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The 1999 deer season will be remember for hot dry weather and Hemorrhagic Disease (HD). For the second year in a row, the deer-hunting season was unusually hot and dry. Hot weather typically reduces deer movement and hunting pressure. Most deer hunters in Virginia are not used to hunting in short sleeves, especially in the western half of the state.
Even if the weather had cooperated, HD by itself would still have had a big impact on deer hunting in Virginia last fall. HD is the most important infectious disease of white-tailed deer, and outbreaks occur almost every year in Virginia. However, last year was probably the worst HD year in a decade. The Department received reports of deer found dead and dying from 35 counties across the Commonwealth. The worst hit counties were Amelia, Brunswick, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Essex, Greensville, King & Queen, King William, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince George, Surry, Sussex, Southampton, and York. All of these are east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. HD is a viral disease of deer, which is fairly common in Tidewater and Piedmont deer herds. It is very uncommon in western Virginia.
HD is not contagious to humans. HD is transmitted by biting midges, commonly called sand gnats or no-see-ums. Deer that contract this disease often die rapidly from internal bleeding and fever. However, many infected animals appear normal and show no signs of illness. Because of a high fever, HD dead or dying deer are often found near water. The number of deer lost in an HD die-off is variable. Losses during outbreaks usually are well below 25 percent of the population but, in a few instances, have been 50 percent or more. To date, there has not been a deer population wiped out by HD. While it is impossible to determine the number of deer affected in Virginia last year, it would be safe to say there were more reports from a wider area than in past years.
HD generally occurs in late summer and early fall, and tends to be worse in dry years. This seasonality is related to the abundance of the biting midges. The onset of freezing temperatures, which kill the midges, brings a sudden end to HD outbreaks.
Not all deer that contract HD die. Surviving deer may be in poor condition and display sloughing hooves. Deer that contract HD and survive are fit for human consumption. There is no vaccine or medication to combat HD. The best defense is to maintain healthy deer herds at a population size that does not outstrip the ability of the land to support it. Humans are not at risk by handling or eating HD infected deer. Deer that develop bacterial infections or abscesses secondary to HD may not be suitable for consumption.
HD can have a major impact on deer harvests. Recent research in the Piedmont of Georgia appears to indicate that trends in deer harvests are closely related to HD activity. If you observe sick or dead deer in your area and suspect that HD may be the cause, please report it to a wildlife biologist at one of the following DGIF regional offices: Forest (804-525-7522); Fredericksburg (540-899-4169); Marion (540-783-4860); Verona (540-248-9360); or Williamsburg (757-253-4160).
In spite of the weather and HD, during the 1999 deer season 189,572 deer were reported killed by hunters in Virginia. This total included 96,544 antlered males, 19,801 male fawns, 71,359 females (38.0 percent) and 1,868 deer of undocumented sex. The 1999 harvest represents a 5 percent increase over the 179,027 checked in 1998. Increases in deer harvest levels were for the most part statewide including Tidewater (up 8 percent), southern mountain (up 4 percent), northern mountain (up 3 percent) and northern piedmont (up 15 percent). The deer kill was down approximately 1 percent in the southern piedmont.
Recent Deer Regulation Changes
As most deer hunters are aware, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries makes changes to deer regulations every other year on odd numbered years. Regulations were amended last year, and there were several notable changes in deer hunting regulations enacted this past season that deserve noting again.
One of the most significant was a special youth antlerless deer regulation. Starting last season, youth deer hunters 15 years of age and under can take one antlerless deer per license year on days other than designated either-sex deer hunting days during the special muzzleloading season(s) or the general firearms season. They may do so in all counties that have at least one either-sex deer hunting day during the general firearms season using the antlerless only deer tag on their state resident bear, deer, and turkey license or state resident youth combination license. Youth hunters 15 years and under who are exempt from license requirements may also take one antlerless deer under the provisions noted above. This special youth antlerless regulation is not valid in Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties. In all other counties it is valid on all lands, public and private. Hunters that have any question regarding this regulation should contact their local Game Department office.
Several changes were made to the deer bag limit and tags effective last year. Bonus deer permits now include two deer tags valid for “antlerless deer only.” In other words, the “buck” tag has been taken off the bonus permits and put on the bear, deer, and turkey license for eastern deer hunters. There is no restriction on the number of bonus deer permits that a hunter can purchase. Of course, antlerless deer can only be taken on designated either-sex deer hunting days. Bonus permits are valid only on private and authorized public lands. Bonus permits are not valid on national forest and VDGIF lands.
East of the Blue Ridge (except on National Forest lands) the bag limit for deer is now two per day, four per license year, one of which must be antlerless. West of the Blue Ridge and on all National Forest lands the bag limit for deer is one a day, three a license year, one of which must be antlerless. This means that east of the Blue Ridge (except on National Forest lands) the antlered buck limit is now three per hunter per year. West of the Blue Ridge and on all National Forest lands the antlered buck limit is now two per hunter per year.
Restrictions on the type of muzzleloading bullets that may be used during the special muzzleloading seasons have been eliminated. Jacketed bullets are legal.
Lastly, general firearms either-sex deer hunting days were reduced in many counties in southside and eastern Virginia. Also, the general firearms season was expanded from two to seven weeks on private lands in Clarke and Frederick counties. Remember to look over the new rules and regulations before heading afield this year. If you have any questions consult your local game warden.
Tidewater Region Forecast: Tidewater deer harvests have been between 40-50,000 for seven of the past eight years. Prior to 1996, Tidewater deer harvests had increased for seven straight years. In 1999, deer harvests were up 8 percent in Tidewater over 1998. Antlerless harvest levels across this region have been the highest in the state averaging about 45 percent females in the total harvest for the past seven seasons in an effort to stabilize the Tidewater deer herd. Harvest data indicates that this goal to stabilize deer populations has been successful. Tidewater harvest data for the past six years indicates that only the deer herd in Accomack has increased significantly. Conversely, herds in Caroline, Chesapeake, Essex, Isle of Wight, Richmond, Sussex, Virginia Beach, and Westmoreland have declined significantly over the same time period. To address the increase in Accomack and meet the Department’s objective to reduce the deer herd in that county, Accomack was made full season either-sex during the last regulation cycle. To address deer harvest declines, general firearms either-sex deer hunting days have already been reduced in most declining Tidewater counties; Chesapeake, Essex, Richmond, Sussex, Virginia Beach, and Westmoreland. The harvest decline in Caroline is primarily due to increased female harvest levels on Fort A.P. Hill. Isle of Wight County will be monitored closely in the future and, if harvest levels continue to fall, a reduction in antlerless harvest levels will be in order.
Recruitment into the population in Tidewater last year was apparently good. Harvest data indicate that the deer herd condition is also fair to good. Crop damage to peanuts and soybeans and deer vehicle collisions remains a major management concern over much of the region. Overall, deer harvests in the Tidewater are expected to be stable for 2000. Over the long run, however, Tidewater deer populations and harvests can be expected to decline in the future as urban/suburban development continues to replace deer habitat.
Piedmont Region Forecast: Northern Piedmont deer harvests have been stable for the past eight years between 30-40,000 annually. With the exception of three counties in northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, where the Department’s deer management objective is to reduce deer populations, the Department’s management objective is to stabilize northern piedmont deer herds. No northern piedmont counties have demonstrated a significant increase in harvest levels over the past six years. Four counties, however, have demonstrated significant harvest declines including Fluvanna, Henrico, Goochland, and Louisa counties. With the exception of Henrico, general firearms either-sex deer hunting days have been already been reduced in the other three counties to address declining deer harvests.
Herd recruitment and condition indicate that the deer herd quality in the northern piedmont is good. Like Tidewater, however, over the long run northern piedmont deer populations and harvests can be expected to decline in the future as urban/suburban development continues to reduce deer habitat levels. For 2000, most northern piedmont counties should see stable harvest levels.
The southern piedmont is a mixed bag again. Southwestern piedmont counties are stable. Much of the recent decline in southern piedmont deer harvest levels is related to significant declines in harvest levels in 11 south-central counties including Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Lunenburg, Nottoway, Powhatan, and Prince Edward. With the exception of Amelia and Powhatan, either-sex days have been reduced twice in these counties to address harvest declines. Amelia and Powhatan have only had their either-sex days reduced once. The good news is southern piedmont harvest levels were down only about 1 percent in 1999 in spite of a fairly extensive HD outbreak. Also the reduction in either-sex days appears to have lowered female harvest levels in many counties to levels low enough (30-35 percent) to allow deer herds to recover over the next 2-3 years from recent declines.
Herd recruitment and condition indicate that the deer herd quality in the southern piedmont is also good. Including most of the recently declining south-central counties mentioned above, deer harvest levels in the southern piedmont should be stable.
Mountain Region: Mountain region deer harvests levels and deer herd condition forecasts as usual present a mixed bag. Overall, west of the Blue Ridge deer herds and harvests have been stable for a decade and are predicted to remain stable. That is not to say there are not significant differences. Public land deer herds generally exist in low to moderate numbers in fair to poor condition. Conversely, private land deer herds typically exist at higher levels in good condition. In business they say location, location, and location. In deer management, it is habitat, habitat, and habitat!
In the northern mountain counties, deer herds on private lands are in good condition, and harvest trends have been stable for over a decade. Only Rockingham County has shown a significant harvest increase. Botetourt and Warren have shown significant declines. Stable deer harvest levels are anticipated for private lands in the northern mountains. Southern mountain private land deer herds, also exhibit good condition. Harvest levels on private lands in this region have been stable for the past eight years. Roanoke has demonstrated a significant increase over the past six years and Grayson a significant decrease. Stable deer harvest levels are expected on private lands in the southern mountains.
One southern mountain county deserves special mention. Buchanan County was opened last season for the first time in nearly 30 years. It should be noted that, in the three years Buchanan had an open deer season 1970-72, no deer were checked in. In 1999 Buchanan County checked in 532 deer including the new state record typical. The three coal field counties, Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise are the only three counties in the state where the Department is trying to increase deer herds.
Public land deer herds on National Forest and Department-owned lands west of the Blue Ridge generally exhibit fair to poor condition, and public land deer harvest trends have been fairly stable over the past seven years. Regulation changes have been enacted in the past to reduce the general firearms either-sex deer hunting days on National Forest and Department-owned land in most western counties. These regulation changes have generally been successful in lowering doe harvest levels. As a result of the restrictions on antlerless harvest levels on western public lands, deer populations should be stable to increasing. Stable western public land deer harvests are really surprising given the fact that national forest hunting permit sales have declined over 40,000 permits or approximately 30 percent over the past decade.
Summary: The overall mission of the deer program is to manage the deer resource in the best long-term interests of the citizens of the Commonwealth. Today, with the exception of several counties in far southwestern Virginia and on selected National Forest lands in western Virginia, the emphasis on deer management in Virginia has changed from establishing and expanding deer herds to controlling deer herd growth. This change in management direction has resulted in liberal harvest regulations and high antlerless deer harvest levels. During the late 1980^s and early 1990^s, the total statewide deer harvest and the percent females in the harvest was increased dramatically through rapid liberalization of deer seasons, bag limits, and number of general firearms either-sex hunting days. This change in management direction was designed to increase antlerless deer harvest to levels necessary to stabilize and/or reduce the deer herd. Consequently, between 1988-92, total deer harvest levels increased 75 percent and percent females in the total harvest was increased from 33 percent to 40 percent. For the past eight seasons, deer harvest levels and percent females in the harvest have been fairly stable at 178,000-220,000 and 38-43 percent respectively.
Over the vast majority of the Commonwealth of Virginia, current deer management objectives call for the deer herd(s) to be stabilized at their current level. Stable antlered male harvest levels and trends appear to indicate that deer regulations/seasons have been successful in controlling herd growth in most areas.
It is a gross understatement to say it sounds like a broken record, but the 2000-2001 deer season should provide another good season for Old Dominion deer hunters, unless we get another big HD outbreak. With declining deer hunter numbers, stable deer harvest levels actually represent record success levels for Virginia’s deer hunters. After substantial antlerless harvests over the past several years, deer numbers should be stable to slightly down over most areas. Deer herd condition should be good.
Uploaded: 9/19/2000
Uploaded: 9/19/2000