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Fall hunting seasons are upon us once again in Rockbridge County, the first of which, crow season, opened Aug. 19. Many small game and furbearers’ seasons open in early September, while most big game seasons open with the first of various regulated weapons’ seasons in early October.
The following information applies only to Rockbridge County regarding only Fall/ Winter 2023/2024 hunting seasons.
There are some important changes this year of which all hunters should be aware: ● Early firearms season for bears will not open this season in Rockbridge.
● In all areas where Earn a Buck (EAB) is in effect, hunters are only required to harvest one antlerless deer prior to harvesting a second antlered deer.
● Non-meat parts of wild turkeys can now be sold.
● For furbearers, certain remote trap-checking or cellular camera-based systems may now be used as a remote trap checking system in lieu of a physical trap check.
● The gray fox hunting season has been reduced to Jan. 1 through Feb. 29.
● The bag limit for gray fox is now one gray fox per hunting party per day taken between noon one day and and noon the following day.
For more information regarding specific regulations or seasons in other areas as well as updates on legal methods and restrictions for all seasons can be found on the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources website. Visit https://dwr.virginia.gov/ hunting/regulations/ before planning any hunt.
Big Game Seasons
Bear seasons: Youth and apprentice hunting weekend will be Oct. 14-15. Archery season for bear will be Oct. 7 to Nov. 17. Muzzleloader season is Nov. 11-17. Regular firearms season begins Nov. 27 and runs through until Jan. 6.
*Please note: To report a bear, a hunter must have a customer account through Go Outdoors Virginia. It is free and easy to set up an account. If you have any problems, call (804) 367-1000.
The bag limit for bears is one per license year, at least 100 pounds live weight or 75 pounds dressed weight (all internal organs removed). Females with cubs may not be harvested. Cubs may be 30–50 lbs by fall.
Please observe and be patient before shooting as cubs often lag behind the female. It is unlawful to feed or bait bears, shoot without intent to retrieve the bear, and cripple, harm or dislodge a bear and continue to hunt.
Dogs may not be used to hunt bears in the following scenarios: on Sundays while in possession of a weapon which shall include, but not be limited to, having a firearm, bow, cross-bow, or any weapon capable of taking a black bear, in or on one’s person, vehicle or conveyance; and from Nov. 27 to Dec. 3, west of the Blue Ridge.
Successful bear hunters must report their harvest at GoOutdoorsVirginia.com, via the Go Outdoors Virginia mobile app, or by telephone and also submit a bear tooth.
The age of your harvested bear will be available online nine to 10 months after the hunting season ends at the DWR website. -Deer seasons: Youth and apprentice deer hunting weekend will be Sept. 30 to Oct. 1. Early archery season is Oct. 7 to Nov. 17. Late archery season begins Dec. 3 and runs until Jan. 6. Early muzzleloader season is Nov. 4-17. Either-sex may be taken on Nov. 11 on private lands. Late muzzleloader season is Dec. 16 to Jan. 6. Either-sex may be taken on private lands Jan. 1-6. Regular firearms season is Nov. 18 to Dec. 2.
*Please note that west of the Blue Ridge the bag limit for deer shall be two per day and five for a license year. Of the five-deer limit, no more than two may be antlered deer and at least three must be antlerless deer unless noted in the following exceptions: 1) the daily bag limit for deer shall be unlimited in all cities and towns west of the Blue Ridge. However, no more than two antlered deer may be taken in a license year, 2) only one deer per day may be taken on National Forest lands and Department-owned and Department-managed lands west of the Blue Ridge, and 3) if a deer hunter kills two antlered bucks in a license year in Rockbridge County, at least one of the bucks must have at least four antler points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers. -Elk seasons: Any elk (bull, cow, or calf) can be taken on any day of an open deer season (archery, muzzleloader, or firearms) in Rockbridge County. Legal weapons for taking elk coincide with legal weapons for deer during that specific season except that elk may not be taken with a slingbow or air rifle. Successful elk hunters must contact the Department at (804) 367-0044 to schedule a time for collection of biological samples. This number is only intended for making arrangements for tissue sample collection from harvested elk. It is illegal to destroy the sex identity of any harvested elk until checked. Elk may be dismembered to pack it out of the place of kill but the sex and all parts of the carcass (except internal organs) must be present when the elk is checked. The taking of an elk counts toward a hunter’s daily and seasonal bag limits for deer. Only one elk per day may be taken statewide. An elk with antlers above the hairline counts toward a hunter’s either-sex (buck) deer limit. An animal without antlers counts toward a hunter’s daily and seasonal antlerless deer limit. Elk cannot be harvested on DPOP, DMAP, or DCAP tags. -Turkey seasons: Archery season is Oct. 7 to Nov. 17. Youth and apprentice hunting weekend will be Oct. 14-15. Regular firearms seasons are Oct.21 to Nov. 3, Nov. 22-23, Dec. 4 to Dec. 30 and Jan. 1327.
*Please note, turkey bag limits are generally one per day, three per license year, no more than two of which may be taken in the fall. Of the three per license year, during archery and fall firearms season, one per day of either sex may be taken.
Small Game Seasons
Crow season opened Aug. 19 and continues through March 15 but only on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and is open Sept. 1 to March 9 on National Forest and Department owned lands on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays only.
*Please note, crows are a federally regulated migratory species; however, no HIP registration is required and hunters may use unplugged shotguns to hunt them. Electronic calls may be used on private and public lands. Written permission of the landowner is not required to hunt crows with electronic calls, except when hunting on posted property. -Groundhog season is open continuously on private lands and Sept. 1 to March 10 on National Forest and Department owned lands.
-Grouse season is open Oct. 28 to Feb. 10. The bag limit is three per day. -Quail and pheasant season is open Nov. 11 to Jan. 31. Quail season is closed on all public lands west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The bag limit for quail is six per day. There is no daily or seasonal bag limit for pheasant. -Rabbit season is open Nov. 4 to Feb. 29. The bag limit is six per day.
*Please note, carcass disposal regulations due to rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 (RHDV2) still applies and these regulations can be found in detail at https://dwr.virginia.gov/ wp-content/uploads/media/ RHDV2-Hunters-and-Field-Trials-Guidance-Factsheet. pdf. -Squirrel seasons: Gray and Red Squirrel season is Sept. 2 to Feb. 29. Fox Squirrel season is Sept. 2 to Jan. 31. The bag limit is six per day for all squirrels combined.
Furbearers Seasons
Bobcat season: Archery season is Oct. 7-31. Firearms season is Nov. 1 to Feb. 29.
*Please note, dogs may not be used to hunt bobcats during the deer firearms season and within the boundaries of the George Washington/ Jefferson National Forests. Specific requirements regarding electronic checking and CITES tagging can be found at https://dwr.virginia. gov/ hunting/reg ulations/ furbearerhunting/#bobcat. -Coyote season is open continuously on private lands and Sept. 1 to March 10 on National Forest and Department owned lands. For information regarding coyote bounty laws, contact your local county board supervisor. -Fisher season is continuously closed for hunting and trapping fisher. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) once occurred in the western mountains of our state, but populations were likely nearly extinct by the early 1900s. After a long absence, fishers appear to be reestablishing themselves as part of our fauna. Fishers are members of the Mustelid or weasel family. They are stocky animals with an elongated body and relatively short legs. Adult fishers are about the size of a fox, typically weighing four to 12 pounds and measuring 30 to 47 inches from the nose to the tip of the tail. Their fur is dark brown and black. The face and shoulders often have a golden or silver sheen. The underside may have patches of white or cream-colored fur. Please report verifiable sightings to the DWR by contacting Matthew Overstreet at (434) 525-7522 or by email at [email protected]. gov.
-Fox seasons: Red Fox firearms season is Nov. 1 to Feb. 29. Gray Fox firearms seasons is Jan. 1 to Feb. 29. One per hunting party may be taken between noon of one day and noon the following day.
*Please note, dogs may not be used to hunt foxes during the firearms season for deer on the Gathright, Goshen, Highland, and Little North Mountain Wildlife Management Areas and within the boundaries of the George Washington/ Jefferson National Forests. Specific regulations regarding the use of dogs, chase-only season, and licensing requirements can be found at https://dwr.virginia. gov/ hunting/reg ulations/ furbearerhunting/#fox. -Opossum firearms season is Oct. 15 to March 10, and RACCOON firearms season is also Oct. 15 to March 10.
*Please note, the bag limit is two per hunting party (individual or organized) taken between noon one day and noon the following day. Lights may be used as long as it is not attached to or cast from a vehicle. During chase-only season, which began on Aug. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, license requirements are the same as those for hunting raccoons with firearms. It is unlawful to have in possession a firearm, bow, ax, saw or any tree climbing device when chasing raccoons outside of the firearms season. Possession shall include, but not be limited to, having these devices in or on one’s person, vehicle, or conveyance while engaged in the act of chasing, however there are exceptions for valid concealed handgun permit holders. Specific regulations regarding the use of dogs, chase-only season, and licensing requirements can be found at https://dwr.virginia. gov/ hunting/reg ulations/ furbearerhunting/#raccoon. -Striped skunk season is open continuously on private lands and Sept. 1 to March 10 on National Forest and Department owned lands.
*Please note, continuous closed season for taking spotted skunks, and the pelts of spotted skunks may not be sold.
* Please note, electronic calls may be used to hunt bobcats, coyotes, crows, foxes and raccoons, but not other species. With the exception of crows, written permission of the landowner is required to hunt with electronic calls on private lands. Electronic calls may also be used on public lands (except where specifically prohibited) during periods when the use of firearms is allowed.
Other Notes
Information regarding migratory gamebird seasons, regulations, restrictions, bag limits, licensing requirements, etc. can be found at https://dwr.virginia.gov/hunting/ regulations/#migratorygamebirds.
Certain sections of this report were presented verbatim to ensure accuracy regarding hunting and firearms regulations from the DWR at dwr. virginia.gov.
As always, be mindful and safe during all open hunting seasons.
