New laws in Virginia always take effect on July 1. So do game and fish laws. There were several notable changes made to the hunting regulations in our state and they are listed below.
- A resident junior bear license (ages 12–15) is now available for $8.50.
- Blaze pink may now be worn where there is a blaze colored requirement.
- All areas that had an August or September bear hound training season will have the same season dates. Additionally, the season will begin earlier on August 1st.
- There is a new three-day open (firearms) season in a number of counties in western Virginia. Hunting hours, bag and weight limit, weapon requirements, dog use, and all other open and general bear season regulations apply.
Deer
- Muzzleloading either-sex deer hunting days have been changed for several counties west of the Blue Ridge (see page 37 of the hunting regs).
- Earn A Buck has been established for private lands in Fauquier and Montgomery counties and for all towns and cities in Virginia (except Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach).
- Firearms either-sex deer hunting day have been significantly reduced for over a dozen eastern counties and eliminated on most National Forest and Department owned lands west of the Blue Ridge.
It is now legal to buy and sell the hair, hide, tail, sinew, skull, antlers, bones, and feet of a legally possessed deer or elk carcass or carcass part, any products made from these carcass parts, and deer or elk mounts. Deer or elk meat (venison), organs, etc. cannot be bought and sold.
- Air rifles for deer hunting have been restricted to .35 caliber or larger and their use prohibited for bear and elk hunting.
- Charlottesville, Boones Mill, and Victoria have been added to the urban archery deer season(s).
- Hampton and Newport News are no longer closed for fall firearms turkey season.
- Sunday hunting for crows has been changed to Monday. The days are now Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Furbearers
- Raccoons were added to the list of species that can be hunted with electronic calls.
- Dismal Swamp Bear Hunt and Deer Hunt are now first-come, first-served and no longer quota hunts.