Virginia.gov

Small Game Hunting Seasons

Legal Methods and Restrictions

Special restrictions apply to specific firearms use during this season. See Legal Use of Firearms and Archery Equipment and Local Firearms Ordinances for details.

  • Modern firearms
  • Archery tackle (including crossbows)
  • Muzzleloading firearms
  • Dogs may be used by regulation (see Hunting with Dogs)

Crow

Season:

August 20 through March 17 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday only.

September 1 through March 10 10on National Forest Lands and Department Lands (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday only).

  • Crows are a federally regulated migratory species; however, no HIP number is required and hunters may use unplugged shotguns to hunt them.
  • Electronic calls may be used on private and public lands.

Groundhog

Season:

  • Continuous open season on private lands.
  • Groundhog hunting on National Forest Lands and Department Lands is permitted from September 1-March 10 and during the spring turkey season.
  • Groundhog hunting is permitted during the spring squirrel season only on Department lands that are open for spring squirrel hunting.
  • Groundhog hunting is not permitted on National Forest lands during the spring squirrel season.

Hunting Preserves

Pen-raised game birds may be taken on licensed hunting preserves from September 1 through April 30. A list of hunting preserves open to the public may be obtained from the Permits Section at the Department's Richmond office or on the Shooting Preserves page on this website. A resident hunting penraised game birds on a licensed hunting preserve is required to have a hunting license. A non-resident is required to have either a non-resident hunting license or a special non-resident hunting (shooting) preserve license which is valid only within the boundaries of licensed hunting preserves.

Also see the Virginia Wildlife magazine article "Upland Game Bird Trail" (PDF).

Grouse

Bag Limit:

Three per day.

Season:

  • October 29 through February 11 west of I-95
  • Continuous closed season east of I-95

Quail and Pheasant

Bag Limits:

  • Quail: six per day
  • Pheasant: no daily or seasonal bag limit

Season:

  • November 12 through January 31

Rabbit

Bag Limit:

  • Six per day

Season:

  • November 5 through February 29

Squirrel (Gray, Red, and Fox*)

* Fox squirrel open only in the counties west of the Blue Ridge and in the counties of Albemarle, Bedford, Culpeper, Fauquier, Franklin, Greene, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, Patrick, Prince William, and Rappahannock during any authorized squirrel season.

Bag Limit:

  • All squirrels combined - six per day.

Season:

  • Fall Season: September 3 through January 31: statewide
  • Spring Season: June 2 through 16, 2012

Gray and red squirrels may be harvested statewide, unless otherwise posted, and on the following wildlife management areas: Amelia, Big Survey, Big Woods, Briery Creek, Cavalier, Chickahominy, Dick Cross, Fairystone (including Fairystone State Park and Philpott Reservoir), Featherfin, Gathright, Goshen, Hardware River, Havens, Highland, Hog Island (Carlisle Tract only), Horsepen, James River, Lake Robertson, Little North Mountain, Mattaponi, Merrimac Farm, Pettigrew, Phelps, Powhatan (including the Goochland Tract), Rapidan, Short Hills, Stewarts Creek, G. Richard Thompson, Turkeycock Mountain, and White Oak Mountain.

Fox squirrels may be harvested on all lands, unless otherwise posted, in all counties with an open fox squirrel season during the regular squirrel season and on the following wildlife management areas: Big Survey, Gathright, Goshen, Havens, Highland, Lake Robertson, Little North Mountain, Merrimac Farm, Phelps, Rapidan, Short Hills, Stewarts Creek, and G. Richard Thompson.

Dogs may be used to hunt squirrels during the spring season.