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Virginia Elk Hunt Lottery Open Until March 31
Richmond, VA — The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is pleased to announce that applications for the Virginia Elk Hunt Lottery are open until March 31, 2025. This lottery offers a unique opportunity to hunt bull elk in the Elk Management Zone of Virginia during the upcoming hunting season.
The hunt for the 2025–2026 season is scheduled to take place Oct. 11 through Oct. 17, 2025. A total of five antlered elk licenses will be available for this year’s hunt through the lottery system. To apply, interested individuals can visit the DWR website or call 1-866-721-6911 for assistance in applying via phone.
Applicants are required to pay a non-refundable fee of $15 for Virginia residents and $20 for out-of-state residents. If selected, winners will need to purchase a special elk license priced at $40 for in-state residents and $400 for out-of-state residents. It is important to note that the special elk license is nontransferable.
Winners of the elk hunting lottery will be chosen through a randomized computer drawing and will be notified by May 30. Applicants can also check the status of their application by visiting their DWR GoOutdoorsVA account.
In addition to the five licenses available through the lottery, DWR plans to award a sixth antlered elk license to a conservation organization through the Elk Conservation License Program. The chosen organization will then conduct a raffle for the license. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation was selected as the recipient of the elk conservation license during the past three years. In total over the three years, they raised over $180,000 for habitat work that benefits elk and other species in Buchanan County. Further details regarding the winning organization and raffle will be announced in spring/early summer 2025.
All revenue generated in application fees and license sales for the Elk Management Zone hunt will help fund DWR’s management and conservation of all wildlife.
Please visit the website for more information and to apply for the Virginia Elk Hunt Lottery.