What’s New for 2022–2023

Sunday Hunting

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

  • Due to the discovery of CWD in Yadkin County, North Carolina, feeding of deer is prohibited year-round in Grayson County.
  • Carroll County has been added to Disease Management Area 3.
  • Mandatory CWD testing will take place in Shenandoah, Orange, Rappahannock, Carroll, Floyd, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties on Saturday, November 19, 2022.

Deer

  • The firearm deer season on private land in Carroll County has been increased from two weeks to four weeks in length.
  • A late antlerless only firearm deer season has been established on private lands in Carroll, Culpeper, Fauquier, Floyd, Madison, Montgomery, Orange, Pulaski, and Rappahannock counties.
  • An early and late antlerless only firearm deer seen has been established on private lands in Page County.

Elk Hunt Lottery

  • This year marks the first elk hunt in the Virginia Elk Management Zone (Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties) where elk have been restored to the state. Five hunters were selected through a random draw lottery to participate in this hunt. See the Elk Hunt Lottery page for more information on how to enter the lottery to win a chance to hunt elk in Virginia’s Elk Management Zone.

Hunting Dogs

  • Individuals engaged in hunting with a dog must ensure the dog has a tag securely fastened to the collar which displays the name of the owner/custodian and current phone number for that individual.

Furbearers

  • Additional information and illustrations regarding the proper use of snares have been added to the trapping section of this digest.

Hunting Licenses

  • The resident annual hunting license for 70% or greater service-connected disabled veterans has been replaced with discounted lifetime licenses for resident service-connected disabled veterans rated 30%, 50%, or 70%.