Survey Reports

Hunter Surveys

Since 1993, licensed Virginia hunters are randomly selected to receive a Hunter Survey. This survey covers information regarding a hunter’s harvest and effort, as well as their behaviors, preferences, and opinions on a variety of hunting related questions. This information is used by biologists at DWR to estimate harvest, better understand hunters in Virginia, and inform management decisions.

Bowhunter Surveys

Every year DWR enlists the help of archery hunters across the state to keep track of their wildlife observations while hunting. These observations have been tracked since 1997 and provide biologists with important information on wildlife populations across Virginia.

Trapper Surveys

These annual surveys collect information on furbearer harvest and effort, and request additional observation information on certain species of interest: Fisher, Spotted Skunk, and Least Weasel. The information is used to estimate furbearer harvest across the state, and it provides critical insight into furbearer distributions and populations.

Waterfowl Hunter Surveys

Occasionally, Virginia waterfowl hunters are contacted using the Harvest Information Program (HIP) database with a survey that contains questions related to waterfowl hunting preferences and practices, season lengths, and bag limits. The results of these surveys are used to assist in regulation development and inform waterfowl management decisions across the state.

Angler Surveys

Statewide angler surveys are conducted to better understand the behaviors, preferences, and opinions of Virginia anglers. Typically, these surveys are sent to a random selection of licensed anglers. The information collected from these surveys provides DWR critical insight into the fishing habits and satisfaction levels of Virginia anglers.

Additional Angler Surveys

Some angler surveys are conducted on specific waterbodies throughout the state. Those survey reports can be found under “Biologist Reports” on the fishing tab for each applicable waterbody. Explore angler survey reports conducted on specific rivers and streams and angler survey reports conducted on specific lakes.

Other Surveys

A variety of surveys have been conducted over the years to engage with constituents on topics that require and would benefit from public input and feedback.