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Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

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  • Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) maintains Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) for the benefit of all citizens for a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. Many management areas are open for some type of hunting. These lands are purchased and maintained with hunting, fishing, and trapping license fees and with Wildlife Restoration Funds. We encourage the public to utilize our land and enjoy the bountiful natural resources found on each area.

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Amelia WMA

Amelia County

Amelia Wildlife Management Area is primarily upland habitat with approximately 175 acres of bottomland hardwoods and beaver swamps along the Appomattox River. Formerly farmland, much of the area… (read more about Amelia)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Warmwater Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Birding
  • Boat Ramp(s)
  • Range(s)

Big Survey WMA

Wythe County

The Big Survey Wildlife Management Area rests atop four mountain ridges in the middle of Wythe County, Virginia. The property’s 7,500-acre woodland is just south of Wytheville and divides the Reed… (read more about Big Survey)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Hiking
  • Birding

Big Woods WMA

Sussex County

Big Woods WMA is in the coastal plain and offers various aged pine forests with some hardwood bottom lands. Management here focuses on thinning pine stands and conducting prescribed fires in the… (read more about Big Woods)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Hiking
  • Birding

Briery Creek WMA

Prince Edward County

The area’s gently rolling terrain is typical of south-central Piedmont. Briery Creek Lake, formed by damming Briery Creek and Little Briery Creek, lies in the heart of the area. Historically, this… (read more about Briery Creek)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Warmwater Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Birding
  • Boat Ramp(s)

C.F. Phelps WMA

Fauquier County, Culpeper County

Most of the management area’s 4,539 acres are in southern Fauquier County with the balance being in Culpeper County. Over 1,000 of these acres are open, the result of their past use for… (read more about C.F. Phelps)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Warmwater Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Birding
  • Boat Ramp(s)
  • Range(s)

Cavalier WMA

Chesapeake (city)

Notice: Due to potential wildlife management concerns, horseback riding is not permitted on this WMA. Cavalier WMA provides coastal and forested habitats for a wide range of wildlife, including black… (read more about Cavalier)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Warmwater Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Birding

Chickahominy WMA

Charles City County

The management area gains its name from the Chickahominy River which forms the area’s eastern boundary. To the south, Morris Creek flows through the area and then along its southern boundary. Other… (read more about Chickahominy)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Warmwater Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Birding
  • Boat Ramp(s)
  • Range(s)

Clinch Mountain WMA

Smyth County, Russell County, Washington County, Tazewell County

The area is dominated by mountains rising steeply from narrow valley floors. Due to difference in elevation a unique forest had developed. Tree species from both southern and northern forests are… (read more about Clinch Mountain)

  • Hunting
  • Trapping
  • Primitive Camping
  • Trout Fishing
  • Warmwater Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Birding
  • Boat Ramp(s)
  • Range(s)

Coastal Forest WMA

Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the Coastal Forest Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consists of 54 unique tracts of discontiguous bayside and… (read more about Coastal Forest)

  • Hunting

    Crooked Creek WMA

    Carroll County

    The Crooked Creek Wildlife Management Area is located in the gently rolling mountains of Carroll county in Southwest Virginia. The area’s 1,882 acres include both forested and open land and… (read more about Crooked Creek)

    • Hunting
    • Trapping
    • Primitive Camping
    • Trout Fishing
    • Hiking
    • Birding

    Dick Cross WMA

    Mecklenburg County

    Dick Cross (formerly Elm Hill) Wildlife Management Area is located in Mecklenburg County, along the north side of the Roanoke River just below John H. Kerr Dam. Gently rolling land, the area’s… (read more about Dick Cross)

    • Hunting
    • Trapping
    • Primitive Camping
    • Warmwater Fishing
    • Hiking
    • Birding

    Dismal Swamp Tract of Cavalier WMA

    Chesapeake (city)

    One tract of land totaling 758 acres found adjacent to the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge is made up of mixed uplands and seasonal wetlands. The forest varies in age adding to the… (read more about Dismal Swamp Tract of Cavalier)

      Doe Creek WMA

      Accomack County

      Doe Creek WMA is composed mostly of upland pine and hardwood mixed forest. The 447-acre tract also includes managed impoundments which provide hunters with the opportunity to harvest waterfowl. The… (read more about Doe Creek)

      • Hunting
      • Primitive Camping
      • Hiking
      • Birding

      Fairystone Farms WMA

      Patrick County, Henry County

      Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area occupies 5,321 acres, in Patrick and Henry Counties. Divided into several parcels, the management area surrounds much of Fairystone State Park and borders… (read more about Fairystone Farms)

      • Hunting
      • Trapping
      • Primitive Camping
      • Hiking
      • Birding

      Featherfin WMA

      Prince Edward County, Appomattox County, Buckingham County

      Featherfin covers nearly 3,084 acres in Prince Edward, Appomattox, and Buckingham Counties. Numerous forested ridges and small drainages merge with the Appomattox River along Featherfin’s 10 miles… (read more about Featherfin)

      • Hunting
      • Primitive Camping
      • Warmwater Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Birding

      Flippo-Gentry WMA

      Sussex County

      This WMA is named for Game Warden Allen Flippo and Game Warden Donald Gentry. They were killed in an airplane accident on December 19, 1972 while flying a night patrol searching for spotlighters… (read more about Flippo-Gentry)

      • Hunting
      • Trapping
      • Primitive Camping
      • Hiking
      • Birding

      Game Farm Marsh WMA

      New Kent County

      Game Farm Marsh is on the northern shore of the Chickahominy lake in New Kent County adjacent to the Virginia Department of Forestry Tree Farm. The area’s entire 429 acres is wetland and can be… (read more about Game Farm Marsh)

      • Hunting
      • Trapping
      • Warmwater Fishing
      • Birding

        Gathright WMA

        Bath County

        Located in Bath County and divided by Lake Moomaw, the two tracts of the Gathright Wildlife Management Area contains 13,428 acres, encompassing three major mountains, Allegheny and Bolar Mountains… (read more about Gathright)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Range(s)

        Goshen and Little North Mountain WMA

        Rockbridge County

        Goshen and Little North Mountain are primarily forested, being dominated by upland hardwoods. Elevations on the area range from 1,326 to 3,400 feet. The steepest topography is on the Goshen parcel.… (read more about Goshen and Little North Mountain)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Guinea Marsh WMA

        Gloucester County

        Located on the southwestern shore of Mobjack Bay in Gloucester County, the Guinea Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a prime example of the area’s scenic marshland. The management area offers… (read more about Guinea Marsh)

        • Hunting
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Birding
        • No Camping

        Hardware River WMA

        Fluvanna County

        The majority of the Hardware River Wildlife Management Area is wooded, primarily with hardwood species. These include many of the oaks, plus maple, hickory and gum. Some pure pine stands are found on… (read more about Hardware River)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        Havens WMA

        Roanoke County

        Located in the Appalachian Highlands, this area has grown to 7,190 acres. Havens occupies a part of Fort Lewis Mountain, about five miles west of the Roanoke-Salem area. This is steep and generally… (read more about Havens)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Hidden Valley WMA

        Washington County

        Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area is located in Southwest Virginia’s Washington County, and is bordered by Russell County along the area’s northwest boundary. This 6,400-acre property is… (read more about Hidden Valley)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        Highland WMA

        Highland County

        Highland Wildlife Management Area’s three separate tracts of land—Jack Mountain, Bullpasture Mountain and Little Doe Hill—comprise a total of 14,283 acres. Timber types are primarily upland… (read more about Highland)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Hog Island WMA

        Surry County, Isle of Wight County

        The 3908 acre Hog Island Wildlife Management Area consists of three tracts of land. Two of these are in Surry County — the Hog Island Tract at the end of the peninsula and the Carlisle Tract on the… (read more about Hog Island)

        • Hunting
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        Horsepen Lake WMA

        Buckingham County

        The area consists of 2,910 acres of rolling hills with numerous small streams and beaver ponds. It is situated on the southeastern part of the Slate River drainage at an elevation of about 500 feet.… (read more about Horsepen Lake)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        James River WMA

        Nelson County

        The area’s 1,213 acres vary from hilly in the upper woodland to level bottomland along the James River. Elevation ranges from 350 to 500 feet. The area fronts on the James River for a length of… (read more about James River)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        Land’s End WMA

        King George County

        The 462 acre Land’s End Wildlife Management Area (WMA) was established in 1966 and expanded in 1970. It consists of two tracts of land, the 50 acre Salem Church tract and the 412 acre Land’s End… (read more about Land’s End)

        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Mattaponi WMA

        Caroline County

        The Mattaponi WMA conserves important upper coastal plain wildlife habitat and provides quality wildlife-related recreation in central Virginia. The landscape ranges from mature upland hardwood and… (read more about Mattaponi)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Mattaponi Bluffs WMA

        Caroline County

        The Mattaponi Bluffs Wildlife Management Area (WMA) was officially opened to the public on April 11, 2019. Mattaponi Bluffs is located in the north-central portion of Caroline County, in the Upper… (read more about Mattaponi Bluffs)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Merrimac Farm WMA

        Prince William County

        All of Merrimac Farm WMA’s 301 acres lie within Prince William County. Nearly one mile of Cedar Run forms the southern boundary and Quantico Marine Corps Base makes up much of the eastern boundary.… (read more about Merrimac Farm)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Mockhorn Island WMA

        Northampton County

        Now you see it. Now you don’t. Mockhorn Island, the larger of the area’s two tracts, is an Atlantic coastal island of over 7,000 acres of tidal marshland. Visible during low tide, much of the… (read more about Mockhorn Island)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Birding

        Oakley Forest WMA

        Spotsylvania County

        The Oakley Forest Wildlife Management Area is approximately 4,459 acres in size and is located in western Spotsylvania County, west of Todd’s Tavern. Oakley Forest WMA was part of a larger working… (read more about Oakley Forest)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Pettigrew WMA

        Caroline County

        Nearly level, the 934-acre Pettigew Wildlife Management Area’s modest elevations range from 50 to 200 feet. Most of the area is forested. Oaks and beech dominate hardwood stands, and pine stands… (read more about Pettigrew)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Powhatan WMA

        Powhatan County

        Once part of several farms, this gently rolling upland is well drained by several small streams that slowly make their way to Sallee Creek. Sallee Creek traverses the area northward on its way to the… (read more about Powhatan)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        Princess Anne WMA

        Virginia Beach (city)

        Four tracts, totaling 1,546 acres, make up the Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area. Located on the western shore of Back Bay, a slightly brackish body separated from the Atlantic Ocean by False… (read more about Princess Anne)

        • Hunting
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)
        • No Camping

        Ragged Island WMA

        Isle of Wight County

        The Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area consists of 1,537 acres of brackish marsh and small pine islands along the south side of the lower James River. The major marsh vegetation on the area is… (read more about Ragged Island)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Rapidan WMA

        Madison County, Greene County

        The area consists of 10,326 acres broken into eight separate tracts distributed along the east slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Madison and Greene Counties. Four of these tracts adjoin Shenandoah… (read more about Rapidan)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Robert W. Duncan WMA

        Caroline County

        The Robert W. Duncan (RWD) Wildlife Management Area (WMA) was officially opened to the public on April 11, 2019. The RWD is nestled in the southeast corner of Caroline County, in the Upper Coastal… (read more about Robert W. Duncan)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Saxis WMA

        Accomack County

        The Saxis Wildlife Management Area is predominately tidal marshland, divided into three tracts totaling approximately 5,678 acres. All three tracts are peninsulas, bordered by the brackish waters of… (read more about Saxis)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Birding
        • Boat Ramp(s)

        Short Hills WMA

        Rockbridge County, Botetourt County

        Short Hills is made up of approximately 3,482 acres of mixed pine/hardwood, and 750 acres of open land that has been farmed in the past. The property is also noted for a high percentage of karst… (read more about Short Hills)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Smith Mountain Cooperative WMA

        Bedford County, Pittsylvania County

        Located in portions of Bedford and Pittsylvania Counties, the 4996 acre Smith Mountain property is owned by Appalachian Power Company and is cooperatively managed by the Virginia Department of… (read more about Smith Mountain Cooperative)

        • Hunting
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • No Camping

        Stewarts Creek WMA

        Carroll County

        Stewart’s Creek Wildlife Management Area lies along the Blue Ridge Mountains and encompasses portions of the headwaters of the North and South Forks of the stream for which the area is named. Much… (read more about Stewarts Creek)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Thompson WMA

        Fauquier County

        The major portion of the management area’s two parcels, totaling nearly 4,000 acres, is located in Northwestern Fauquier County. Beginning at its lower reaches, the property rises in a series of… (read more about Thompson)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Trout Fishing
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Turkeycock WMA

        Franklin County, Henry County

        Elongated Turkeycock Mountain Wildlife Management Area lies along the ridge of Turkeycock Mountain northeast of Martinsville. Here, the mountain’s ridge also forms the boundary between Franklin and… (read more about Turkeycock)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Ware Creek WMA

        New Kent County

        The uplands of Ware Creek WMA are comprised primarily of variously aged mixed pine and hardwood forests with some pine plantation. Agricultural fields offer upland habitat variety along with small… (read more about Ware Creek)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        Weston WMA

        Fauquier County

        Located near Casanova, close to the heart of Fauquier County’s horse country, the 271 acre Weston has a variety of habitat features. Mature hardwood forests predominate and are found on upland… (read more about Weston)

        • Primitive Camping
        • Hiking
        • Birding

        White Oak Mountain WMA

        Pittsylvania County

        More accurately a plateau, the topography of the White Oak Mountain Wildlife Management Area is moderately rolling with elevations ranging from about 550 to 900 feet. The area’s 2,748 acres are… (read more about White Oak Mountain)

        • Hunting
        • Trapping
        • Primitive Camping
        • Warmwater Fishing
        • Hiking
        • Birding
        • Range(s)