The following local ordinances apply in Goochland County:
- Sec. 10-8. - Hunting with certain weapons regulated. (reference)
(a) Hunting shall be permitted in the county pursuant to and in compliance with state law, with the following exceptions and conditions:
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt in the county with a rifle, pistol, or revolver of a caliber larger
than 0.22 caliber, except that rifles of a larger caliber and pistols or revolvers firing cartridges rated in
manufacturers' tables at 350-foot pounds of energy or greater may be used to hunt from a stand elevated
at least ten feet from the ground, provided that no cartridge shall be used with a bullet of less than 0.23
caliber; however, the elevation requirement shall be expressly inapplicable to all persons who are unable to
hunt from an elevated stand due to a medically documented physical disability.
(2) It shall be lawful to hunt deer in the county with muzzleloading guns during the "Early Muzzleloader"
season prescribed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and during any state authorized
deer season for the county.
(3) It shall be unlawful to hunt with any firearm other than a muzzleloading rifle during the aforementioned
"Early Muzzleloader" season.
(4) It shall be unlawful to engage in hunting with a firearm within the right-of-way of any primary or secondary
highway.
(5) It shall be lawful to use a shotgun loaded with slugs to hunt from a stand elevated at least ten feet above
the ground; however, the elevation requirement shall be expressly inapplicable to all persons who are
unable to hunt from an elevated stand due to a medically documented physical disability.(b) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
(Ord. No. A88-1, 1-5-88; Ord. of 3-5-91; Ord. of 6-20-95(2); Ord. of 10-17-95; Ord. of 11-21-95(3); Ord. of 2-1-11(3), § 1; Ord. of 5-3-11(3); Ord. of 10-2-12, § 1, eff. 5-1-13; Ord. of 11-7-12(1), § 1, eff. 5-1-13; Ord. No. 1773, § 1, 3-2-16)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 1773, § 1, adopted March 2, 2016, changed the title of § 10-8 from "Hunting with certain weapons prohibited" to read as herein set out.
State Law reference— Authority for above section, Code of Virginia, § 29.1-528.
- Sec. 10-9. - Transport of loaded rifle or shotgun. (reference)
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport, possess or carry a loaded shotgun or loaded rifle in any vehicle on any public street, road or highway within the county during the time between sunset and sunrise.
(b) A violation of the provisions of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).
(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to duly authorized law enforcement officers or military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, nor to any person who reasonably believes that a loaded rifle or shotgun is necessary for his personal safety in the course of his employment or business.
(Ord. No. 081-1, 2-3-81; Ord. of 3-5-91; Ord. of 2-1-11(3), § 1)
Editor's note— Section 1 of an ordinance adopted Feb. 1, 2011, changed the title of § 10-9 from "Transport of loaded rifle, shotgun or muzzle-loading rifle" to "Transport of loaded rifle or shotgun."
State Law reference— Authority for above section, Code of Virginia, § 15.2-915.2.