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2021–2022 Bear, Deer, and Turkey Harvest Data Announced
Richmond, VA — Wildlife biologists with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) have compiled preliminary figures for the 2021-22 hunting season. Bear, deer and fall turkey harvests all decreased from the previous season. According to Dr. Gray Anderson, Wildlife Division Chief, “These decreases could be related to weather and food conditions during the fall. The weather was unusually warm and dry during the early part of the season, which can curtail hunting activity, and acorn crops were variable, which affects how visible game is to hunters. But for the most part, these harvest levels are within the normal range of variation.”
The 2021–22 season was the first season which hunters were required to report their game through the Department’s automated harvest reporting system using either their phone, internet or the GoOutdoors mobile platform. These harvest data are used to monitor game populations and inform future regulatory decisions.
For complete harvest summaries and county-level data, please see: Bear, Deer, and Turkey Harvest Data