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Virginia Deer Kill Continues Climb In
Past Hunting Season
The statewide deer kill continued its upward climb during the past hunting season and the total of 13,976* was double that of five years ago. Looking ahead, C. E. Phelps, chief of the Game Division of the Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries, says there is fjto reason why Virginia’s sportsmen shouldn’t harvest enough deer to double the present figure -within the next few years.
The high deer harvest, , however, still fgll below pre-season estimates, especially west of the Blue Ridge, where disagreeable weather kept the number of hunters down. In keep with the Commission^ policy of managing deer as a renewable resource, eight pf the counties west of the Blue Ridge were- open to antlerless shooting (hunter’s choice) the last day of tihe season. This produced a harvest of approximately 2000 antlerless animals, a number well in keeping with the sustained welfare of the herd.
While the 271 bear killed and 2023 wild turkey bagged were, figures below those for the preceding^ season, the pattern appears to be. the result of local conditions. Weather had some influence, particularly in the western counties, in reducing the number of hunting days. Even with the re- ; duced bear kill, Phelps points out that Virginia is still in the bracket i with other states better known as “bear states.'; \
65.6%