Waterfowl Hunting Skills

Interested in waterfowl hunting? Want to improve your existing skills? In cooperation with the Virginia Waterfowlers Association and Dance’s Sporting Goods, this workshop for youth and adults 12 years old and up will focus on three waterfowling topics; Wing Shooting Skills: live fire (firearms and ammo provided), Decoy Placement: both duck and goose spreads for different conditions, and Waterfowl Regulations and Identification: conducted by a Conservation Police Officer. Lunch consisting of hotdogs and chips will be provided or bring your own. This is a rain or shine event. Feel free to bring your own shotgun, must be unloaded and cased as well as locked in your vehicle during other segments of this workshop.

• Sussex Shooting Sports
• 4729 General Mahone Hwy, Waverly, VA 23890

Page Valley Sportmen’s Club Youth Shooting Event

The annual Page Valley Sportsmen’s Club Youth Shooting Event is sponsored by PVSC, The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and The Blue Ridge Strutters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. This event is for youth participants from 7 to 17 years of age and will consist of seven shooting stations and one or two outdoor skills stations. Participants will be able to learn about and shoot skeet, trap, air rifle, archery, sporting clays, muzzleloader and .22 rimfire rifle. The outdoor skills will be survival and turkey calling.

All firearms, archery equipment, ammunition, targets and safety equipment will be provided for the participants. Participants may bring their own firearms or archery equipment as long as approval for such equipment is discussed with the Event Coordinator prior to the event. The only ammunition which will be provided will be .22 long rifle rimfire ammunition, 20 gauge and 12 gauge shotgun ammunition, and .50 caliber muzzleloading ammunition. No handguns or centerfire ammunition will be allowed at this event. If your shotgun is a 16 gauge, 28 gauge or a .410, you will have to provide the ammunition to use your fire arm at the event.

Only youth participants are to register. All parents and additional family members are welcome to attend with their child or children. Since lunch is being provided an accurate number of attendees is requested when you register. Enrollment is limited to 32 participants so register early.

Please contact Art Kasson at 540-622-6103 or artkasson@yahoo.com with questions or concerns.

• Page Valley Sportsmen's Club
• 954 Rumley Lane, Luray, VA 22835

Hunter Skills Weekend

Hunter Skills Weekend is a family-friendly, hands-on weekend of workshops designed to help individuals get started or learn more about hunting and hunting-related skills. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and learn from experts through a variety of hunting and shooting activities over the course of three days. The event capacity is 120 students and will fill up quick. This partnership program is presented by the Virginia Hunter Education Association, VDGIF and Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center.

• Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center
• 1267 4-H Camp Road, Appomattox, VA 24522

Basic Hunter Education Course with Live Fire

This two-day course includes the opportunity to safely shoot rifles, shotguns and compound bows; safely climb a tree stand; safely cross a fence and stream; and trail a wounded animal under the direction of experienced instructors. Students will receive their Hunter Safety certificate at the end of Day 1; all Live Fire and field activities occur on Day 2. Lunch will be provided by the Virginia Sportman’s Foundation on both days. This course is intended for new hunters as young as 12 years of age or those who want to learn about hunting. There is no cost to students. Firearms, archery equipment, ammunition and eye and ear protection will be provided. You may bring your own .22 rifle and 12 or 20 gauge shotgun, but please DO NOT bring your own archery equipment. You may also bring your own eye and ear protection. Students are strongly encouraged to read the Today’s Hunter Student Manual and to fill out the 4-page Chapter Review Exercises prior to class. The Exercises are found in the back of the Student Manual. A student manual may be obtained at http://bookstore.kalkomey.com/products/todays-hunter-in-virginia-pdf

• Liberty Corner Farm Range
• 7925-8239 Porters Road, Esmont, VA 22937

79th Annual VPSA Big Game Contest

Join DGIF at the 79th Annual VPSA Big Game Contest, September 22 & 23, 2018, at the Southampton County Fairgrounds, 25374 New Market Rd , Courtland, VA. The contest will feature a Eastern and Western Regional and State Finals. A Historical category is also included in this year’s judging. Game will be scored using the VA Scoring System and will be entered into the Official Virginia Record Book. Saturday, September 22, entries will be accepted 9 AM – 5 PM. Sunday September 23, open 10 AM – awards at 3 PM. For more information or directions, see vpsa.org or contact Mr. Michael H. Jones at 757‐371‐3335 or vpsa.big.game.contest@gmail.com.

• Southampton County Fairgrounds
• 25374 New Market Rd, Courtland, VA 23837

Deer Hunting For Beginners and More

If you are a new hunter or just want to develop your skills, then this workshop is for you. First choose your live fire activity; either archery, muzzleloader or shotgun. Then everyone participates in hands-on instruction in deer biology and habitat, tree stand and blind safety, and deer processing.

• Sussex Shooting Sports
• 4729 General Mahone Hwy, Waverly, VA 23890

Virginia State Fair

Stop by the Natural Resources Area and hold live snakes, see fish, learn casting with Backyard Bass, buy your fishing or hunting license, and meet our K-9 team. New this year is our live Elk Cam featuring Virginia elk!

• The Meadow Event Park
• 13191 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047

Trapping Workshop

Virginia Trapper’s Association certified instructors will cover basic trapping skills including: types of traps, trap selection for various species, and hands on demonstrations of different sets and techniques; including several demos on coyote trapping. To register, call 434-392-9645 by October 6, 2018, no walk-ins. Class size is limited so sign-up fast. Meherrin Fire Department will be cooking lunch, menu will vary and proceeds will benefit the fire department!

• Meherrin Volunteer Fire Department
• 64 Moores Ordinary Rd, Meherrin, VA 23954

Next Level Bowhunting Workshop and Hunt

Want to be a more successful bowhunter? Looking for expert instruction which includes a hunt? Then this is the workshop for you!

Who can attend? Licensed, adult bowhunters 18 years of age or older who have completed a hunter education course.

Topics include: Bowhunting Methods and Techniques, Treestand use Placement and Safety, Camouflage, Scent Control, Lures, Calls, Shot Placement and Recovery of Game, An Evening Bow Hunt on a Wildlife Management Area!

Cost: Early bird fee of $120.00 through Sept. 14, 2018; after Sept. 14, 2018: $130.00 Includes: Meals Friday dinner- Sunday Breakfast, lodging, and all instruction. Fees cover your meals and lodging for the weekend, all instruction and the hunt are at no cost to you.

Participants are required to provide their own archery equipment, hunting clothing, treestand with a TMA approved full body harness or ground blind. Proficiency with archery equipment out to 25 yards is required.

To complete your registration, please contact the Jamestown 4-H Center: Jamestown4hcenter.org or 757-253-4931. 

• Jamestown 4-H Educational Center
• 3751 4-H Club Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185

How-to Workshop For Butchering and Processing Venison

Learn from an expert butcher on how to fully process deer for freezing and canning.

• New River Wildlife Club
• 7107 Riverside Drive, Fries, VA 24330

Bird Dog Training Seminar

Bird dog Hall of Famer Rick Smith will again bring his nationally recognized two-day bird dog training seminar to Charlottesville, VA, Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20, 2018. In this seminar, participants bring their own dogs and learn time-tested ways to train their dogs to become bird dogs that they can be proud of and enjoy in the hunting field and in the house. Subjects to be covered will include the basics: to go with you, to come to you, and to stand still. These basics will be expanded to involve pointing and backing, whoa, heel, proper use of the e-collar, and steady to wing and shot. For details and a brochure contact Peter Easter at (434) 906-1776 or Rick Smith at (804) 784-3882.

Stafford County Novice Deer Hunt and Workshop

Calling all new hunters! Take the next step and join DGIF for a novice deer workshop and hunt at Widewater State Park in Stafford County. The workshop will take place on September 22-23 with hunt days on December 6 and 13 with a hunting mentor (shotgun only). Download the application and submit it before this class fills up! For questions, contact Justin Vollmer, justin.vollmer@dcr.virginia.gov or Kevin Rose, kevin.rose@dgif.virginia.gov.

• Widewater State Park
• 101 Widewater State Park Rd, Stafford, VA 22554

Loudoun County Novice Deer Hunt and Workshop

This opportunity is ideal for all types of novice and new hunters. This workshop includes two days of hands-on classes and information to get you prepared for deer hunting (Oct. 20 & 21), followed by three days of hunting (Dec. 7, 14 and 21) with a hunting mentor. Register now because this class typically fills up quickly.

• Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve
• 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg, VA 20175