Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-90. Game: Deer (amending 4VAC15-90-23, 4VAC15-90-70, 4VAC15-90-80, 4VAC15-90-260).

Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-501, 29.1-502, and 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Hearing Information:

July 12, 2011 - 9 a.m. - Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA

Public Comment Deadline: June 24, 2011.

Agency Contact: Phil Smith, Regulatory Coordinator, 4016 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230, telephone (804) 367-8341, or email phil.smith@dgif.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The proposal makes it lawful to use leashed tracking dogs to find wounded or dead deer while hunting deer in Virginia, including during the archery, muzzleloader, and firearms deer hunting seasons and the youth deer hunting day.

4VAC15-90-23. Youth deer hunting day.

It shall be lawful for deer hunters 15 years of age and under, when in compliance with all applicable laws and license requirements, to hunt deer on the last Saturday in September when accompanied and directly supervised by an adult who has a valid Virginia hunting license on his person or is exempt from purchasing a hunting license except in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties. Deer of either-sex may be taken on this special youth deer hunting day. Adult hunters accompanying youth deer hunters on this day may not carry or discharge weapons. Blaze orange is required for all persons hunting any species or any person accompanying a hunter on this day unless otherwise exempted by state law. Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited, except that tracking dogs as defined in § 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia may be used.

4VAC15-90-70. Bow and arrow hunting.

A. It shall be lawful to hunt deer during the early special archery season with bow and arrow from the first Saturday in October through the Friday prior to the third Monday in November, both dates inclusive.

B. In addition to the season provided in subsection A of this section, it shall be lawful to hunt deer during the late special archery season with bow and arrow from the Monday following the close of the general firearms season on deer through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, in all cities, towns, and counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountains (except Clarke County and on non-national forest lands in Frederick County) and in the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Amherst (west of U.S. Route 29), Bedford, Campbell (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Franklin, Henry, Nelson (west of Route 151), Patrick and on the Chester F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area and on national forest lands in Frederick County and from December 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) and Virginia Beach.

C. Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the special archery seasons as provided in subsections A and B of this section (except on PALS (Public Access Lands) in Dickenson County where it shall be unlawful to take antlerless deer during the special archery seasons provided for in subsections A and B of this section).

D. It shall be unlawful to carry firearms while hunting with bow and arrow during the special archery seasons, except that a muzzleloading gun, as defined in 4VAC15-90-80, may be in the possession of a properly licensed muzzleloading gun hunter when and where a special archery deer season overlaps a special muzzleloading deer season.

E. Arrows used for hunting big game must have a minimum width head of 7/8 of an inch and the bow used for such hunting must be capable of casting a broadhead arrow a minimum of 125 yards.

F. It shall be unlawful to use dogs when hunting with bow and arrow during any special archery season, except that tracking dogs as defined in § 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia may be used.

G. For the purpose of the application of subsections A through I to this section, the phrase "bow and arrow" includes crossbows.

H. It shall be lawful to hunt antlerless deer during the special urban archery season with bow and arrow from the first Saturday in September through the Friday prior to the first Saturday in October, both dates inclusive, and from the Monday following the first Saturday in January through the last Saturday in March, both dates inclusive, within the incorporated limits of any city or town in the Commonwealth (except in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach) and the counties of Fairfax and York provided that its governing body submits by certified letter to the department prior to April 1, its intent to participate in the special urban archery season. Any city, town, or county no longer participating in this season shall submit by certified letter to the department prior to April 1 notice of its intent not to participate in the special urban archery season.

I. It shall be lawful to hunt antlerless deer during the special antlerless archery season with bow and arrow from the first Saturday in September through the Friday prior to the first Saturday in October, both dates inclusive, in Loudoun and Prince William counties, except on department-owned lands.

4VAC15-90-80. Muzzleloading gun hunting.

A. It shall be lawful to hunt deer during the early special muzzleloading season with muzzleloading guns from the Saturday prior to the first Monday in November through the Friday prior to the third Monday in November, both dates inclusive, in all cities, towns, and counties where deer hunting with a rifle or muzzleloading gun is permitted, except in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp Line) and Virginia Beach.

B. It shall be lawful to hunt deer during the late special muzzleloading season with muzzleloading guns starting 18 consecutive hunting days immediately prior to and inclusive of the first Saturday in January, in all cities, towns, and counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountains (except Clarke County and on non-national forest lands in Frederick County), and east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Amherst (west of U.S. Route 29), Bedford, Campbell (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Franklin, Henry, Nelson (west of Route 151), Patrick and on national forest lands in Frederick County and in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), and Virginia Beach.

C. Deer of either sex may be taken during the entire early special muzzleloading season east of the Blue Ridge Mountains unless otherwise noted below:

- Deer of either sex may be taken on the second Saturday only of the early special muzzleloading season on state forest lands, state park lands (except Occoneechee State Park), department-owned lands and Philpott Reservoir.

- Antlered bucks only—no either sex deer hunting days during the early special muzzleloading season on national forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties.

D. Deer of either sex may be taken on the second Saturday only during the early special muzzleloading season west of the Blue Ridge Mountains unless otherwise noted below:

- Deer of either sex may be taken during the entire early special muzzleloading season in Clarke and Floyd counties and on private lands in Carroll, Frederick, Grayson, Montgomery, Roanoke, and Warren counties.

- Antlered bucks only—no either sex deer hunting days during the early special muzzleloading season in Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties and on national forest lands in Alleghany, Botetourt, Frederick, Grayson, Page, Rockingham, Scott, Shenandoah, Warren, and on national forest and department-owned lands in Augusta, Bath, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and on Grayson Highlands State Park and on private lands west of Routes 613 and 731 in Rockingham County.

E. Deer of either sex may be taken during the last six days of the late special muzzleloading season unless otherwise listed below:

- Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the entire late special muzzleloading season in the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Amherst (west of U.S. Route 29 except on national forest lands), Bedford (except on national forest lands), Campbell (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Nelson (west of Route 151, except on national forest lands), and Patrick and on private lands in Carroll, Grayson, Montgomery, Roanoke and Warren counties.

- Deer of either sex may be taken the last day only during the late special muzzleloading season in Dickenson (north of Route 83), Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wise counties and on national forest lands in Alleghany, Amherst, Bedford, Botetourt, Frederick, Grayson, Nelson, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren counties, and on national forest and department-owned lands in Augusta, Bath, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and on private lands west of Routes 613 and 731 in Rockingham County and Grayson Highlands State Park.

- Antlered bucks only—no either-sex deer hunting days during the late special muzzleloading season in Buchanan and Dickenson (south of Route 83).

F. Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the special muzzleloading seasons within the incorporated limits of any city or town in the Commonwealth that allows deer hunting except in the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise and in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.

G. It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with dogs during any special season for hunting with muzzleloading guns, except that tracking dogs as defined in § 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia may be used.

H. A muzzleloading gun, for the purpose of this section, means a single shot weapon, excluding muzzleloading pistols,.45 caliber or larger, firing a single projectile or sabot (with a .38 caliber or larger projectile) of the same caliber loaded from the muzzle of the weapon and propelled by at least 50 grains of black powder (or black powder equivalent or smokeless powder).

I. It shall be unlawful to have in immediate possession any firearm other than a muzzleloading gun while hunting with a muzzleloading gun in a special muzzleloading season.

4VAC15-90-260. Hunting with dogs prohibited in certain counties and areas.

A. Generally. It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with dogs in the counties of Amherst (west of U.S. Route 29), Bedford, Campbell (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad, and in the City of Lynchburg), Fairfax, Franklin, Henry, Loudoun, Nelson (west of Route 151), Northampton, Patrick and Pittsylvania (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad); and on the Amelia, Chester F. Phelps, G. Richard Thompson and Pettigrew Wildlife Management Areas, except that tracking dogs as defined in § 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia may be used.

B. Special provision for Greene and Madison counties. It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with dogs during the first 12 hunting days in the counties of Greene and Madison, except that tracking dogs as defined in § 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia may be used.