Hunting & Trapping Regulations

July 2026 – June 2027

• Download the 2026–2027 Virginia Hunting, Trapping, and Migratory Game Bird Seasons Guide as a PDF
• What’s New for 2026–2027
• Licenses and Fees
• General Hunting Regulations
• Legal Use of Firearms and Archery Tackle
• Local Firearms Ordinances, Laws, and Regulations
• Tag Validation and Harvest Reporting
• Public Hunting Lands
• Quota & Managed Hunts
• Sunrise & Sunset Times

Seasons

Big Game

• Bear
• Deer
• Elk
• Turkey
• Spring Turkey

Small Game

• Crow
• Groundhog
• Grouse
• Quail and Pheasants
• Rabbit
• Squirrel

Migratory Game Birds

• Seasons and Bag Limits
• Waterfowl Blind Laws
• Waterfowl Baiting Regulations
  • Fields Declared A “Crop Failure” Is Not a Normal Agricultural Practice
• HIP (Harvest Information Program)
• Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp
• Federal Duck Stamp

Furbearer Hunting

• Bobcat
• Coyote
• Fox
• Opossum
• Skunk
• Raccoon

Furbearer Trapping

This website contains general information. Specific laws and regulations are found in the Code of Virginia or the DWR Fisheries, Wildlife, and Boating Regulations. For answers to specific questions about hunting and trapping, please contact the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.