In January 2021, The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a 2.5 year-old male deer legally harvested in November 2020 in southwestern Montgomery County. The deer was harvested more than 160 miles from the closest previous detection in Madison County. At the time of harvest, the hunter did not notice any outward signs of disease and the deer appeared to be in good condition. (For information on DWR’s response to the 2020 CWD detection in Montgomery County, please view the video presentation entitled Initiation of CWD Monitoring and Management in DMA3.)
This led to the creation of Disease Management Area 3 (DMA3) and further surveillance has since detected CWD-positive deer in Carroll, Floyd, and Pulaski counties. Additionally, CWD has been detected in several northern North Carolina counties that border VA. The DWR’s CWD Management Plan guides staff to incorporate any counties located within 10 miles of a CWD detection into a disease management area (DMA). Due to a North Carolina detection, Patrick County was added to DMA3 in 2023. In 2024, Franklin, Roanoke, and Wythe counties were added to DMA3 as a result of detections within 10 miles of their borders.
If you are hunting in DMA3 this fall, please be aware of the following:
Franklin, Roanoke, and Wythe counties have been added to DMA3.
Whole deer carcasses and certain carcass parts from deer killed in DMA3 cannot be legally transported anywhere else in VA outside of the DMA3 boundary. Carcass parts that can be legally transported out of DMA3 include:
- Boned-out meat
- Quarters or other portions of meat with no part of the spinal column or head attached
- Hides and capes with no heads attached
- Clean (no meat or tissue attached) skulls and skull plates with or without antlers attached
- Clean jaw bones
- Antlers with no meat or tissue attached
- Upper canine teeth, also known as “buglers,” “whistlers,” or “ivories”
- Finished taxidermy products
Landfill disposal is the recommended option for deer harvested in a Disease Management Area. Please click here for information on where you can dispose of deer harvested from DMA3.
Deer feeding is prohibited year-round in DMA3 and in all of the following counties in VA: Albemarle County, Arlington County, Augusta County, Bland County, Buchanan County, Carroll County, Clarke County, Craig County, Culpeper County, Dickenson County, Fairfax County, Fauquier County, Floyd County, Fluvanna County, Franklin County, Frederick County, Giles County, Grayson County, Greene County, Loudoun County, Louisa County, Madison County, Montgomery County, Orange County, Page County, Patrick County, Prince William County, Pulaski County, Rappahannock County, Roanoke County, Rockingham County, Russell County, Shenandoah County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Warren County, Wise County, and Wythe County and in any city, town, or county during any deer or elk hunting season. Nor, upon written notification by department personnel, shall any person continue to place or distribute any food, salt, mineral or similar substances for any purpose if the placement of these materials results in the attraction of and/or feeding of deer. No part of this regulation shall be construed to restrict bona fide agronomic plantings (including wildlife food plots), bona fide distribution of food to livestock or wildlife management activities conducted or authorized by the Department.
Hunting season dates, either-sex days, Earn A Buck requirements, and other deer hunting regulations for counties and cities included in DMA3 can be found in the Hunting & Trapping Regulations section of this website.