4VAC15-90-90: Bag limit, bonus deer permits and special antlerless provision for youth hunters

A. The bag limit for deer east of the Blue Ridge Mountains (except on national forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson Counties) is two per day, six per license year, three of which must be antlerless unless otherwise noted in this subsection.

1. The daily bag limit for deer is unlimited in the Counties, including the cities and towns within, of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William and in all the cities and towns that allow deer hunting (except in the Cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach).

2. Only one deer per day may be taken on national forest, department-owned, and department-managed lands.

3. Only one elk per day may be taken.

B. The bag limit for deer west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and on national forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson Counties is two per day, five per license year, three of which must be antlerless unless otherwise noted in this subsection.

1. The daily bag limit for deer is unlimited in all the cities and towns that allow deer hunting.

2. Only one deer per day may be taken on national forest, department-owned, and department-managed lands.

3. If a deer hunter kills two antlered bucks in a license year in Alleghany, Bath, Highland, or Rockbridge County, at least one of the antlered bucks must have at least four antler points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers. This subdivision shall not apply to any county designated by the department within 25 miles of a confirmed detection of Chronic Wasting Disease.

4. Only one elk per day may be taken.

C. Except as noted in subsection E of this section, antlerless deer may be taken only during designated either-sex deer hunting days during the special archery seasons, special muzzleloading seasons, and the general firearms season.

D. Bonus deer permits shall be valid on private land in counties and cities where deer hunting is permitted (except Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise Counties) during the special archery seasons, special muzzleloading seasons, and the general firearms season. Bonus deer permits shall be valid on public lands, including state parks, state forests, national wildlife refuges, and military areas, as authorized by the managing agency. Unless otherwise posted or authorized in writing for wildlife management areas by the department, or for national forest lands by the U.S. Forest Service, the use of bonus permits is prohibited on department-owned and national forest lands. Bonus deer permits shall be valid for antlerless deer only. Deer taken on bonus permits shall count against the daily bag limit but are in addition to the seasonal bag limit.

E. Deer hunters 15 years of age and younger, including those exempt from purchasing a hunting license and holders of an apprentice hunting license, when in compliance with all applicable laws and license requirements, may take one antlerless deer per license year on days other than designated either-sex deer hunting days during the special muzzleloading seasons or the general firearms season in all counties.