TITLE 4. CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-50. Game: Bear (amending 4VAC15-50-71, 4VAC15-50-81; adding 4VAC15-50-11; repealing 4VAC15-50-10, 4VAC15-50-20, 4VAC15-50-21, 4VAC15-50-22, 4VAC15-50-25).
Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-501 and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2011.
Agency Contact: Phil Smith, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4016 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230, telephone (804) 367-8341, or email phil.smith@dgif.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The amendments (i) adjust bear hunting season in various counties; (ii) provide the most liberal fall bear hunting season within the incorporated limits of any city; (iii) establish a six-day muzzleloading gun bear hunting season statewide; and (iv) remove references to deer and turkey.
4VAC15-50-10. Open season; generally. (Repealed.)
Except as otherwise provided by local legislation and with the specific exceptions provided in the sections appearing in this chapter, it shall be lawful to hunt bear from the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, except in the counties of Accomack, Amelia, Appomattox, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell, Charlotte, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Halifax, Isle of Wight, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Nottoway, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex.
4VAC15-50-11. Open season; generally.
A. It shall be lawful to hunt bears within:
| Location | Season |
| Accomack County | Closed |
| Albemarle County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Alleghany County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Amelia County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Amherst County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Appomattox County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Arlington County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Augusta County (North of US-250) | Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Augusta County (South of US-250) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Bath County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Bedford County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Bland County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Botetourt County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Brunswick County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Buchanan County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Buckingham County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Campbell County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Caroline County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Carroll County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Charles City County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Charlotte County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Chesapeake (City of) | October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Chesterfield County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Clarke County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Craig County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Culpeper County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Cumberland County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Dickenson County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Dinwiddie County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Essex County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Fairfax County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Fauquier County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Floyd County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Fluvanna County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Franklin County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Frederick County | Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Giles County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Gloucester County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Goochland County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Grayson County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Greene County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Greensville County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Halifax County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Hanover County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Henrico County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Henry County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Highland County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Isle of Wight County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| James City County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| King and Queen County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| King George County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| King William County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Lancaster County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Lee County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Loudoun County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Louisa County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Lunenburg County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Madison County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Mathews County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Mecklenburg County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Middlesex County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Montgomery County (southeast of I-81) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Montgomery County (northwest of I-81) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Nelson County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| New Kent County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Northampton County | Closed |
| Northumberland County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Nottoway County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Orange County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Page County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Patrick County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Pittsylvania County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Powhatan County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Prince George County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Prince William County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Pulaski County (southeast of I-81) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Pulaski County (northwest of I-81) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Rappahannock County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Richmond County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Roanoke County | Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Rockbridge County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Rockingham County | Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Russell County (except on the Channels State Forest and Clinch Mountain WMA) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Russell County (on the Channels State Forest and Clinch Mountain WMA) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Scott County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Shenandoah County | Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Smyth County (southeast of I-81) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Smyth County (northwest of I-81) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Southampton County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Spotsylvania County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Stafford County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Suffolk (City of) | October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Surry County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Sussex County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Tazewell County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Virginia Beach (City of) | October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Warren County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Washington County (southeast of I-81) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Washington County (northwest of I-81 and east of Route 19) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| Washington County (northwest of I-81 and west of Route 19) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Westmoreland County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Wise County | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Wythe County (southeast of I-81) | First Monday in December and for 17 consecutive hunting days following. |
| Wythe County (northwest of I-81) | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
| York County | Second Monday in December and for 5 consecutive hunting days following. |
B. Except as provided in the subsection A of this section, bears may be hunted from the Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, within the incorporated limits of any city that allows bear hunting.
4VAC15-50-20. Open season; first Monday in December and for 11 consecutive hunting days following in certain counties or portions of counties. (Repealed.)
It shall be lawful to hunt bear from the first Monday in December and for 11 consecutive hunting days following, both dates inclusive, in the counties of Buchanan, Campbell (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Grayson, Henry, Lee, Montgomery (south of Interstate 81), Patrick, Pittsylvania (west of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Pulaski (south of Interstate 81), Russell, Scott, Smyth (south of Interstate 81), Washington (south of Interstate 81 and that part north of Interstate 81 that is west of Route 19), Wise, and Wythe (south of Interstate 81).
4VAC15-50-21. Open season; second Monday in December and for five consecutive hunting days following in certain counties or portions of counties. (Repealed.)
It shall be lawful to hunt bear from the second Monday in December and for five consecutive hunting days following in the counties of Amelia, Appomattox, Brunswick, Buckingham, Campbell (east of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Charlotte, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Halifax, Isle of Wight, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Pittsylvania (east of Norfolk Southern Railroad), Prince Edward, Prince George, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex.
4VAC15-50-22. Open season; Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, in certain counties or portions of counties. (Repealed.)
It shall be lawful to hunt bear from the Saturday prior to the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, in the counties of Alleghany, Augusta (west of Interstate 81), Bath, Botetourt (west of Interstate 81), Highland, Roanoke (north of Interstate 81), Rockbridge (west of Interstate 81), Rockingham (west of Interstate 81), and Shenandoah (west of Interstate 81).
4VAC15-50-25. Open season; cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach. (Repealed.)
It shall be lawful to hunt bear from October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.
4VAC15-50-71. Muzzleloading gun hunting.
A. Except as otherwise provided by specific exceptions in this chapter, it It shall be lawful to hunt bear during the special muzzleloading season with muzzleloading guns from the Saturday prior to the second Monday in November through the Friday prior to the third Monday in November, both dates inclusive, except in Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe counties and in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.
B. It shall be lawful to hunt bear during the 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 the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Accomack, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Culpeper, Essex, Fauquier, Fairfax, Fluvanna, Gloucester, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King George, King William, King and Queen, Lancaster, Loudoun, Louisa, New Kent, Northampton, Northumberland, Orange, Powhatan, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Mathews, Middlesex, Westmoreland, and York and in the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Portsmouth.
C. B. It shall be unlawful to hunt bear with dogs during any special season for hunting with muzzleloading guns.
D. C. 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).
E. D. 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.
4VAC15-50-81. Validating tags and checking bear by licensee or permittee.
A. Any person killing a bear shall, before removing the carcass from the place of kill, validate an appropriate tag on their special license for hunting bear [ , deer, and turkey ] or special permit by completely removing the designated notch area from the tag. Place of kill shall be defined as the location where the animal is first reduced to possession. It shall be unlawful for any person to validate (notch) a bear tag from any special license for hunting bear [ , deer, and turkey ] or special permit prior to the killing of a bear. A bear tag that is mistakenly validated (notched) prior to the killing of a bear must be immediately voided by the licensee or permittee by writing, in ink, the word "VOID" on the line provided on the license tag.
B. Upon killing a bear and validating (notching) a license tag or special permit, as provided above, the licensee shall, upon vehicle transport of the carcass or at the conclusion of legal hunting hours, whichever occurs first, and without unnecessary delay, present the carcass and validated (notched) license tag or special permit to an authorized bear checking station or to an appropriate representative of the department in the county or adjoining county in which the bear was killed. Upon presentation of the carcass and validated (notched) license tag or special permit to the bear checking station, the licensee shall surrender or allow to be removed one premolar tooth from the carcass. At such time, the person checking the carcass will be given a game check card. The successful hunter shall then immediately record the game check card number, in ink, on the line provided adjacent to the license tag that was validated (notched) in the field. The game check card must be kept in possession with the carcass until the carcass is processed. If the carcass is left unattended, the game check card must be securely attached to the carcass.
C. It shall be unlawful for any person to destroy the identity (sex) of any bear killed unless and until the license tag or special permit is validated (notched) and checked as required by this section. Successful bear hunters are allowed to dismember the carcass to pack it out from the place of kill, after an appropriate license tag has been validated (notched) as required above, as long as the sex of the animal remains identifiable and all the parts of the carcass are present when the bear is checked at an authorized bear checking station. Any bear found in the possession of any person without a validated (notched) license tag or documentation that the bear has been checked at an authorized bear checking station as required by this section shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth to be disposed of as provided by law.
VA.R. Doc. No. R11-2794; Filed June 30, 2011, 8:43 a.m.