DC/Virginia area Question

[nomadicbohunk]

I would love some opinions. I know absolutely no one who I can bounce this off of who would have a clue what I'm asking about.

I'm a child of the plains who's been stuck in New England for a few years. It didn't take me long to figure out that I enjoy taking trips out west for hunting VS farting around here and not seeing anything but drunks. I still go to deer camp in Maine, hunt CT each year, and have been chasing bears in NH, but I'm not too serious about it. I'm about 40 for some reference. I have 20 years of points about everywhere too. Life is looking good. I have 3 out of new england hunting trips planned this year (separate from this turkey deal) and that's not including if I draw something holy grail like a sheep tag. For the record, lots of toothpaste and food was forgone when I was in undergrad and grad school for those points. I earned them.

I just found out my partner has a work trip coming up during turkey season in Roanoke, VA. I tag along sometimes when she takes these trips and have a little solo adventure.

Things change... BUT. I will have to move to DC in 10-15years for a few years before we retire. It's non negotiable. I saw VA offered nonresident lifetime hunting permits.

How bad is hunting there? I won't pay for a lease in the east. It would just be too much "something" mentally for me. I will own some family land in whitetail heaven by then too. I flew back there last year and was chasing a 160 inch deer around and passing on the young 140 inchers. That's the usual, all the land around is multigenerationally owned, and we all hunt the same. That won't change. If I go turkey hunting in VT, I'm tempted to get a lifetime nonresident permit as they're available, not that much (5x my turkey hunting permit), and it helps out the game and fish department as far as PR money goes. My background is in wildlife biology...I practice what I preach. If I got it, I'd probably go down there again while I live here and chase public whitetails. Just because I have it. I mean, I bought a VT lifetime even though it's horrible and $1200. I think one of my nephews or nieces will go to undergrad at UVM so I'll get some use out of it.

If it's super, super shitty, I won't do it. I guess that's what I'm asking. Is Virginia hunting worth my time VS Vermont/Maine/NH right now? How is it now compared to Maryland and West Virginia? I know about the dog rules and that's what's steering me away the most. Things change, but I'd be into it for going to the NF, camping by the car, and just going on a little adventure. There's so few deer and so many people in VT that I have no motivation to do that anymore here. Is VA more of the same?

 

[tpicou]

Are you interested in urban archery? If so you can take 10+ or so deer/year in NoVa/Maryland if you like shooting does (and potentially more like some of my friends lol). I wouldn’t say hunting is amazing if you care about size, but they certainly have opportunity.

edit: That 10+ number isn’t a hard limit. You’ll find there are no limits. Frederick county has unlimited antlerless (for example), and if you sign up for urban archery in maryland/NoVa (you’ll need to do a shooting test and apply) you won’t run into limit issues either. Like everything it just depends on how many days you do it—but they want you to slay deer.

 

[Billy Goat]

What do you consider good hunting? Or I guess worthwhile hunting?


You looking for areas mostly to yourself, or lots of opportunity at animals?

 

[sconnieVLP]

I’m in NoVa, have now lived here for just shy of a combined 4 years over two assignments.

I’d say the hunting is generally decent. Like tpicou mentioned, much of the area is under some pretty loose limits on whitetails to control the herd (which is wildly overpopulated). Depending on the county you can hunt whitetails from Sept-Apr, and potentially longer in certain areas. County parks have hunting programs, same goes for a few of the nearby military installations.

Related note - if you find yourself having to move here, don’t live in DC. Live on the VA side. DC sucks.

 

[tpicou]

I’m in NoVa, have now lived here for just shy of a combined 4 years over two assignments.

I’d say the hunting is generally decent. Like tpicou mentioned, much of the area is under some pretty loose limits on whitetails to control the herd (which is wildly overpopulated). Depending on the county you can hunt whitetails from Sept-Apr, and potentially longer in certain areas. County parks have hunting programs, same goes for a few of the nearby military installations.

Related note - if you find yourself having to move here, don’t live in DC. Live on the VA side. DC sucks.

Yeah don’t be like me and move from DC to the Maryland burbs. At least I’m in a nice area but we should have just done Loudoun or Fairfax County in NoVa.

 

[highcj5]

Not sure about the area you are suggesting, but I live in SC Virginia. Plenty of deer here. Don’t be expecting to chase monsters every year but 1 will pop up occasionally. If you are on facespace, look up Star City Whitetails. It is a devoted place for Virginia deer that a guy in Roanoke runs.
Turkey population is decent, but the last few years “I think” hasn’t been to stellar. Also the bear population is starting to really take off here. I’m getting tired of seeing them? 1 of the farms my dad and I lease gets planted in corn. That is like a magnet for them. I own a smaller farm and the guy behind me plants corn and has to get permits every year planted to kill a few.
I have been fortunate enough to draw a Kansas archery tag the last 3 years and have spent majority of my “deer hunting” vacation there. But like I said, there are some nice deer in Virginia. Just not a lot

 

[nomadicbohunk]

Are you interested in urban archery? If so you can take 10+ or so deer/year in NoVa/Maryland if you like shooting does (and potentially more like some of my friends lol). I wouldn’t say hunting is amazing if you care about size, but they certainly have opportunity.

edit: That 10+ number isn’t a hard limit. You’ll find there are no limits. Frederick county has unlimited antlerless (for example), and if you sign up for urban archery in maryland/NoVa (you’ll need to do a shooting test and apply) you won’t run into limit issues either. Like everything it just depends on how many days you do it—but they want you to slay deer.

Yeah, I've done urban archery before. I'm more interested in opportunity at this point. I mean, I have whitetail heaven to travel back to.

Kind of hilarious: I called my mom when I was in Maine hunting this last November. I was all jazzed up as there were deer tracks. My dad answered. The other couple guys I hunt with were there. My dad told me he had no motivation to hunt the next morning as he'd only seen 2 deer rifle hunting that day and both were does. He'd been averaging that. The landowner from MA was there and told my dad straight up to go **** himself as that would be the best year ever.

 

[nomadicbohunk]

I’m in NoVa, have now lived here for just shy of a combined 4 years over two assignments.

I’d say the hunting is generally decent. Like tpicou mentioned, much of the area is under some pretty loose limits on whitetails to control the herd (which is wildly overpopulated). Depending on the county you can hunt whitetails from Sept-Apr, and potentially longer in certain areas. County parks have hunting programs, same goes for a few of the nearby military installations.

Related note - if you find yourself having to move here, don’t live in DC. Live on the VA side. DC sucks.

We will move to DC proper. She's lived there before as a PMF'r and my little sister has too. We have some good, good good friends who'd probably let us move into their house they bought there as well. The best way I can put it is that I'm familiar with fishing in Rock Creek Park. I've been there a lot. It's fine.

We're not military. Kate likes biking and has bike commuted everywhere...even in Alaska to the airport where the flew her to the bush on helicopter. That's the main driver for me living urban. Hilariously enough, the Burlington VT area is the first place she started walking vs biking as it's dangerous here.

 

[nomadicbohunk]

What do you consider good hunting? Or I guess worthwhile hunting?


You looking for areas mostly to yourself, or lots of opportunity at animals?

Either or. I live somewhere now where I travel for hours, hunt hard and see one deer for every 40 hours. I baited bear this last year and spent 3k doing it and sat in the stand as much as I could. No bears. I got lots of raccoon photos towards the end of season. No bears. If I would spend 1/2 the money I can and see 3.5 year old deer it would be great. It makes me appreciate the west and where I grew up more.

I have a good friend who's getting into hunting here and I lament what I show him.

 

[Billy Goat]

Either or. I live somewhere now where I travel for hours, hunt hard and see one deer for every 40 hours. I baited bear this last year and spent 3k doing it and sat in the stand as much as I could. No bears. I got lots of raccoon photos towards the end of season. No bears. If I would spend 1/2 the money I can and see 3.5 year old deer it would be great. It makes me appreciate the west and where I grew up more.

I have a good friend who's getting into hunting here and I lament what I show him.

Well I know guys who hunt all season and never see a 3.5yo.

Public has deer, but not near the numbers it use to be. Age class is improving, but a good hunt in a lot of areas is just seeing a couple of deer in a day, or even every few days.


Private is over run mostly, but mostly locked up if you aren't interested in some sort of lease.


Bears are pretty frequent anymore, turkey are hit and miss.


I wouldn't travel to hunt here unless dire, but plenty of PA does so maybe I don't know any better. I think they just enjoy the multiple buck option.

 

[Gman12]

I would say that hunting in Virginia would be superior to any state in New England. We have some surprisingly good quality deer in several parts of the state. Turkeys are plentiful and there are too many bears. Tons of public land in the western part of the state. I wouldn't live near DC for all the tea in China though. If you could make some friends or join a lease in the right part of the state and hunt private land it would be better. But when I travel through the national forest areas in SW Va I rarely see many hunters so it doesn't appear to be overly crowded in the NF's.

 

[sconnieVLP]

Yeah don’t be like me and move from DC to the Maryland burbs. At least I’m in a nice area but we should have just done Loudoun or Fairfax County in NoVa.

In Alexandria now, it’s not bad. Way more crowded than I’ll ever be okay with, but I knew moving back here that I’d be commuting into DC during the second year of this assignment so didn’t want to go too far out.

I’m moving again in June, but in the (likely) event that I get another assignment back here I’ll probably be looking at heading further out into Loudon County. Going to do my best to avoid ever getting another NCR assignment, but I don’t have a whole lot of control over it.

The further I can be from DC, the better. I moved in 2020 and came back in 2022, it seems like the city has descended into even more chaos. The Metro had its share of strange happenings before, but now it seems like it’s nonstop. Guess that’s what happens when there’s no more fare enforcement.

 

[doc holiday13]

I live in the thick of NOVA... I live in Loudoun County... IF you live Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington, or Prince William County, you can get into some amazing deer hunting, but the stipulation is your better be decent at Archery. If you wanna hunt turkey/bear/squirrel in any of those counties, you best get yourself a Prius to get to public ground because its a long drive.

Why is deer hunting good? We have massive urban sprawl with lots of private land and lots of local parks. There is a program you have to join and qualify for, but you're allowed to hunt in the local parks for deer. We have about 7 months of anterless hunting and the program gives you depopulation permits.

I am an outlier. I'll admit that. Have about 1000 acres of non contiguous private land i'm allowed to hunt. Its all been gotten slowly over time through personal relationships with land owners. I can hunt all species and not have to drive more than 40 minutes.

Housing prices here are not fathomable... Seriously... It blows my mind. Expect to spend $450k-$900k(you can spend more if you really want to) if you wanna buy a house around here. IF you want some relief from the craziness, buy a Prius and expect to spend 2-3 hours a day in the vehicle. Only positive side is that this area is recession resistant, so generally speaking you'll not loose value and you can rent the house out for the same as your mortgage.

 

[doc holiday13]

I would say that hunting in Virginia would be superior to any state in New England. We have some surprisingly good quality deer in several parts of the state. Turkeys are plentiful and there are too many bears. Tons of public land in the western part of the state.

Agreed. Some of my private land (without any QDM) has some 150-180" deer

 

[Gman12]

Agreed. Some of my private land (without any QDM) has some 150-180" deer

Virginia is easing along under the radar nationally. Hope it stays that way.

 

[chanson_roland]

We moved here (first DC, now NoVA) from Boston in 2014 for my wife's work. We had a weekend place in Kennebunk/Biddeford area of Maine before we moved. I'd just gotten back into deer hunting before we moved, but here are my observations on the difference:

1. Way lower deer density in Maine compared to NoVA. I had 300+ acres out of my back door in Maine but rarely saw deer. That being said, when I did see them, they were monsters. 200+ lbs easy. First buck I ever saw in daylight I thought it was someone's chestnut horse that'd gotten free.

2. Cosign on the Urban Archery. Lots of opportunity if you have the time. The worst part is having to sometimes drive past deer, sit in traffic, just to hunt a public park.

3. DC actually has some monster deer. Ft. Dupont/Ft. Davis areas on the MD border have some donkeys. Can't hunt them of course, because DC is gonna DC. Rock Creek park has a nighttime police sniper program to keep the population down, btw. I used to live near Calvert st. and I saw some huge, unhuntable deer there on morning runs.

4. MD has great deer hunting. Unlimited anterless in MOCO and if you go further south to PG/Charles counties there's lots of farmland with soybeans. Some public but best deer I've seen there are off private.

5. As someone else pointed out, the urban sprawl here has led to explosion of deer. Lots of landscaping for browse, and no natural predators save coyotes and occasional black bears, so the only curb on population growth is the minivan.

6. As others have suggested, I highly recommend NOT living in DC if you can avoid doing so. Not so much about crime (I agree, btw), but the PITA factor if you have a bow/knife in your car is not to be overlooked. Plenty of places where even a compound is illegal (federal vs. District property), so you sometimes have to think carefully about where you park, or stopping off to run an errand. You're also going to sit in traffic trying to get out of DC to your hunting spots in MD or VA. I found that I hunted less simply because I didn't want to be stuck trying to get to a property. AM hunts won't be bad, but trying to get out of DC in afternoons to get to MD/VA to hunt will drive you nuts if you're like me.

Just my $.02

 

[sconnieVLP]

We moved here (first DC, now NoVA) from Boston in 2014 for my wife's work. We had a weekend place in Kennebunk/Biddeford area of Maine before we moved. I'd just gotten back into deer hunting before we moved, but here are my observations on the difference:

1. Way lower deer density in Maine compared to NoVA. I had 300+ acres out of my back door in Maine but rarely saw deer. That being said, when I did see them, they were monsters. 200+ lbs easy. First buck I ever saw in daylight I thought it was someone's chestnut horse that'd gotten free.

2. Cosign on the Urban Archery. Lots of opportunity if you have the time. The worst part is having to sometimes drive past deer, sit in traffic, just to hunt a public park.

3. DC actually has some monster deer. Ft. Dupont/Ft. Davis areas on the MD border have some donkeys. Can't hunt them of course, because DC is gonna DC. Rock Creek park has a nighttime police sniper program to keep the population down, btw. I used to live near Calvert st. and I saw some huge, unhuntable deer there on morning runs.

4. MD has great deer hunting. Unlimited anterless in MOCO and if you go further south to PG/Charles counties there's lots of farmland with soybeans. Some public but best deer I've seen there are off private.

5. As someone else pointed out, the urban sprawl here has led to explosion of deer. Lots of landscaping for browse, and no natural predators save coyotes and occasional black bears, so the only curb on population growth is the minivan.

6. As others have suggested, I highly recommend NOT living in DC if you can avoid doing so. Not so much about crime (I agree, btw), but the PITA factor if you have a bow/knife in your car is not to be overlooked. Plenty of places where even a compound is illegal (federal vs. District property), so you sometimes have to think carefully about where you park, or stopping off to run an errand. You're also going to sit in traffic trying to get out of DC to your hunting spots in MD or VA. I found that I hunted less simply because I didn't want to be stuck trying to get to a property. AM hunts won't be bad, but trying to get out of DC in afternoons to get to MD/VA to hunt will drive you nuts if you're like me.

Just my $.02

The commute from DC to huntable areas is a good point. When I moved back I was in DC for a few months until we found a place in NoVa. I was hunting Belvoir and in early fall/pre-time change I wasn’t getting home from a PM hunt until 9pm or later between how late it got dark and the traffic coming back up 95 to 395 to get back into the city.

Besides the challenges with even things we don’t often think of as strictly controlled weapons, the obvious challenges with firearms and living in the city are a huge PITA. I didn’t even bother bringing any guns out until after the move back into VA.