The following local ordinances apply in Surry County:
- Sec. 20-94. - Hunting prohibited near public roads. (reference)
(a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Hunt shall not include the necessary crossing of highways for the bona fide purpose of going into or leaving a lawful hunting area.(b) It is unlawful to hunt with a firearm in the county from the road and within 10 feet of the ditch bank.
(Ord. of 4-?-2001, § 1)
State Law reference— Authority to so provide, Code of Virginia, § 29.1-526.
- Sec. 20-95. - Hunting with rifles of caliber larger than .22 rimfire. (reference)
(a) Hunting in the county, with a rifle of .22 caliber or larger, of groundhogs, between March 1 and August 31 of each year, and of all other game, bird and nuisance species shall be permitted as allowed by state law and regulations.
(b) Hunting in the county, with muzzle-loading rifles, is permitted during the prescribed open seasons for the hunting of game species as allowed by state law and regulations.
(c) Notwithstanding the above, deer and bear hunting with a rifle of a .23 caliber or larger during the prescribed open seasons, as allowed by state law and regulations, shall be allowed in the county only as follows:
(1) The person shall hunt only from an elevated stand located at least ten feet above the ground, except that such weapon may also be discharged on the ground when it is necessary to do so in order to dispatch the animal wounded from the elevated hunting platform.
(2) The rifle may have a round in its chamber only when it is on the elevated stand or in route to a wounded animal as set forth in (c)(1).
(3) The provisions of Section 29.1-528.2 of the Code of Virginia shall exempt a permanently disabled hunter, as defined in Code of Virginia, § 58.1-3217, from the requirements of this section regarding hunting from an elevated stand located at least ten feet above the ground.(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a landowner or lessee from killing a deer or bear that is damaging fruit trees, crops, livestock or personal property utilized for commercial agricultural production in accordance with Code of Virginia, § 29.1-529 and other applicable laws.
(Ord. of 4-2001, § 2; Ord. No. 2024-03, 6-6-2024; Ord. No. 2024-05, 10-3-2024)
- Sec. 20-98. - Bow and arrow hunting; permitted when. (reference)
(a) Bow and arrow, slingbow, and crossbow hunting in the county shall be permitted as allowed by state law and regulations.
(b) The times at which hunting shall commence and end each day shall be in accordance with the provision of Code of Virginia, § 29.1-520.
(c) It is unlawful to discharge a bow and arrow in a manner that can be reasonably expected to result in the impact of the arrow upon the property of another without permission from the owner of such property.
(Ord. of 4-2001, § 4; Ord. No. 2024-03, 6-6-2024; Ord. No. 2024-05, 10-3-2024)
- Sec. 20-99. - Hunting near dwellings prohibited. (reference)
(a) No person shall hunt with firearms or other weapons in the Surry Landing on the James subdivision, including future and developed lots, as recorded in the subdivision plat in Deed Book 120 Pages 785-793, and as amended by Plat Book 7, Page 267 in 2010 and as further amended by Plat Book 8, Page 23 in 2011.
(b) Appropriate signs shall be erected designating the boundaries of such area.
(Ord. of 4-?-2001, § 5; Ord. No. 2019-01, 5-2-2019)
State Law reference— Code of Virginia, § 15.2-1210.
- Sec. 20-101. - Discharging a firearm near a school or park prohibited. (reference)
It is unlawful in the county for any person to shoot a firearm or to hunt within 100 yards of any property line of a public school or a county park. This section does not apply on lands within a national or state park or forest, or wildlife management area.
(Ord. of 4-?-2001, § 7)
State Law reference— Authority to so provide, Code of Virginia, § 15.2-915.