If you live in Virginia and have spotted a black bear as of late, an acorn shortage this fall in some parts of the state may be to blame, wildlife experts say.
Bear bag limit, weight limits, and all other take restrictions apply. Bears attracted to residential areas or human dwellings due to feeding activities by people, whether deliberate or inadvertent (like bears eating from a birdfeeder or trash cans) can cause problems including the habituation of bears to people and serious property damage. While the highest concentration of bears occurs in the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains and around the Great Dismal Swamp, bears can be seen just about anywhere in Virginia. It took a long time for bear numbers to grow, but today, Virginia is home to an estimated 17,000 black bears, and they are found in nearly every county in the commonwealth. © 2020 Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries There was a slight increase in harvested female bears during the 2019… In Virginia, it is illegal to feed bears on both public and private lands.

If a bear is taken on this weekend, the youth or apprentice hunter may not take another bear in any season. * Data are subject to change.

Blaze color is required in areas with an open deer firearms season during this weekend.

ROANOKE, Va.-– Virginia is known as bear country.Dan Lovelace, with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, said that, lately, black bears are becoming more common in residential areas. Bear sightings should be reported to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries through the Virginia Wildlife Conflict Helpline at (855) 571-9003, TTY 711.Unless the animal is sick or injured, or poses a threat to public safety, the Fairfax County Animal Protection Police do not take actions to remove bears from a neighborhood. Hunters reported a record harvest of 3,540 bears during the 2019–2020 bear hunting season in Virginia. The bear harvest increased 30% from the previous year and was 38% higher than the previous 5-year average (see figure below). According to data from recreational sightings, hunter harvest, road kills, and VDGIF field staff, bears occur in at least 92 of Virginia’s 98 counties and cities.