Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-270. Game: Firearms (amending 4VAC15-270-20, 4VAC15-270-80).

Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Hearing Information:

June 2, 2009 - 9 a.m. - Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA

Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 11, 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 proposed amendments remove the City of Suffolk from the list of counties and cities where hunting bear and deer with rifles is prohibited and include crows on the list of species that may be hunted with unplugged shotguns.

4VAC15-270-20. Rifles prohibited in hunting bear and deer in certain counties and cities.

Except as otherwise provided in 4VAC15-270-30 of this chapter or by local ordinance, it shall be unlawful to use a rifle of any caliber for the hunting of bear and deer in the counties of Chesterfield, Isle of Wight, New Kent, Southampton and Sussex and in the cities City of Chesapeake and Suffolk (that portion formerly Nansemond County); however, nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of muzzleloading guns, as described in 4VAC15-90-80 F, for hunting deer during the late special muzzleloading deer season in the City of Chesapeake.

4VAC15-270-80. Shotgun shell capacity for nonmigratory game, crows, and migratory game birds.

A. It shall be lawful to hunt nonmigratory game and crows with unplugged shotguns.

B. It shall be unlawful to hunt migratory game birds with a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined, unless otherwise authorized by the director and consistent with applicable federal regulations.