obtain a free license to bow-hunt deer on their property this fall... A public hearing on the ordinance was held Monday. No one volunteered to speak on the matter...

Hunting law change expected to lower Virginia deer population June 21, 2017 WSLS

... Starting July 1, the expansion of the Earn a Buck program will be finalized..,  [More information from VDGIF]

Don't be a fawn-napper this deer season June 8, 2017 Virginia, WSET

... Until they are strong enough to keep up with their mothers, the Wildlife Center of Virginia says deer fawns are left alone while their mothers go off to feed...

Virginia bear and turkey kills up, but deer kills down April 27, 2017 Virginia, Southwest Virginia Today

... Stable or declining deer kill trends over the past decade in Virginia were expected, but the ups and downs in recent years’ totals were in some part attributable to mast conditions and/or hemorrhagic-disease outbreaks. The department’s primary deer-management effort over the past decade was to increase the female deer kill over much of the state ...

Prince William approves trail deer hunt on county-owned property April 12, 2017 Virginia, PotomacLocal.com

... “We’re not going to open up the whole park for hunting ... Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi said he was concerned that some of the arrows could cross into private property...

Hunters concerned that lower deer numbers may be the new normal April 11, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... “We dropped the hammer on the deer herd back around 2007 to 2009,” Knox said.  Liberal doe days were adopted to bring the herd into compliance with its cultural carrying capacity; that is, how many deer the human population will tolerate... 

The survey gave strong support (60 percent) to year-round, supplemental feeding of deer ...

No charges pending after deer gores Giles Co. man March 28, 2017 Virginia, WSET

... Baker and his family had been caring for the deer since it was a fawn ... Baker was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries ... Baker's wife shot the deer ...

Charlottesville, City sets aside money for professional deer hunters March 22, 2017 Virginia, The Daily Progress

... Szakos and other councilors said they would be interested in partnering with a nonprofit hunting organization to bowhunt in the city. Staff, however, said the state would not permit such a partnership as it would give the appearance that the city is creating a special hunting club...

Charlottesville City Council Approves Urban Deer Hunting March 20, 2017  Virginia, NBC 29 News

... The city decided to set aside $50,000 for both bow and rifle hunting. Council passed the measure unanimously. Under the plan, councilors have to decide if police officers or professional hunters will be used to curb the deer population...

Chronic Wasting Disease Infecting Deer in Virginia March 15, 2017 Community Idea Stations

... Last year there was a marked increase in the number of cases of Chronic Wasting Disease among deer in Virginia.  Although only detected in the north western part of the state ...

Hunting proposals contain fascinating tidbits March 14, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Even with lucrative opportunities to kill a doe, hunters still killed more bucks. The count last season was 77,821 does, which was 43 percent of the total, 89,728 antlered bucks and 12,572 button bucks (young animals with immature antlers)...

Deer and bear hunting harvest down in Rappahannock County March 12, 2017 Virginia, Rappahannock News

... A total harvest of 1584 deer was recorded this just-concluded hunting season, the lowest number since 1998 when 1476 deer were bagged... deer management effort over the past decade was to increase the female deer kill over much of the state, especially on private lands ...

VDGIF considers hunting rule changes March 8, 2017 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... Declining deer populations are being addressed. Proposals call for reducing the number of days antlerless deer may be killed on national forest and DGIF lands, and cutting the number of either-sex hunting days in 14 counties, including the entire Northern Neck, and Caroline and Essex counties...

Antietam National Battlefield using sharpshooters to control deer herd March 3, 2017 Virginia, Herald-Mail Media

... The goal of the park service is to reduce the rate to 15 to 20 deer per square mile, which could take three to five years to achieve...

Virginia 2016-17 Deer Kill Summary  March, 2017 Virginia DGIF

     During the 2016–17 deer hunting season, hunters killed 180,121 deer in Virginia. This total included 89,728 antlered bucks, 12,572 button bucks, and 77,821 does (43%)....

     Virginia's deer harvest continues to decline March 1, 2017 Fredericksburg.com

... for the 2016-17 season. Numbers again dropped significantly, with hunters killing 180,121 deer in Virginia ... Hunters killed 209,197 deer in Virginia during the 2015-16 season. That was up from the 190,745 taken the year prior. The numbers dropped about 5.5 percent from last year, but are down by 30 percent from nine years ago ...

Major changes proposed for hunting seasons February 28, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... believes the deer population is in decline. Getting the blame are liberal hunting regulations, predators, disease and habitat degradation... A major proposal calls for bucks-only hunting on national forest and DGIF property. Deer on public land have been in a sharp decline...

Bill to fine trespassing dog owners defeated by one vote February 6, 2017 Virginia, wtvr.com

... Under the current law, which will remain in effect, it’s a misdemeanor to intentionally release dogs on another person’s land to hunt without the consent of the landowner. However, if a dog is found on another’s property, there usually is not enough evidence to prove the intentional release of that dog...

After fine-tuning, legislation to rein in hunting dogs in Virginia clears first hurdle January 31, 2017 Richmond.com

... a House of Delegates committee on Tuesday advanced legislation to give local courts the power to slap a $100 fine on hunters who let their dogs chase game across others’ property...

Snow getting blame for lower deer kill January 24, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... The current count is 147,036, which is down 12 percent, or 20,700 deer, from the previous season... A big chunk of the decline is being blamed on the snow...

Releasing the hounds? New bills may make Virginia's rural hunters think twice January 24, 2017 Virginia, Virginian-Pilot

... HB1900 ... would prohibit dogs from running on someone else's land, provided the landowner had notified the dog's owner verbally, in writing, or with signs or blue paint marks around the property...

Bills would change the cost, and look, of hunting January 17, 2017 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... a bill in the General Assembly that would allow deer hunters to meet safety requirements by wearing pink rather than just the traditional blaze orange...

Bucky the deer did not have rabies January 13, 2017 Virginia, WDBJ7

... Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries made the decision to euthanize a deer that a hunter in Riner tried to rehabilitate, out of fear of paralysis and possibly rabies. The rabies results came back negative...

New bill could hound some deer hunters to control dogs January 11, 2017 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... House Bill 1900 ... People who let their dogs run on another person’s land after being given notice to keep dogs out would be subject to a civil penalty of $100 per dog per occurrence...

Deer being rehabilitated by Riner hunter put down Tuesday January 11, 2017 Virginia, WDBJ7... Despite an agreement Parsons believed he had with the officer that the deer could live for seven days to see if it would get better, they decided to kill the deer. VDGIF and the Health Department took the deer before Parsons could get home....         Montgomery County hunter caring for found injured deer January 10, 2017 Virginia, WDBJ7

...  found the young deer after it had tried to jump a fence and hurt itself.  "He was laying pretty much lifeless ... He feeds it, works out its legs, and even set up harnesses to build up strength in its legs...

Vienna, Illegal Deer Hunt Off W&OD Trail in Vienna January 6, 2017 Virginia, Patch.com

... Bow hunting is allowed from elevated tree stands in approved sites Monday through Saturday from 30 minutes prior to sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset... The deer management program is supervised by the Fairfax County Police Department in collaboration with the Fairfax County Park Authority and Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority...

Roanoke County deer with hemorrhagic disease confirmed by VDGIF December 21, 2016 Virginia, WDBJ7

... "There's no question we had a big HD year," VDGIF biologist Matt Knox ... The deer kill is going to be down ...  the department will look to see if regulations need to be changed after the harvest numbers come in this Spring...

Charlottesville council OKs lethal force to cull deer population December 20, 2016 Virginia, Richmond.com

... for bow hunters, with requirements such as insurance on private land where this technique is used. The other part of the hybrid involves utilizing city police for sharpshooting on public land... The use of lethal alternatives depends greatly on the community and council perception of safety ...

Culpeper flashback: When deer were rarely seen  December 18, 2016 Virginia, Free Lance-Star

... By the Civil War, or soon after, whitetail tear had been all but hunted out in this area... The deer habitat had been destroyed. Worse yet, there were no hunting seasons and poor country people shot whatever animals they chose whenever ... Bucks were bigger in the 1950s ...

Hunters seeing fewer deer in Virginia December 15, 2016 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Virginia’s deer kill thus far is estimated to be down 12 percent compared to the same time last season... the problem) might be HD [Hemorrhagic Disease]  again ...

Fairfax, Deer Sterilization Monday and Tuesday in Fairfax December 2, 2016 Virginia, Patch.com

... once does are found, they're actually taken to police headquarters, where they're sterilized, tagged, observed and then released...

Deer hunt scheduled at Widewater State Park this week November 30, 2016 Virginia, Free Lance-Star

... DCR periodically holds managed hunts at state parks in an effort to control the deer population as part of the Deer Management Assistance Program. Implemented in 1988 ...

VDOT Working to Reduce Crashes with Wildlife on Interstate 64 November 21, 2016 Virginia, NBC 29 News

... Fifty-four cameras caught bear and deer along the interstate... VDOT is now seeing if something as simple as a fence can keep wildlife out of the way of traffic... they'll build a fence a half a mile in each direction from the Ivy exit with the goal of funneling the wildlife underneath the interstate ...

Deer hunting forecast is favorable November 12, 2016 Virginia, The Winchester Star

... there isn’t an abundance of food for deer this year, so deer shouldn’t be that hard to find ... the area deer herd could be thinned slightly this year because of a recent outbreak of Hemorrhagic Disease (HD) ... found in southwestern Shenandoah County, but there was a small pocket of HD found in the southwestern corner of Frederick County ...

Police Warn, 'Don't Feed the Deer' November 9, 2016 Virginia, Falls Church News Press

... Feeding deer for any reason is illegal statewide within Virginia from September 1 to the first Saturday in January 5...

During mating season, deer become more visible, active November 5, 2016 Virginia, GoDanRiver.com

... research, which analyzed three years of wildlife activity near Interstate 64 on Afton Mountain, recommended posting messages on electronic signs along I-64 to alert drivers to increased deer activity in the fall...

Deer disease not found in area October 26, 2016 Virginia, Fredericksburg.com

... hunters traipsing through the woods haven’t reported finding deer affected with Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, sometimes called “bluetongue.” ... A total of 16 reports came in from the counties within the Fredericksburg region; this from a total of 184 reports statewide ...

Hunters warned to follow regulations after disease found in some deer October 25, 2016 Virginia, wtvr.com

...  State authorities are asking hunters to check regulations before transporting deer after a progressive neurological disease was found in 12 deer harvested in Frederick County and one deer killed on the road in Shenandoah County...

Virginia Deer Forecast for 2016 October 11, 2016 Game & Fish

... several areas in the upper middle peninsula counties in and around Caroline, King and Queen, King William, Essex and in King George, we were hit pretty hard with HD [Hemorrhagic Disease] in fall 2012 and then again in fall 2014. Reports from some DMAP cooperators in these counties indicate that deer herds in some areas are down significantly...

Deer hunting moves to private land October 4, 2016 Virginia, Staunton News Leader

... The number of deer bagged on public land in Augusta County during the last few years has dropped precipitously... “We’ve seen a dramatic decline in the national forests over the last few years," Knox said. "It started falling in 2002 and it has been going way down," ...

Virginia drivers have 1-in-94 chance of hitting a deer September 21, 2016 WDBJ7

... According to State Farm, Virginia drivers have a 1-in-94 chance of hitting a deer in the coming year...

Wildlife goes nuts over abundant acorn crop September 20, 2016 Virginia, GoDanRiver.com

... anecdotal reports from across the state indicate that Mother Nature’s cupboard is pretty well loaded with acorns in most areas this fall... “A heavy mast crop usually results in a decline in our total deer kill,” ... The last five years’ average has been 219,000 ...

Wildlife goes nuts over abundant acorn crop September 20, 2016 Virginia, GoDanRiver.com

... anecdotal reports from across the state indicate that Mother Nature’s cupboard is pretty well loaded with acorns in most areas this fall... “A heavy mast crop usually results in a decline in our total deer kill,” ... The last five years’ average has been 219,000 ...

Charlottesville, City council contemplates urban archery, management techniques September 20, 2016 Virginia, The Daily Progress

... Assistant City Manager Mike Murphy told the council that passing an ordinance to permit residents to bow hunt within city limits is not particularly feasible.  Of the city’s more than 7,000 acres, “we have a total of five acres that might qualify [for urban archery] if you stay 100 yards away from every commercial building, dwelling, roadway or park or trail,” Murphy said. “In the way we use our land, and with our particular density, it’d be extremely difficult.”...

Virginia Drivers Have 1 in 94 Odds of Hitting Deer September 20, 2016 NBC 29 News

... The odds Virginia drivers will hit a deer in the coming year are 1 in 94. Virginia ranks 13th in the country for the most potential deer collisions...

Paid urban deer hunts; coming soon to Fairfax County neighborhoods September 19, 2016 Virginia, Fairfaxtimes.com

... Outdoor Access, a Richmond startup that launched this month to coincide with the opening of deer season, is matching deer hunters with Fairfax County landowners for privately paid “urban hunts.” ... “We’re giving landowners the chance to make money off their land while hunters are afforded the opportunity to extend their hunting season and hunt in areas that typically aren’t hunted as much,” ...

Ban on deer feeding begins on September 1 August 30, 2016 Virginia, WHSV

... Feeding deer is against the law statewide between September 1 and the first Saturday in January, with even longer restrictions in some areas.  Deer hunting over bait is illegal in Virginia. Prior to the deer feeding prohibition, distinguishing between who was feeding deer and who was hunting over bait often caused law enforcement problems ...

Groups gather to discuss wildlife habitat August 12, 2016 Virginia, Roanoke Times (blog)

... A group of hunters dedicated to restoring deer to Bath, Highland and Alleghany counties has scheduled a rally Aug. 24 to address ways to enhance wildlife habitat on public land in Virginia.  The event is sponsored by the Appalachian Members of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association...

Deer biologist predicts average hunting season August 3, 2016 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... Knox doesn’t expect much change, up or down, from last year’s take of 210,587 deer... both the white oak and red oak crops are looking promising early on.

As a rule, during years when the mast crop is abundant the deer kill goes down ... Twenty years ago, licensed deer hunters numbered about 300,000. Last season, the count was 210,000...

Think twice before poaching an elk in Virginia August 3, 2016 Virginia, Roanoke Times

... An estimated 150 to 200 elk are in Virginia, the majority of them in the Buchanan County restoration site ... The original elk plan called for establishing a herd of up to 400 animals ... The elk herd already is attracting wildlife watchers. The community is building a visitor’s center ...

Resistance emerges to plans for potential deer culling July 27, 2016 Virginia, C-Ville Weekly

... Jones says Kocka touted “killing for convenience” because the report showed that Charlottesville does not need to reduce the deer population for biological reasons, but because locals are irritated with the animals for trivial things, such as eating their plants...

A light year for disease in deer July 21, 2016 Virginia,  Roanoke Times

... Last year was a “quiet” one in Virginia for hemorrhagic disease (HD) ... herds in some areas continue to be impacted by the heavy dose of HD that occurred in Virginia and other states in 2012 and again, to a lesser degree, in 2014...