The best county in the region was Giles. It just missed being in the top 20 list, with 8.07 whitetails tagged per square mile.

Regional wildlife biologist Allen Boynton noted that the best hunting is on private land. Hunters seemed to have noticed this, too, as the trend is that fewer hunters are visiting the national forests in search of their venison these days, a trend that started five to 10 years ago. Boynton's theory is that hunters that have access to private land are taking advantage of it and finding better hunting there. The national forest in Grayson, Giles or Bland is probably the best place to begin hunting national forests.

"The best counties in the region for whitetail deer numbers are Giles, Grayson, Scott and Craig. One area in particular that hunters should take a hard look at for deer hunting is the New River Valley, which includes Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski and Wythe," Boynton noted.

The valley has a good mix of wood lots and fields. There is thick cover with nearby food that holds a number of deer. Hunters who are serious about getting their freezer filled need to focus on agricultural areas. Some of the farmers are fed up with deer eating their alfalfa.

The other option for meat hunters is the urban archery program. The program and the participating towns offer a very liberal take of does.

The one variable that hunters should keep in mind for the upcoming season in this region is the late freeze that may have hurt the mast crop. Be sure to get out in the woods and do some scouting before your hunt to determine where the acorns are.

NORTHERN MOUNTAIN
This region is home to steady deer harvests each year. This is particularly true of the northern tier of the region where Clarke (10.94), followed by Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren made the cut for the top 20. The region had a very stable harvest (33,160) with just 142 fewer deer checked in this past season. Of the 2006 harvest, 16,964 were antlered bucks, 2,249 were button bucks and 13,947 (42 percent) were does.

Clarke and Frederick have always been top counties for hunters and the trend continues. Compared with much of the state, the northern valley areas of these counties have better soils and habitat in the form of mixed hardwoods, pastures and grasslands, which equates to healthier deer. There are a number of horse-boarding facilities in the region that need not see deer eating up their pasture. Stop by and knock on a few doors before the season.

Considerably more deer exist on private lands in this area than on the adjacent national forest lands. If private land opportunities are not available, however, take a look at Goshen, Little North Mountain and Gathright WMAs.

NORTHERN PIEDMONT
The Northern Piedmont harvest was down 5 percent, but the harvest was still considered stable at 43,184 deer, of which 19,167 were antlered bucks, 4,049 were button bucks, and 23,216 were does (46.2 percent).

Each year, we note how great the hunting is in the northern peninsula of the state. The great soils, open agriculture practices, and privately protected areas (posted land) allow the deer herd to thrive. The top county was Loudoun this year with 13.45 deer harvested per square mile. Other good bets include Fauquier and Rappahannock counties.

When we spoke with Ron Hughes, VDGIF biologist, he made a point to say that Fairfax and even Prince William should not be ruled out as good hunting counties.

The late special firearms season and the urban archery season deserve a plug for the great opportunity they provide for meat hunters not concerned about putting a rack on the wall.

Hughes also added, "Don't forget about the late archery season on Phelps WMA after the two-week firearm season. Does are legal during the archery season, which is underutilized."

The northern portion of the region is densely populated with people and deer. Hunters who are willing to take a doe should have little problem finding a place to hunt if only they will knock on a few doors or get involved with the special seasons VDGIF has created. There are also several military installations in the region that offer hunting opportunities to help manage their herds, and typically, the hunting on these bases is good.

The outlook is great for the entire state this year. Many counties have liberal doe days and more may be coming in the next regulation cycle. Hunters really need to do their part to harvest does. Enjoy a great hunting season and stay safe!