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County Feeding Ban Update as Formal Deer Hunting Season Begins

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) would like to remind all counties of the current prohibitions on the feeding of deer and elk. Feeding is unnecessary, can harm the digestive system of deer in some cases, often leads to increased conflict with people, and can create an overabundance of deer in an area. The concentration of wildlife at feeding sites can also increase the transmission and spread of diseases, such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer. CWD is 100% fatal to deer and was first detected in Virginia in 2009 in Frederick County, and has since been confirmed in Carroll, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Loudoun, Madison, Montgomery, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Tazewell, and Warren counties. To help curtail the spread of CWD, DWR implements a year-round feeding ban of deer and elk in any county within 25 miles of a known CWD-positive animal.

As of May 2024, it is currently illegal to feed deer (including mineral licks) year-round in the following counties and all cities and towns within: Albemarle, Arlington, Augusta, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Dickenson, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Fluvanna, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Henry, Loudoun, Louisa, Madison, Montgomery, Orange, Page, Patrick, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockingham, Russell, Shenandoah, Smyth, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren, Washington, Wise, and Wythe.

Additionally, it is unlawful to feed deer from September 1 through the first Saturday in January statewide and during any open deer or elk season. We ask that you please share this information with your constituents to help us slow the spread of this dreadful disease. For more information on CWD and Virginia’s efforts to combat the disease, visit www.dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/diseases/cwd/.

VACo Contact: James Hutzler

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