Section 80. Muzzleloading gun hunting

A. It shall be lawful to hunt deer during the early special muzzleloading season with muzzleloading guns from the Saturday prior to the first Monday in November through the Friday prior to the third Monday in November, both dates inclusive, in all cities, towns, and counties where deer hunting with a rifle or muzzleloading gun is permitted, except in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp Line), and Virginia Beach.

B. It shall be lawful to hunt deer during the late special muzzleloading season with muzzleloading guns starting 21 consecutive days immediately prior to and on the first Saturday in January, in all cities, towns, and counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountains (except Clarke County and on non-national forest lands in Frederick County), and east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Amherst (west of Business U.S. 29 from the James River to its intersection with U.S. 29 just south of the Town of Amherst continuing north on U.S. 29 to the Tye River), Bedford, Franklin, Henry, Nelson (west of Route 151), Patrick and on national forest lands in Frederick County and in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp Line), and Virginia Beach.

C. Deer of either sex may be taken during the entire early special muzzleloading season east of the Blue Ridge Mountains unless otherwise noted below:

1. Deer of either sex may be taken on the second Saturday only of the early special muzzleloading season on state forest lands, state park lands (except Occoneechee State Park), department-owned lands (except on Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area) and Philpott Reservoir.

2. Antlered bucks only—no either-sex deer hunting days during the early special muzzleloading season on national forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties.

D. Deer of either sex may be taken on the second Saturday only during the early special muzzleloading season west of the Blue Ridge Mountains unless otherwise noted below:

1. Deer of either sex may be taken during the entire early special muzzleloading season in Clarke and Floyd counties and on private lands in Carroll, Frederick, Grayson, Montgomery, Roanoke, Shenandoah, and Warren counties.

2. Deer of either sex may be taken on the second Saturday and the last five days of the early muzzleloading season on private lands in Botetourt County.

3. Antlered bucks only—no either-sex deer hunting days during the early special muzzleloading season in Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Tazewell, and Wise counties and on national forest lands in Alleghany, Bland, Craig, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Rockingham, Scott, Shenandoah, Warren, and on national forest and department-owned lands in Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Carroll, Highland, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Smyth, Washington, and Wythe counties and on Grayson Highlands State Park and on private lands west of Routes 613 and 731 in Rockingham County.

E. Deer of either sex may be taken during the last six days of the late special muzzleloading season unless otherwise listed below:

1. Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the entire late special muzzleloading season in the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Amherst (west of Business U.S. 29 from the James River to its intersection with U.S. 29 just south of the Town of Amherst continuing north on U.S. 29 to the Tye River, except on national forest lands), Bedford (except on national forest lands), Floyd, Franklin, Henry, Nelson (west of Route 151, except on national forest lands), and Patrick and on private lands in Carroll, Grayson, Montgomery, Roanoke, Shenandoah, and Warren counties.

2. Deer of either sex may be taken the last day only during the late special muzzleloading season in Alleghany, Bath, Dickenson (north of Route 83), Highland, Lee, Russell, Tazewell, and Wise counties and on national forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, Frederick, Grayson, Nelson, Page, Rockingham, Scott, Shenandoah, and Warren counties, and on national forest and department-owned lands in Augusta, Botetourt, Rockbridge, Smyth, and Washington counties and on private lands west of Routes 613 and 731 in Rockingham County and Grayson Highlands State Park.

3. Antlered bucks only—no either-sex deer hunting days during the late special muzzleloading season in Buchanan and Dickenson (south of Route 83).

F. Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the special muzzleloading seasons within the incorporated limits of any city or town in the Commonwealth that allows deer hunting except in the counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise.

G. It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with dogs during any special season for hunting with muzzleloading guns, except that tracking dogs as described in § 29.1-516.1 of the Code of Virginia may be used.

H. A muzzleloading gun, for the purpose of this section, means a single shot weapon, .45 caliber or larger, firing a single projectile or sabot (with a .38 caliber or larger projectile) of the same caliber loaded from the muzzle of the weapon and propelled by at least 50 grains of black powder (or black powder equivalent or smokeless powder).

I. It shall be unlawful to have in immediate possession any firearm other than a muzzleloading gun while hunting with a muzzleloading gun in a special muzzleloading season.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR325-02-6 § 5, eff. July 1, 1991; amended, Volume 09, Issue 22, eff. August 26, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 23, eff. September 8, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 1995; Volume 13, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 1997; Volume 15, Issue 20, eff. July 7, 1999; Volume 17, Issue 19, eff. July 4, 2001; Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2003; Volume 22, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2006; Volume 22, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 2006; Volume 24, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2008; Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. July 8, 2008; Volume 25, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2009; Volume 27, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2011; Volume 27, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2011; Volume 29, Issue 25, eff. August 15, 2013; Volume 30, Issue 24, eff. August 1, 2014; Volume 31, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2015.

Statutory Authority

§ 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.