Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-230. Game: Squirrel (amending 4VAC15-230-21, 4VAC15-230-60, 4VAC15-230-61).

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

Effective Date: August 1, 2009.

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) make it lawful during the spring squirrel season to hunt squirrel on private lands and on the Featherfin, Hardware River, Little North Mountain, Merrimac Farms, and Rapidan wildlife management areas; (ii) remove the prohibition on using dogs to hunt squirrels during the spring season; (iii) allow the hunting of fox squirrel in the counties of Albemarle, Bedford, Franklin, Greene, Patrick, and Prince William; (iv) add private lands and Little North Mountain, Merrimac Farms, and Rapidan wildlife management areas to the lands on which fox squirrel may be hunted in the spring season; and (v) remove the prohibition on using dogs to hunt fox squirrels during the spring season.

4VAC15-230-21. Spring season for gray and red squirrel on certain wildlife management areas.

A. It shall be lawful to hunt gray and red squirrels from the first Saturday in June through the third Saturday in June, both dates inclusive, on private lands and on Amelia Wildlife Management Area, Big Survey Wildlife Management Area, Briery Creek Wildlife Management Area, Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area, Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area, Dismal Swamp Wildlife Management Area, Fairystone Wildlife Management Area (including Fairystone State Park and Philpott Reservoir), Featherfin Wildlife Management Area, Goshen Wildlife Management Area, Hardware River Wildlife Management Area, Havens Wildlife Management Area, Hog Island Wildlife Management Area (Carlisle Tract only), Horsepen Wildlife Management Area, James River Wildlife Management Area, Little North Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Merrimac Farms Wildlife Management Area, Pettigrew Wildlife Management Area, Phelps Wildlife Management Area, Powhatan Wildlife Management Area (including the Goochland Tract), Rapidan Wildlife Management Area, Thompson Wildlife Management Area, Turkeycock Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and White Oak Mountain Wildlife Management Area.

B. It shall be unlawful to hunt gray and red squirrels with dogs during the spring squirrel season.

4VAC15-230-60. Fox squirrel. Open season; first Saturday in September through January 31.

It shall be lawful to hunt fox squirrel from the first Saturday in September through January 31, both dates inclusive, in the counties of Albemarle, Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Dickenson, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Highland, Lee, Loudoun, Madison, Montgomery, Orange, Page, Patrick, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Warren, Wise and Wythe.

4VAC15-230-61. Spring season for fox squirrel on certain wildlife management areas.

A. It shall be lawful to hunt fox squirrels from the first Saturday in June through the third Saturday in June, both dates inclusive, on private lands in all counties open to fox squirrel hunting during the regular squirrel season, and on Big Survey Wildlife Management Area, Goshen Wildlife Management Area, Havens Wildlife Management Area, Little North Mountain Wildlife Management Area, Merrimac Farms Wildlife Management Area, Phelps Wildlife Management Area, Rapidan Wildlife Management Area, and Thompson Wildlife Management Area.

B. It shall be unlawful to hunt fox squirrels with dogs during the spring squirrel season.