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What’s New for Virginia’s 2025–2026 Hunting & Trapping Seasons

Deer

  • The firearms deer season on private land has been increased to a:
    • Four-week season in Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Highland, Lee, Rockbridge, Rockingham (west of route 613 and 731), Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties
    • Seven-week season in western Amherst, Bedford, Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Montgomery, western Nelson, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of routes 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Warren, and Wythe counties.
  • Firearms either-sex deer hunting days have been increased in 30 counties, on Cumberland State Forest, and on Amelia, Highland, Turkeycock, and White Oak Wildlife Management Areas.
  • Early and late antlerless only firearms seasons have been established in Greene, Hanover, Henrico, and James City counties.
  • Deer of either sex may be taken during the entire early muzzleloader season in Craig, and Giles counties.
  • Deer of either sex may be taken on the second Saturday of the early muzzleloader season and last day of the late muzzleloader season in Buchanan County.
  • Deer of either sex may be taken on the last day of the late muzzleloader season on federal lands in Dickenson County.
  • Earn a Buck requirements have been established in Chesterfield, Craig, Giles, and Spotsylvania counties.
  • Urban Archery deer seasons are now open in the City of Newport News.

CWD

  • Rockingham County has been added to Disease Management Area 2.
  • Mandatory CWD testing will take place in Patrick, Roanoke, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, and Wythe counties on Saturday, November 15, 2025.

Bear

  • The archery, muzzleloader, and firearms seasons have been reduced in Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Botetourt, Buckingham, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Frederick, Greene, Highland, Loudoun, Madison, Nelson, Page, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren counties.
  • Hunters can still chase bears with dogs on the days when bear harvest with dogs was removed during the firearms season.
  • The three-day early firearms season was removed in the counties of Bland, Craig, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Smyth, Tazewell, and Wythe.
  • A week at the beginning of the general firearms season was added southeast of I-81 in Montgomery, Pulaski, Wythe, Smyth, and Washington counties.
  • The early three-day firearms season was added to the southeast side of I-81 in Washington County.
  • One week was added to the beginning of the general firearms bear season in the counties of Charlotte, Halifax, Mecklenburg, and Prince Edward. This will result in the removal of one week of bear hound training season in these counties.

Furbearers

  • A continuous open season for taking opossum and raccoons has been established on private lands where permission to trap has been granted by the landowner.
  • Individuals taking otters may now request a CITES tag through the Department’s Customer Service Section and affix the tag to their otter pelts.

Firearms

  • Muzzleloading weapon definitions have been updated to clarify that double-barreled muzzleloading rifles and .44 caliber muzzleloading revolvers designed to shoot a .45 caliber projectile are legal weapons during the special muzzleloading seasons.

Licenses

  • A three-day trip hunting license has been created for Virginia residents.

Camping on Wildlife Management Areas

  • Backcountry camping and the use of enclosed camping trailers and camping vehicles is allowed.
  • Camping is permitted in existing open areas (i.e., pull off areas) adjacent to roadways.