Virginia
Shenandoah mountain whitetails, Blue Ridge wild turkey, George Washington National Forest, and coastal waterfowl.
Native Species in Virginia
Official Regulatory Authority
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR)
White-Tailed Deer
Distributed statewide, with large herds thriving in the Piedmont and agricultural Shenandoah Valley. Bucks grow heavy antlers feeding on clover, alfalfa, and white oak acorns.
American Black Bear
Plentiful throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park buffer lands, and the Great Dismal Swamp. Virginia bears feed heavily on soft and hard mast.
Rocky Mountain Elk
Successfully restored to the reclaimed coal lands of Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties in southwest Virginia. The herd now numbers over 250 animals with a limited draw bull hunt.
Eastern Wild Turkey
Thriving in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Virginia hunters enjoy both traditional fall turkey hunting and world-class spring gobbler seasons.
Ruffed Grouse
Inhabits the high-elevation hardwood stands, grape tangles, and clearcuts of the western mountains above 2,500 feet.
Eastern Gray & Fox Squirrel
Gray squirrels abound in mature oak-hickory forests, while fox squirrels inhabit western mountain valleys and farm groves.
Bobcat
Native furbearer common in mountain talus slopes, laurel thickets, and deep timber, stalking rabbits and rodents.
Northern Bobwhite Quail
Focal species for dedicated habitat conservation in the Tidewater and southern Piedmont, inhabiting native warm-season grass buffers.