4VAC15-90-10. Game: Deer. Open season; generally.
Summary
The proposal is to (i) establish a 4-week general firearms deer season on private lands in all or portions of 20 counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountains; (ii) establish a 7-week firearms season on private lands in western Amherst, Bedford, Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, western Nelson, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of routes 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Warren, and Wythe counties; (iii) implement early and late antlerless only firearms seasons in the counties of Greene, Hanover, Henrico, and James City; and (iv) make descriptions for public and private land seasons in Carroll and Roanoke counties consistent with other counties.
Proposed Language
Note: In the “Proposed Language” document, underlined text denotes proposed new language, while text with a strikethrough denotes language that is proposed to be deleted.
Rationale
- Many constituents west of the Blue Ridge Mountains (WBR), especially in southwestern Virginia, provided comments during the most recent scoping period requesting a longer deer firearms season due to limited time to hunt during the current 2-week season. Recent (2024) hunter survey results showed equal support for 2-, 3-, and 4-week rifle seasons WBR. During recent regulation cycles, several counties WBR had general firearms seasons extended to four weeks (with full season either-sex and earn a buck) to help meet population objectives and/or manage chronic wasting disease (CWD). Providing two additional weeks of general firearms deer hunting offers expanded hunting opportunities for all counties WBR, while addressing population objectives where needed through expanded either-sex opportunity. Where population reduction is not necessary WBR, either-sex days can still be limited. Under this proposal, public lands WBR (i.e., National Forests and Department-owned lands) will retain 2-week general firearms deer seasons in light of concerns about lower deer population levels and to reduce potential conflicts with bear hunters who have traditionally hunted on these lands at that time.
- Despite having full season either-sex, earn a buck, and early and late antlerless only firearms seasons, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren counties continue to have deer populations above objective with increasing population trends in chronic wasting disease (CWD) disease management areas (DMAs). Increasing the current 2-week firearms seasons to 7-week seasons will increase opportunity to reduce deer abundance and make the season lengths here consistent with those in adjacent counties in DMA1 and DMA2.Similarly, deer populations in DMA3 continue to be above objective despite full season either-sex, earn a buck, early and late antlerless only firearms seasons, and increasing season length to 4 weeks during recent regulations cycles. Increasing firearms season length to 7 weeks in Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, and Wythe will increase opportunity to reduce deer abundance and make season lengths consistent with DMA1 and DMA2 where CWD has also become established.The private land deer population index in Bedford County continues to greatly exceed the population objective in the Department’s deer management plan, despite having full-season, either-sex deer hunting seasons and the earn a buck requirement for many years. Bedford is in the top 10 for highest deer-vehicle collisions in the state, annually. While Bedford yields the highest deer kill per square mile in the state each year, deer-human conflicts continue to increase. Given the popularity of deer hunting in the county, increasing the firearms season length to 7 weeks may be impactful toward reaching the deer population objective.Firearms season lengths for Amherst and Nelson counties are split by routes 29 and 151, respectively, with the west sides having a 4-week firearms season and the east sides having a 7-week season. Population indices for these counties have been above objective for years. Increasing the west sides of the counties will increase harvest opportunity to help meet objectives and simplify regulations for hunters and officers within the county.Rockingham County continues to present a unique deer management challenge, with the majority of the county offering high quality deer habitat, abundant agriculture, urban/exurban development, and high deer abundance with associated human-deer conflicts. Objectives here have been to reduce deer abundance, yet population trends continue to increase. However, in the far western portion of the county (west of Routes 613 and 731), deer habitat is much poorer, there is little agriculture, deer abundance is lower, and either-sex hunting opportunity has been more conservative. Private lands in western Rockingham will receive the 4-week firearms season, with limited antlerless days, to be consistent with all other counties WBR; however, private lands east of Routes 613 and 731 will receive a 7-week season with full antlerless opportunities to help reduce deer abundance where necessary.
- The private land deer population indices in Greene, Hanover, Henrico, and James City counties have exceeded population objectives in the Department’s deer management plan for a number of years, despite full-season, either-sex deer hunting seasons and the earn a buck requirement. These counties continue to experience human population growth and suburban/exurban development and a high number of associated human-deer conflicts, such as vehicle collisions and residential conflicts. Additionally, it is important to reduce deer abundance in Greene County given its proximity to CWD DMA2 to reduce the likelihood of the disease spreading further. The addition of early and late antlerless-only seasons is the next step to address deer populations in these counties.
- The “public lands” and “private lands” distinctions in Carroll and Roanoke counties did not accurately convey the intent of this regulation. As described correctly in the hunting laws digest, only “national forests and department-owned lands” were to retain the shorter seasons while the remaining private and public lands (e.g., county lands, state parks) were eligible for 4-week deer firearm seasons if they choose to allow deer hunting.