RICHMOND (WSLS 10) - Beginning Thursday, September 1, it will be illegal to feed deer in Virginia. The annual prohibition runs through the first Saturday in January.
According to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, all feed must be removed from any deer feeding site prior to September 1. Under the new regulation, any area where deer feed has been distributed is considered a "baited" and cannot be hunted for 10 days following the complete removal of the food.
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Feeding deer can unnaturally increase deer populations and damage natural habitats; increase the likelihood for disease transmission; increase human-deer conflicts such as deer/vehicle collisions and diminish the wild nature of deer, according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
If anyone sees or suspects someone of illegally feeding deer during this time period, or observes any wildlife violations, please report it to DGIF's Wildlife Crime Line at 1-800-237-5712.