Virginia pledges a top-notch outdoor adventure, centering on the protection and regulation of wildlife species and their homes. The DWR advocates for hunting, fishing, boating, and observing wildlife in state’s vast outdoors. They ensure fair access to their programs and facilities to encourage everyone to enjoy secure and fun outside adventures.
Virginia have defined hours set for their hunts, depending on the type of animal and the time of the year. Except for the spring turkey season, you can hunt non-moving birds and game animals half an hour before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Fun fact, you can even hunt any game type on public lands every Sunday! It’s a great chance to get more out of this outdoor activity. On Sundays, taking deer or bear with dogs is prohibited within 200 yards of a church.
Virginia demands hunter education, particularly for newbies and those aged 12-15. With a guide, apprentice licenses grant beginners access to the season. The state offers a range of training and workshops – from handling deer to bowhunting. During firearms deer seasons, the DWR insists on vivid blaze-color attire to boost visibility and avoid mishaps. Detailed rules and teaching materials are in place to ensure a secure yet thrilling hunting season in Virginia in 2025.
VA Hunting Calendar for 2025
🦌 White-Tailed Deer
Archery
- Early: Oct 4 – Nov 14, 2025
- Late: Nov 30, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026 (county-specific)
- Urban: Sep 6 – Oct 3, 2025 & Jan 4 – Mar 29, 2026
Muzzleloader
- Early: Nov 1–14, 2025
- Late: Dec 13, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026
Firearms
- General: Nov 15, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026 (varies by county)
- Youth: Sep 27–28, 2025
Bag Limits
- East Blue Ridge: 2/day, 6/year
- West Blue Ridge: 2/day, 5/year
🐻 Black Bear
Zones
- Western: Sep 29, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026
- Central: Oct 4, 2025 – Jan 3, 2026
- Eastern Shore: Closed
Youth Weekend
- Oct 11–12, 2025
Rules
- 1 per year (100+ lbs)
- No cubs/sows with cubs
🦌 Elk
- Lottery Hunt: Oct 11–17, 2025
- Counties: Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise
- Tags: 5 (deadline: Mar 31, 2025)
🦃 Turkey
Spring 2026
- Regular: Apr 11–26 (AM only), Apr 27 – May 16 (all day)
- Youth: Apr 4–5
Fall 2025
- Archery: Oct 4 – Nov 14
- Firearms: Oct 18, 2025 – Jan 24, 2026
- Youth: Oct 11–12
Bag Limits
- Spring: Bearded only
- Fall: 1/day, either sex
🦫 Furbearers
Bobcat
- Archery: Oct 4–31, 2025
- Firearms: Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Limit: 2/day (electronic report)
Coyote
- Private Land: Year-round
- Public Land: Sep 1, 2025 – Mar 10, 2026
Fox
- Red: Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Gray: Jan 1 – Feb 28, 2026
Raccoon/Opossum
- Season: Oct 15, 2025 – Mar 10, 2026
- Limit: 2/day (east), 2/party (west)
Special Considerations
- Bobcat: Report within 24 hours of capture.
- Otter: Bag limit (west of Blue Ridge), CITES tagging.
- Gray Fox: Trapping prohibited in some counties.
- Nutria: Continuous open season.
- Skunk: Open season for striped skunk, closed for spotted skunk.
- Coyote: Continuous open season.
- Fisher: Closed season.
🐦 Upland Birds
Grouse
- Season: Oct 25, 2025 – Feb 14, 2026 (west of I-95)
- Limit: 3/day
Quail & Pheasant
- Season: Nov 8, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
- Quail: 6/day (closed west Blue Ridge)
- Pheasant: No limit
🐿️ Small Game
Squirrel
- Fall: Sep 6, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Spring: Jun 6–20, 2026
- Limit: 6/day
Rabbit
- Season: Nov 1, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
- Limit: 6/day
Groundhog
- Private Land: Year-round
- Public Land: Sep 1, 2025 – Mar 10, 2026
🦆 Waterfowl
Ducks
- Segments: Oct 10–13, Nov 19–30, Dec 19, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
- Limit: 6/day (species restrictions apply)
Geese
- Canada: Sep 1–25, 2025 (10/day)
- Resident Zone: Nov 19–30, Dec 19, 2025 – Feb 22, 2026 (5/day)
Tundra Swan
- Season: Nov 15, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026
- Permit: Lottery (deadline Sep 26, 2025)
🎯 Special Hunts
- Sunday Hunting: Allowed (200-yard worship buffer)
- Quota Hunts: WMAs (apply by Aug)
(All dates subject to local regulations. Verify with authorities.)
VA Licenses and Permits
| License/Permit Types | Resident Cost | Nonresident Cost |
| General | ||
| Sportsman’s (age 16 and older) | $100.00 | N/A |
| Junior (age 12-15) | $8.50 | $16.00 |
| Youth Combination (age 12-15) | $16.00 | $31.00 |
| Hunting (age 16 and older) | $23.00 (1 year) | $111.00 |
| $44.00 (2 years) | ||
| $65.00 (3 years) | ||
| $86.00 (4 years) | ||
| County/City | $16.00 | N/A |
| Apprentice | $11.00 | $21.00 |
| Senior Citizen | $9.00 | N/A |
| Fox | $23.00 | $111.00 |
| Foxhound Training Preserve | N/A | $18.00 |
| Hunting Preserve | N/A | $23.00 |
| Additional Licenses (if required) | ||
| Bear | $21.00 | $151.00 |
| Junior Bear (ages 12-15) | $6.50 | N/A |
| Deer/Turkey | $23.00 | $86.00 (age 16+) |
| $16.00 (age 12-15) | ||
| $13.00 (under age 12) | ||
| Archery | $18.00 | $31.00 |
| Muzzleloading | $18.00 | $31.00 |
| Trapping | ||
| County/City | $21.00 | N/A |
| Trapping | $46.00 (1 year) | $206.00 |
| $90.00 (2 years) | ||
| $134.00 (3 years) | ||
| $178.00 (4 years) | ||
| Junior Trapping (under age 16) | $11.00 | N/A |
| Senior Citizen Trapping (age 65 and over) | $9.00 | N/A |
| Miscellaneous Licenses, Permits, and Stamps | ||
| Bonus Deer Permit (6 antlerless tags) | $18.00 | $31.00 |
| National Forest Permit | $4.00 | $4.00 |
| Virginia State Forest Use Permit (age 16 or older) | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Public Access Lands for Sportsmen (PALS) | $18.00 | $18.00 |
| Access Permit (per day/year) | $4.00 / $23.00 | $4.00 / $23.00 |
| Federal Migratory Duck E-Stamp | $28.00 | $28.00 |
| Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp | $10.00 | $10.00 |
Virginia Hunting Regulations Summary
General
- You can hunt non-migratory game from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
- During the first part of spring turkey season, it’s half an hour before sunrise to 12 noon.
- For the last 20 days, it’s half an hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Bobcats, foxes, raccoons, and opossums can be hunted during day or night. Hunting is allowed on Sundays unless you’re within 200 yards of a place of worship or using dogs to hunt deer/bear.
- You can now hunt on public lands on Sundays.
- During firearms deer seasons and youth/apprentice deer weekends, make sure you wear at least 100 square inches of solid orange or pink. This doesn’t apply to waterfowl, dove, and fox hunters on horseback.
- As for muzzleloader deer hunters, you must wear the blaze color unless you’re in a tree stand or stationary.
Bear
- Each license permits taking only one bear per year, the bear should weigh at least 100 lbs if alive and 75 lbs if dressed.
- It’s illegal to use food or bait for pursuing bears.
- All successful hunters should report their bear harvests and also provide a tooth sample.
- Only muzzleloader firearms of .40 caliber or larger are allowed.
- Youth/Apprentice Weekend is dedicated for young hunters aged 15 and under, but they must be accompanied by an adult.
- Hunting dogs can be employed to track down wounded or dead bears, but only in certain regions.
Deer
- On the Blue Ridge’s eastern side, you can take 2 deer daily, and a maximum of 6 yearly, with at least 3 antlerless.
- On the western side, you can take 2 per day, up to 5 per year, again with 3 needing to be antlerless.
- Antlered deer are those with visible antlers above the hairline.
- Antlerless deer are does, button bucks, or bucks that have shed their antlers.
- Certain areas need one of two antlered deer to have 4 or more points on one side.
- Bonus Deer Permits allow additional antlerless deer beyond the yearly limit.
- These are valid on private and selected public lands.
- Remember, electronic calls aren’t allowed, but manual calls are okay.
Turkey
- In general, one can be taken daily, with a maximum of three per year (not more than two in the fall).
- For Archery and Fall Firearms, either sex is allowed.
- During the Spring, you should only hunt Bearded turkeys.
- All hunts should be reported.
- There are special hunting weekends for young ones and apprentices aged 15 and under.
- For the Spring season, Bearded turkeys can be hunted during specified hours for the initial two weeks.
Small Games
- Four popular hunting weapons are modern guns, bows, muzzleloaders, and arrow guns.
- People sometimes use dogs to help.
- Crow is only allowed on certain days, and you can use electronic calls.
- On private land, you can hunt for groundhogs anytime.
- Just west of highway I-95, chasing grouse is okay, but you can only catch three a day.
- For rabbits you can catch up to six a day.
- The same goes for squirrels, but there are rules about which kind you can hunt.
- There are also special places called hunting preserves. Here, you can hunt birds that people have raised. This includes Sunday hunting.
Furbearer
- Use of electronic calls, laser sights, and night vision is permitted.
- You can hunt anytime, be it day or night.
- For Bobcats: two are allowed per group each day, but remember to report.
- Coyotes: Can be hunted throughout the year on private lands, with bounty offers in certain counties.
- Foxes: Their season and quotas are distinct, with a season solely for chasing. Possums, Raccoons,
- Skunks: Specific firearm seasons and ‘chase-only’ periods.
- Remember to electronically report for bobcats. If you spot Nutrias, report for our records.
Top Virginia Hunting Locations: A Breakdown by Species and Place
Virginia is a hunter’s paradise, home to various landscapes and critters. Imagine pursuing in places like the Shenandoah Valley with its sloping hills or the Chesapeake Bay’s flat lands. These places offer different types of games to hunt. Let’s discover Virginia’s great outdoor spots together.
Deer
- Shenandoah Valley: It’s got lots of hills and food, making it perfect for hunting. Whether you’re into bowhunting or guns, you can enjoy it here, thanks to lands like the National Forest and game management areas.
- Southwest Virginia: Here, you find a blend of mountains and farms, so there’s plenty of deer habitats. Areas like Jefferson National Forest and some Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are top picks.
- Eastern Shore: Mostly known for birds, it too has a thriving deer community. Wetlands, forests, and farms create a one-of-a-kind game experience.
Turkey
- Southwest Virginia: This place is noted for turkey hunting, a product of its varied landscapes and plentiful wild turkeys. Both spring and fall hunts are viable in national forests and private areas.
- Southside Virginia: It’s a blend of farmland, forests, and wetlands – perfect for turkeys. You can hunt on public lands and private farms.
- Eastern Shore: It’s famous for waterfowl, but also hosts an increasing number of turkeys. The habitat mix of marshes, farmlands, and woods offers hunters a delightful variety.
Waterfowl
- Eastern Shore: This area is famous for its many waterbirds like ducks, geese, and swans. You can hunt in public spaces or join private clubs.
- Chesapeake Bay: In the Chesapeake Bay, you’ll find great waterfowl hunting. There’s a mix of bird types and places to hunt. You can check out the many rivers and islands in the bay.
- Inland Wetlands: Do you want to hunt ducks and geese? Try Virginia’s inland wetlands. You can find them in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont.
Small Game
- Piedmont Region: This space, rich in farmland and a mix of woods, is a paradise for creatures like bunnies, squirrels, and quail.
- Southwestern Virginia: A place where the land changes. It has mountains, dips and dense tree covers, making it a haven for different types of small game.
- Coastal Plain: It’s mostly tied with water birds. Yet, it shows promise for small game hunters, especially one for bunnies and squirrels.
Author & Chief Editor at AskHunting.com
Eric Hale, a veteran hunter with more than a decade of experience, imparts his knowledge via AskHunting.com. He offers guidance for hunting, adding strategies, and delivers in-depth guides for the novice and the old hand. He loves family camping sessions, watching Marvel films with his spouse, and going on thrilling road journeys.
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