First elk hunting season in Virginia: a milestone in conservation

Ten years after the successful restoration of elk to its historic Virginia range, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is accepting applications for its first elk hunting season through March 30.

“The institution of the first-ever managed elk hunt just a decade after restoration is an indicator that the state’s elk herd is growing, sustainable and healthy. In short, this marks a conservation milestone for Virginia,” said Mark Baker, Chairman of the Board of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. “We salute and congratulate DWR on the successful execution of its elk management plan and for establishing a hunt that will generate significant funds to secure the future of elk in Virginia.”

In addition to providing both funding and volunteer support that led to the initial restoration of Virginia elk in 2012, the RMEF has also made key contributions to successful restorations in Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina , Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Since 1990, the RMEF and its partners have completed 1,299 hunting heritage conservation and awareness projects in the above states which have conserved 146,467 acres of elk habitat.

“As in the past, we remain committed as an organization to working alongside our state agency partners to support and grow elk populations throughout the East and across the country, including here. in my state of Virginia,” said Todd Walker, RMEF board of directors. MP for McLean.

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