2013 Virginia Deer Harvest Increases 13 Percent

The Richmond Times Dispatch reports that The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) has released the numbers for this past fall's hunting seasons and it contains some good news.

During the past deer season 242,734 deer were reported killed by deer hunters in Virginia.  This total included 106,230 antlered bucks, 20,082 button bucks, 116,304 does (48%), and 118 “unknown” deer.  The fall 2013 deer kill total was up 13% from the 215,241 deer reported killed last fall.  It is also slightly above the last ten-year average of 232,600 (up 4%).

Muzzleloader hunters accounted for almost 1/4 of the kills (22%) over 3/4 of all hunters checked their deer by using the department's automated phone check-in service.  DGIF also noted that the state deer management plan has called for an increase in the number of doe kills, especially on private property, and those numbers have increased for eight consecutive years.

Bedford County had the most deer kills, and also saw an increase from 2012 numbers. Loudoun County came in with the second most deer taken but that locality actually saw a minor decline (15) in 2013.

Hat tip to NRABlog.