Four months after its inaugural modern-day elk hunt in the fall of 2022, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) announced the lottery application period for the 2023 elk hunt is open.
Applications require a non-refundable fee of $15 for Virginia residents and $20 for out-of-state residents. Winners of the elk hunting lottery will then need to buy a special elk hunting license for $40 for in-state residents while it is $400 for out-of-state residents. The special elk hunting license is not transferable to another individual.
Five antlered elk licenses will be available for the October 14-20, 2023, season.
“It was so rewarding to see all the work and effort that DWR, RMEF and the Southwest Sportsmen, along with many volunteers, had put in over the last ten years to make sure Virginia’s first elk hunt was a success,” said Leon Boyd, DWR Board and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation life member, told WCYB-TV. “The quality of elk in Virginia is amazing and I look forward to many successful elk seasons in the future.”
The application period closes on March 30, 2023. Go here to apply and for other elk lottery information.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped the DWR with the successful restoration of elk to their historic Virginia range in 2012. Dating back to 1993, RMEF and its partners completed 82 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Virginia with a combined value of more than $2.1 million. These projects enhanced 1,454 acres of habitat.
(Photo credit: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources)