SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2013 SESSION
13101663DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 29.1-516 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 29.1-516. Game animals.
The following provisions shall apply to the killing and hunting of the particular game animals listed:
Black bear. - Black A black bear may be killed by
any person when (i) it is inflicting or attempting to inflict injury to a
person, or (ii) when a person is in
pursuit of the bear commenced immediately after the commission of such offense.
Any person killing a bear under this provision shall immediately report the
killing to a state conservation police officer.
Deer. - It shall be is unlawful for a person to
kill or attempt to kill a deer in the water of any stream, lake, or pond. It shall be is
unlawful to hunt deer with dogs in the counties west of the Blue Ridge
Mountains.
Fox. - There shall be is a continuous open season
for hunting with dogs only. The hunting or pursuit of foxes shall mean the
actual following of the dogs while in pursuit of a fox or foxes or the managing of the dog or dogs, such as by
using a GPS
(Global Positioning System) or other electronic tracking
device,
while the fox or foxes are being hunted or pursued. Foxes may be killed at any
time by the owner or tenant of any land when such animals are doing damage to
domestic stock or fowl.
Rabbits and squirrels. - It shall
be is
unlawful to kill rabbits and or squirrels during the closed
season; however, the following persons may kill rabbits or squirrels for their
own use during the closed season:
1. A landowner and members of his immediate family;
2. Resident members of hunt clubs who own the land in fee, either jointly or through a holding company;
3. Tenants residing on the premises, with the written permission of the landowner.
When such animals are committing substantial damage to fruit trees, gardens, crops, or other property, the owner of the premises may kill the animals or have them killed under a permit obtained from the conservation police officer.