New hunter needs help with VA deer hunting regulations

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wombat13

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A good friend lives near Richmond VA and is getting into deer hunting. He believes he is in a shotgun only zone (no rifle) but is not sure whether he can use a rifled barrel with slugs or must use buckshot. Can anyone here point me to a source with the relevant information?

Also, I'd like to recommend a crossbow to him, but don't know anything about hunting regs in VA. Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all help.
 
A good friend lives near Richmond VA and is getting into deer hunting. He believes he is in a shotgun only zone (no rifle) but is not sure whether he can use a rifled barrel with slugs or must use buckshot. Can anyone here point me to a source with the relevant information?

Also, I'd like to recommend a crossbow to him, but don't know anything about hunting regs in VA. Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all help.
https://dwr.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/deer/
https://dwr.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/deer/
First two from googlfu
 
Anyone from VA that can help?

No idea why my geography would matter :D...., I'm from "next door" to VA, but that didn't help me...
This is from VA DNR website...

"Shotguns (including muzzleloading shotguns) must NOT be larger than 10 gauge and barrels MUST be at least 18 inches. (Rifled barrels are permitted in areas where slugs may be used)"

"Archery equipment may include: longbows, recurves, compounds, crossbows, sling-bow and pneumatic powered arrowguns/airbows. (Persons with a disability which hinders them from drawing a bow/crossbow may use an arrowgun during archery seasons when in possession of an authorization form provided by DWR and signed by their physician"

Source : http://www.eregulations.com/virginia/hunting/legal-use-firearms-archery-tackle/

LD
 
Thanks, but I can use google and I already found that (those are the same link by the way). Also, nothing in those links answers the very specific question I asked. When hunting with a shotgun, can rifled barrels and slugs be used? Also nothing at that link discusses crossbows as allowed or not.

Anyone from VA that can help?
I'm very sorry, that second link wasn't what it was supposed to be!
http://www.eregulations.com/virginia/hunting/legal-use-firearms-archery-tackle/
Reads, any area where SLUGS are legal, rifles barrels are legal, but some areas come down to local control on whether it's slug or buckshot.
Crossbow is legal under archery tackle, arrow guns (like an airbow) only used by disabled hunters.
Local regs
http://www.eregulations.com/virginia/hunting/local-firearms-ordinances/
 
I'm very sorry, that second link wasn't what it was supposed to be!
http://www.eregulations.com/virginia/hunting/legal-use-firearms-archery-tackle/
Reads, any area where SLUGS are legal, rifles barrels are legal, but some areas come down to local control on whether it's slug or buckshot.
Crossbow is legal under archery tackle, arrow guns (like an airbow) only used by disabled hunters.
Local regs
http://www.eregulations.com/virginia/hunting/local-firearms-ordinances/
Thanks. So it sounds like crossbows are likely legal if shotguns are. NY state is so screwed up, it's hard to believe that it is easier to find the hunting regs here than in VA. I saw the line about local control, but now how to find that info? What a PITA.
 
Thanks. So it sounds like crossbows are likely legal if shotguns are. NY state is so screwed up, it's hard to believe that it is easier to find the hunting regs here than in VA. I saw the line about local control, but now how to find that info? What a PITA.
Last link
 
No idea why my geography would matter :D...., I'm from "next door" to VA, but that didn't help me...
This is from VA DNR website...

"Shotguns (including muzzleloading shotguns) must NOT be larger than 10 gauge and barrels MUST be at least 18 inches. (Rifled barrels are permitted in areas where slugs may be used)"

"Archery equipment may include: longbows, recurves, compounds, crossbows, sling-bow and pneumatic powered arrowguns/airbows. (Persons with a disability which hinders them from drawing a bow/crossbow may use an arrowgun during archery seasons when in possession of an authorization form provided by DWR and signed by their physician"

Source : http://www.eregulations.com/virginia/hunting/legal-use-firearms-archery-tackle/

LD
Thanks, LD, but still doesn’t definitively answer the question. So rifled barrels are allowed where slugs may be used, but how do you know where slugs may be used? I was surprised when my friend told me he wasn’t sure what’s legal where he hunts, but now I know why. Not one of us could say for certain right now whether a hunter NE of Richmond could use slugs and a rifles barrel or not.
 
Thanks, LD, but still doesn’t definitively answer the question. So rifled barrels are allowed where slugs may be used, but how do you know where slugs may be used? I was surprised when my friend told me he wasn’t sure what’s legal where he hunts, but now I know why. Not one of us could say for certain right now whether a hunter NE of Richmond could use slugs and a rifles barrel or not.
What county? This is fun, like a word search mixed with a crossword for hunting nerds!
 
Wal-Mart has a guide to VA hunting regs - free in the sporting goods section.
I can't find mine. Some how I think the wife "organized my stuff"
 
Hanover County
Rifles, .23 caliber or larger, may be used to hunt deer during the firearms deer season provided the hunter is in an elevated stand at least 10 feet above ground level. The rifle may only have a round in its chamber when it is on the elevated stand.

It is lawful to hunt deer with muzzleloading rifles.

It shall be unlawful to discharge or shoot any firearm or other weapon in or along any public road or street or within 100 yards thereof or within 100 yards of any building occupied or used as a dwelling or place where the public gathers, not his own dwelling or residence.
That's what I got for hanover county, perhaps calling hanover dnr, might be useful?
 
Rifles, .23 caliber or larger, may be used to hunt deer during the firearms deer season provided the hunter is in an elevated stand at least 10 feet above ground level. The rifle may only have a round in its chamber when it is on the elevated stand.

It is lawful to hunt deer with muzzleloading rifles.

It shall be unlawful to discharge or shoot any firearm or other weapon in or along any public road or street or within 100 yards thereof or within 100 yards of any building occupied or used as a dwelling or place where the public gathers, not his own dwelling or residence.
That's what I got for hanover county, perhaps calling hanover dnr, might be useful?
Thanks. Where did you find that? At the eregulations.com link?
 
Thanks everyone for your help. I found this pdf link for the 2019-2020 VA DWR hunting & trapping regulations. I suspect this is what Walmart is giving out. It is very much like the NY DEC hunting & trapping annual publication. It still just references "Rifled barrels are allowed anywhere slugs are allowed," but doesn't give any info on where slugs are allowed. I've sent this to my friend and suggested that he call the DWR to clarify whether slugs are allowed where he is hunting.
 
Thanks, LD, but still doesn’t definitively answer the question. So rifled barrels are allowed where slugs may be used, but how do you know where slugs may be used? I was surprised when my friend told me he wasn’t sure what’s legal where he hunts, but now I know why. Not one of us could say for certain right now whether a hunter NE of Richmond could use slugs and a rifles barrel or not.

"NE of Richmond" covers a bit of territory...

IF you had gone to the link, then scrolled down, you would have found a link to each county...,

Are you sure he knows what county he's in? :confused:

LD
 
"NE of Richmond" covers a bit of territory...

IF you had gone to the link, then scrolled down, you would have found a link to each county...,

Are you sure he knows what county he's in? :confused:

LD
Yes, I've read that link and I clicked on the link for "Local Firearms Ordinances" and read what is listed for Hanover Co. Still, nothing that you or anyone else has posted or that I have found myself indicates where slugs are allowed. The only thing that has been found (by any of us) is the statement: "Rifled barrels are permitted in areas where slugs may be used." I can't find anywhere that indicates where slugs may be used. And yes, let me repeat, that I have read every link that has posted in this thread. I know you want to show me how easy this is, but it ain't.

I assume that slugs are allowed anywhere that they aren't specifically prohibited, but making assumptions is not a good tactic when dealing with legal issues.
 
I assume that slugs are allowed anywhere that they aren't specifically prohibited, but making assumptions is not a good tactic when dealing with legal issues.

Yes. That is the case. There used to be some counties that didn't allow slugs, and only allowed buckshot (see local ordinance #s 3, 9, 45). Both Southampton and the City of Hampton and Fairfax County ban slugs (so does Arlington and the City of Alexandria - but they don't allow any hunting with a gun. Fairfax has some VERY limited exceptions for that on property that the police approve for use of a shotgun on). But most of the state allows it.
 
Yes. That is the case. There used to be some counties that didn't allow slugs, and only allowed buckshot (see local ordinance #s 3, 9, 45). Both Southampton and the City of Hampton and Fairfax County ban slugs (so does Arlington and the City of Alexandria - but they don't allow any hunting with a gun. Fairfax has some VERY limited exceptions for that on property that the police approve for use of a shotgun on). But most of the state allows it.
Thanks for the info. It would be so easy for DWR to clear up the ambiguity with just one sentence. "Slugs are permitted throughout the state unless they are specifically prohibited by local ordinance."
 
I am a hour east of Richmond . If he needs a place to hunt he is welcome . They run dogs around and through my property all day on Saturdays and holidays and everyday the last week . It is a shotgun only county . You can use a slug gun but it is probably not a good idea unless you are elevated because of all the hunters in the road . I have a hard time keeping trespassers out . I have only had one person ask me if there club could hunt on it . I let them that day . Then last week I caught one of there members on my property without asking . Then he wants to know if I want to hunt with them . I told him that should have been his first question before he came on my property . I told him no and leave . I could have taken a picture of him and called the game warden , but I didn’t . He would of got a $2000 dollar fine and possible jail time and lose his hunting license for a year .
 
I am a hour east of Richmond . If he needs a place to hunt he is welcome . They run dogs around and through my property all day on Saturdays and holidays and everyday the last week . It is a shotgun only county . You can use a slug gun but it is probably not a good idea unless you are elevated because of all the hunters in the road . I have a hard time keeping trespassers out . I have only had one person ask me if there club could hunt on it . I let them that day . Then last week I caught one of there members on my property without asking . Then he wants to know if I want to hunt with them . I told him that should have been his first question before he came on my property . I told him no and leave . I could have taken a picture of him and called the game warden , but I didn’t . He would of got a $2000 dollar fine and possible jail time and lose his hunting license for a year .
Thanks for the offer. My friend has a place to hunt. Sorry to hear about your trespasser problems. I think every landowner has problems with trespassers, but yours sound worse than most.
 
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