THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602180155
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Hunters bagged a record number of whitetail deer in Virginia for the seventh consecutive year, with the kill topping 200,000 for the fourth year in a row.
The final tally, announced last week by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, was 218,467, up about 4 percent from 209,373 for the 1994-95 season.
The season ended Jan. 6.
Last season's kill was 54 times the harvest in 1947, the first year successful hunters were required to identify their deer with tags provided by the game department. Only 4,011 kills were recorded that year.
In spite of this year's record harvest, department officials say there could be as many as 1 million whitetails scattered about the state by the time the 1996-97 season opens this fall.
Virginia's deer kill has climbed almost every year since the state began keeping statistics. It has more than doubled, from 101,425, since the 1985-86 season, according to Bob Duncan of the wildlife agency.
``We think we're right on target with where we want to be,'' Duncan said. ``The size of the herd is increasing slightly, yet we have perhaps the most liberal deer bag limit in the country.''
Duncan said much of the increase of the past season can be attributed to the popularity of the ``muzzle-loading'' or ``black-powder'' season. During this special season, hunters bagged 39,809 whitetails, up from 31,090 a year earlier.
Southampton County remained what Duncan calls the ``deer capital of Virginia,'' heading the list with 6,664 kills. It gains that distinction almost every year.
Loudoun County in Northern Virginia was second at 6,437, followed by Bedford County, near Lynchburg, with 6,211. From there, the figure fell to 5,043 for No. 4 Pittyslvania County in Southside Virginia.
Other top counties: 5. Fauquier, 4,940; 6. Botetourt, 4,938; 7. Bath, 4,666; 8. Caroline, 4,593; 9. Albemarle, 4,589; 10 .Grayson, 4,405.
Meanwhile, Virginia's fall turkey harvest fell 23 1/2 percent, dropping from last year's record of 14,681 to 11,229. The bear harvest of 556 was consistent with the state's average for the past decade.
The turkey decline was not a surprise, according to William L. Woodfin, the game agency's executive director.
``Hunters should realize that this was consistent with the (game department) board's action that shortened the fall turkey hunting season so that in future years there will be a dramatic increase in the turkey population.''
Botetourt County, near Roanoke, was the top turkey area with 534 kills, while Rockingham, near Winchester, produced 66 bears, tops in the state. by CNB