VIRGINIA LAWS & REGULATIONS

What are the Hunting Laws and Regulations in Virginia?

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is responsible for the management of inland fisheries, wildlife, and recreational boating for the Commonwealth of Virginia. When hunting season begins, all hunters must have a valid hunting license along with required permits and stamps depending on the hunted specie. It is mandatory that all successful hunters complete a harvest log after every hunt. Persons born on or after Jan. 1, 1975 must carry a valid hunter education card or hunter education exemption permit while hunting. It is unlawful to surpass the daily limit as well as sell, buy, or negotiate any game without a permit. No hunter shall trespass private land without having permission and damage the natural habitats of the species. It is also unlawful to hunt while being in a powered-on vehicle or use any aircraft to locate the hunted game. State laws prohit hunting while being under the influence of alcohol or durgs. Hunters also cannot legally kill or shoot-at any game without the intention of retrieving it.

*Visit Virginia’s Hunting and Trapping Guide for More Information*

FEATURED ANIMALS

DOVE

The mourning dove is one of the most abundant bird species in North America. All hunters (whether licensed or license-exempt) who plan to hunt migratory game birds including dove, waterfowl, rail, woodcock, snipe, coots, gallinules, or moorhens, must be registered with the Virginia Harvest Information Program. Hunters must only collect 15 doves per day, 45 in possession. Composed of mourning doves and white-winged doves, singly or in combination.

General Season: Sept. 5 – Oct. 8; Nov. 21 – 28; Dec. 24 – Jan. 19

*Seasons differ based on location – Visit Virginia’s Dove Seasons for specific dates*

DEER

Deer is a common big game animal to hunt. To have a successful hunt, all hunters must have a valid hunting license along with a deer license as well. The bag limit for deer shall be two a day, six a license year. Of the six-deer limit, no more than three may be antlered deer and at least three must be antlerless deer. If a deer hunter kills two antlered bucks in a license year, at least one of the bucks must have at least four antler points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers.

General Season: Oct. 31 – Nov. 28, 2020
Archery Season: Oct. 3 – April 25, 2021

*Seasons differ based on buck and antlerless in different areas – Visit Virginia’s Deer Seasons for more information*

DUCK

Hunting duck is a very exciting hunt in Virginia. To have a successful hunting season, all hunters must have a hunting license, Federal Duck Stamp, Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp and HIP authorization. The daily bag limit is 6 ducks of any species except for the following restrictions: can include no more than 2 mallards (only 1 hen mallards), 4 scoters, 4 long-tailed ducks, 4 eiders, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, scaup: 1 per day except 2 per day from January 12–31, 1 pintail, 2 black ducks (except closed during October 9–12), 2 canvasbacks, 1 mottled duck, and 1 fulvous whistling duck.