On August 18, 2022, the Board of Wildlife Resources approved changes to the Dog Field Trial Permit process by creating a Foxhound Field Trial Permit (Outside of Foxhound Training Preserves) for future use for all foxhound field trial events held outside of foxhound training preserves. The new Foxhound Field Trial Permit went into effect on January 1, 2023. The following are highlights of the new permit and its requirements (it is important that all permittees read and understand the new complete permit conditions before applying for a permit):
- Permits will only be issued for trials sanctioned by bona fide organizations specifically recognized by the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and those organizations are identified in section A.1. of the new permit’s conditions. The newly-formed Virginia Outside Field Trial Association (VOFTA) is provisionally recognized by DWR as a bona fide sanctioning organization. Permit applications for unsanctioned events will not be approved.
- Authorized dates for foxhound field trials outside of foxhound training preserves are the second Saturday in January (one week following the end of the general firearms deer season) through the last Saturday in March (one week prior to the youth/apprentice spring turkey weekend), both dates inclusive, and August 1 through the Saturday prior to the last Saturday in September (one week prior to the youth apprentice deer hunting weekend).
- The field trial area must be a minimum of 2,500 contiguous acres. A map delineating the outside boundary of the field trial area on which landowner permission has been secured must be submitted with the application.
- Clubs and organizations shall notify landowners and the community adjacent to the field trial area of an upcoming trial at least one (1) week prior to the event.
- Applications for these permits MUST be received by DWR’s Permit Section at least 45 days prior to the scheduled event.
- Multiple trials with cast sites closer than 15 miles will not be permitted on the same day.
- The following is the maximum number of dogs allowed per event per size of field trial area (Note: No trial, regardless of area, shall allow more than 350 dogs to participate):
| Field Trial Area (Acres) |
Maximum Number of Dogs Allowed |
| 2,500 – 2,999 |
125 |
| 3,000 – 3,499 |
200 |
| 3,500 – 3,999 |
275 |
| 4,000 or greater |
350 |
- Participants will be required to obey existing rights-of way laws.
- Records of the event, maintained by the permittee, must be retained for two (2) years and are subject to inspection (by DWR) upon request.
- Foxhound Field Trial Permit (Outside of Foxhound Training Preserve) applications may be made by paper application or can be made online through DWR’s Go Outdoors Virginia.
Upcoming Permitted Events
| Event Date(s) | County | Club Name | Number of Participants | Number of Dogs Participating | Permit | Map |
|---|
There are no foxhound field trial permits currently issued.
