The Town of Victoria has elected to participate in the urban archery deer season, according to Town Manager Rodney Newton.

According to Newton, urban archery is an extended season for population control through the harvesting of antlerless deer.

According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, urban archery season, last year, ran from Sept. 3-30 and from Jan. 8-March 26 this year.

“We’ve had some complaints and we have a lot of deer population within the corporate limits,” Newton said. “It’s going to allow archery hunting on private property within the Town of Victoria with landowner permission.”

In addition to state regulations on urban archery deer hunting, the town added its own regulations.

According to the regulations, anyone hunting on private property must have written permission from the landowner, which must be carried on the person at all times while hunting. In addition, a hunter must obtain permission to pursue a wounded deer upon the land of neighboring landowners.

According to the regulations adopted, no person shall discharge a bow from, over or across any street, sidewalk, alley, roadway or public land or public place within the town limits or toward any building or dwelling in such a manner that an arrow may strike it.

Unless having obtained special permission, under the

town’s regulations, it will be illegal to carry a firearm while hunting with a bow and arrow during the special seasons. Additionally, the use of dogs is not allowed.

According to the additional regulations, deer carcasses shall be disposed of promptly and is the sole responsibility of the hunter. No field dressing of deer shall be permitted without the permission of the landowner.

A hunter must not hunt or traverse an area that is 100 yards from a public school or church, according to the adopted regulations.

Hunting is allowed on property adjacent to the Victoria Trail Network with permission, but hunters must maintain a minimum of 50 yards from the trail and position themselves to discharge the bow away from the trail. In addition, hunters must fire from an elevated tree stand at least 10 feet off the ground.

Hunters with disabilities must comply with all regulations established by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Tree stands must be taken down from the property between April 1 and Aug. 1 of each year.

Firing a bow on town-owned property is illegal, according to the regulations.

Anyone found in violation of the regulations could be charged with a Class 4 misdemeanor.