The following local ordinances apply in Roanoke County:
- Sec. 13-5.2. - Prohibiting hunting or trapping near primary and secondary highways. (reference)
(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt, with a firearm, any game bird or game animal while the hunting is on or within one hundred (100) yards of any primary or secondary highway in the county.
(b) It shall be unlawful to trap any game animal or furbearing animal within fifty (50) feet of the shoulder of any primary or secondary highway in the county. This shall not prohibit such trapping where the written permission of the landowner is obtained.
(c) Any violation of this section shall be punished as a Class 3 misdemeanor.
(d) For purposes of this section, the terms "hunt" and "trap" shall not include the necessary crossing of highways for the bona fide purpose of going into or leaving a lawful hunting or trapping area.
(Ord. No. 42892-8, § 1, 4-28-92; Ord. No. 092419-6, § 1, 9-24-19)
Cross reference— Penalty for Class 3 misdemeanor, § 1-10.
State Law reference— Authority, Code of Virginia, § 29.1-526.
- Sec. 13-5.3. - Prohibiting hunting near public schools and county, town or regional parks. (reference)
(a) It shall be unlawful to shoot or hunt, or to traverse an area while in possession of a loaded firearm, within one hundred (100) yards of any property line of any public school or of a county, town or regional park.
(b) Any violation of this section shall be punished as a Class 4 misdemeanor.
(c) This section shall not be enforced on lands within a national or state park or forest, or wildlife management area.
(Ord. No. 42892-8, § 1, 4-28-92; Ord. No. 092419-6, § 1, 9-24-19)
Cross reference— Penalty for Class 4 misdemeanor, § 1-10.
State Law reference— Authority, Code of Virginia, § 29.1-527.
- Sec. 13-5.5. - Urban archery hunting season. (reference)
Archery deer hunting is permitted within the county limits by licensed hunters during an approved state department of wildlife resources urban archery season. In addition to the urban archery season, archery deer hunting is also allowed during the early archery deer season, the general firearms deer season, and the late archery deer season. Licensed archery deer hunters must abide by all applicable sections of the state code and state hunting regulations (including bag limits and tagging/checking requirements). It shall be unlawful and a Class 4 misdemeanor for any person, while hunting deer during the county's archery season, to violate any of the following additional county restrictions:
(1) Any person discharging a bow shall, at all times, while engaged in such activity, have in his possession written permission from the landowner(s) to discharge such a weapon on his premises.
(2) No person shall discharge a bow from, over or across any street, sidewalk, alley, near primary or secondary highways, roadway, or public land or public place or near a public school and county/town/regional parks within the county limits or toward any building or dwelling in such a manner that an arrow may strike it.
(3 )No person may discharge a bow unless from an elevated position of at least ten (10) feet above the ground.
(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in hunting with a bow or to discharge arrows from bows within one hundred (100) yards of a dwelling house or occupied building not his or her own. A "bow" includes all compound bows, crossbows, slingbows, longbows and recurve bows having a peak draw weight of ten (10) pounds or more. The term "bow" does not include bows that have a peak draw weight of less than ten (10) pounds or that are designed or intended to be used principally as toys. The term "arrow" means a shaft-like projectile intended to be shot from a bow.(Ord. No. 121311-6, § 1, 12-13-11; Ord. No. 092419-6, § 1, 9-24-19; Ord. No. 092822-6, § 1, 9-28-22)
Cross reference— Penalty for Class 4 misdemeanor, § 1-10.
- Sec. 13-5.1. - Transporting a 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 in the county.
(b) Any violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00).
(c) 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. 42892-8, § 1, 4-28-92; Ord. No. 092419-6, § 1, 9-24-19)
State Law reference— Authority, Code of Virginia, § 15.2-915.2
- Sec. 15-7. - Prohibited uses of parks. (reference)
(5) Hunting and firearms. No person in a park shall hunt, trap or pursue wildlife. Trapping may be authorized, by permit, when it is deemed by the director that said activity is in the best interest of public health, safety and/or welfare. No person shall within a park use, brandish or discharge any firearm, air rifle, spring gun, pellet gun, paintball gun, bow and arrow, sling or any other form of weapon potentially dangerous to wildlife or to human safety or any instrument that can be loaded with and fire blank cartridges. Shooting into park areas from beyond park property boundaries is forbidden. The director may permit authorization for the use of a firearm or other potentially dangerous instrument to be used in a park for a special event or county managed activity.