Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-110. Game: Fox (amending 4VAC15-110-20, 4VAC15-110-80; adding 4VAC15-110-25, 4VAC15-110-35).

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

Effective Date: July 17, 2023.

Agency Contact: Cale Godfrey, Assistant Director, Wildlife Division, Department of Wildlife Resources, 7870 Villa Park Drive, Henrico, VA 23228, telephone (804) 308-4210, or email cale.godfrey@dwr.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments (i) separate the gray fox and red fox hunting seasons and reduce the gray fox hunting season; and (ii) establish a daily bag limit for gray foxes and require a gray fox be causing damage to property or pose a threat to human health or safety before a landowner may kill or have a gray fox on the landowner's property killed.

4VAC15-110-20. Hunting with firearms. Open; open season for red fox.

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 red foxes with firearms from November 1 through the last day in February, both dates inclusive.

4VAC15-110-25. Hunting with firearms; open season for gray fox.

Except as otherwise provided with the specific exceptions provided in this chapter, it shall be lawful to hunt gray foxes with firearms from January 1 through the last day in February, both dates inclusive.

4VAC15-110-35. Bag limit.

The bag limit for hunting gray fox shall be one per hunting party, individual or organized, taken between noon of one day and noon the following day.

4VAC15-110-80. Killing by landowner.

A landowner may kill or have killed red foxes at any time on his own the landowner's land. Provided further that a landowner may kill or have killed gray foxes at any time on the landowner's land, but only when a gray fox is causing damage to crops or property or is posing a threat to human health or safety.