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2008-2009 Webless Migratory Gamebirds, September Canada Goose & September Teal Seasons

• Download a PDF version of this information (598 KB)
• Dove
  • Dove Hunting on WMAs
• Rails (Clapper, King, Sora, and Virginia)
• Woodcock
• Common Snipe
• Canada Goose
• September Teal
• Non-Toxic Shot
• Lawful Hunting Methods
• Unlawful Hunting Methods
• Possession and Transportation
• Waterfowl Blind Laws
• Areas Closed to Waterfowl Hunting

Dove

• Dove Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Season Dates:
  • September 1 - September 27
  • October 4 - October 31
  • December 27 - January 10
• Bag Limit: 15 daily and 30 in possession
• Shooting Hours: Noon until sunset in first segment, ½ hr before sunrise until sunset in last 2 segments.

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)

Dove hunting permitted within the boundaries of the following wildlife management areas: Amelia, Briery Creek, Cavalier, Chickahominy, Dick Cross, Fairystone, Featherfin, Hardware River, Hog Island (Carlisle Tract only), Horsepen, James River, Pettigrew, C.F. Phelps, Powhatan and White Oak Mountain.

• Season: September 1 - September 27
• Hours: 12:00 noon until sunset. Hunting permitted on Labor Day, Wednesdays and Saturdays only.
• Season:
  • October 4-31
  • December 27-January 10
• Hours: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset. Hunting permitted daily except Sundays.
• Bag Limit: 15 per day, 30 in possession.

Rails (Clapper, King, Sora and Virginia)

• Rail Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Season Dates: September 10 - November 18
• Bag Limit:
  • Clapper/King: 15 - counted together daily, 30 in possession
  • Sora/Virginia: 25 - counted together daily, 25 in possession
• Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise until sunset
• Change for 2008: Non-toxic shot is now required for Rail and Snipe hunting in Virginia.

Woodcock

• Woodcock Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Season Dates:
  • November 8 - November 22
  • December 20 - January 3
• Bag Limit: 3 daily, 6 in possession
• Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise until sunset

Common Snipe

• Snipe Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Season Dates:
  • October 9 - October 13
  • October 22 - January 31
• Bag Limit: 8 daily, 16 in possession
• Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise until sunset
• Change for 2008: Non-toxic shot is now required for Rail and Snipe hunting in Virginia.

September Canada Goose

• September Resident Canada Goose Season Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Season Dates: September 1 - September 25 (22 days)
• Bag Limit: 10 daily, 20 in possession
• Hunt Area: Statewide
• Shooting Hours:
  • East of I-95:
    • September 1 - 19: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset
    • September 20 - 25: ½ before sunrise to sunset
  • West of I-95:
    • September 1 - 25: ½ before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset
• NOTE: Electronic calls or unplugged shotguns are not legal for hunting geese in the September season.

September Canada goose hunting is not permitted within the boundaries of the Amelia and Dick Cross Wildlife Management Areas.

Special Requirements: In addition to a HIP registration number, a federal migratory duck stamp and a Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp are also required to hunt geese during this season.

September Teal Season

• September Teal Season Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Season Dates: September 20 - September 30 (9 days)
• Hunt Area: East of I-95
• Bag Limit: 4 daily, 8 in possession (any combination of Blue-winged and Green-winged teal)
• Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset

Note: Hunters are cautioned to positively identify their ducks before shooting, since other species, such as wood ducks, may be in the area.

Special Requirements: In addition to a HIP registration number, a federal migratory duck stamp and a Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp are also required to hunt teal during this season.

Non-Toxic Shot

Non-toxic shot approved by the Department [steel, bismuthtin, tungstenbronze, tungsten-iron, tungsten-tin-bismuth, tungsten-polymer, tungsten matrix, tungsten-nickel-iron (HEVISHOT), tungsten-iron-nickel-tin (TINT), tungsteniron-coppernickel, tungsten-tin-iron, and iron-tungsten-nickel shots] is required for hunting all waterfowl, mergansers, coots, moorhens, gallinules, snipe and rails.

Lead shot is not allowed for hunting these species and cannot be in possession in the field while hunting these species. Shot size should be no larger than "T".

Lawful Hunting Methods

1. All migratory game birds may be taken by the aid of dogs, artificial decoys, manually or mouth-operated bird calls, with longbow and arrow, crossbow, or with a shotgun (not larger than 10 gauge and incapable of holding more than three shells) fired from the shoulder; and by means of falconry.
2. All migratory game birds may be taken in the open, or from a blind or other place of concealment (except a sinkbox) on land or water camouflaged with natural vegetation, or with vegetation from agricultural crops, as long as such camouflaging does not result in the exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of grain or other feed. (The term "sinkbox" refers to a raft or any type of low floating device having a depression which affords a hunter a means of concealing himself below the surface of the water).
3. All migratory game birds may be taken from floating craft (except a sinkbox), including those propelled by motor, sail and wind, or both, when (1) the motor of such craft has been completely shut off and/or the sails furled as the case may be and its progress therefrom has ceased; and (2) it is drifting, beached, moored, resting at anchor, or it is being propelled by paddle, oars, or pole. Craft under power may be used to retrieve dead or crippled birds. Crippled birds may not be shot from such craft under power except shooting of crippled waterfowl from a motorboat under power is permitted in those areas described, delineated and designated as special sea duck hunting areas.
4. All migratory game birds may be taken on or over standing crops or flooded standing crops (including aquatics); flooded harvested croplands; or lands or areas where seeds or grains have been scattered solely as the result of "normal agricultural planting, harvesting, post harvest manipulation or normal soil stabilization practice" that is conducted in accordance with official recommendations of county State Extension Specialists of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Agricultural practices for hunting are limited to those undertaken to produce and gather a crop and manage the field afterwards.)
5. All migratory game birds may be taken on or over standing, flooded, or manipulated natural vegetation. There is no restriction on when manipulation may occur. Planted millet is not considered natural vegetation unless it becomes naturalized and grows on its own in subsequent years.
6. All migratory game birds may be taken over surface-mined lands being reclaimed where seeds or grains are scattered solely as a result of normal soil stabilization practice.
7. All migratory game birds, except for waterfowl, may be taken on or over lands or areas that are not otherwise baited areas, and where grain or other feed has been distributed or scattered solely as the result of manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land where grown, or solely as the result of a normal agricultural operation that is conducted in accordance with official recommendations of county State Extension Specialists of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
8. All migratory game birds may be taken over standing or flooded standing agricultural crops where hunters have inadvertently scattered grain solely as a result of entering or leaving the field, placing decoys, or retrieving downed birds.

Unlawful Hunting Methods

1. Migratory game birds may not be taken with a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, or machine gun.
2. Migratory game birds may not be taken with a shotgun of any description originally capable of holding more than three shells, the magazine of which has not been cut off, altered, or plugged with a one-piece metal or wooden filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so as to reduce the capacity of the said gun to not more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined.
3. Migratory game birds may not be taken from or by means, aid, or use of a sinkbox, motor-driven conveyance, motor vehicle, or aircraft of any kind.
4. Migratory game birds may not be taken from or by means of a sailboat or other boat or floating craft having a motor attached unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or sails furled and its progress therefrom has ceased.
5. Migratory game birds may not be taken by means or aid of any motor-driven land, water, or air conveyance or sailboat used for the purpose of or resulting in the concentrating, driving, rallying, or stirring up of waterfowl and coots.
6. Migratory game birds may not be taken by the use or aid of livestock as a blind or means of concealment.
7. Migratory game birds may not be taken by the use or aid of live birds as decoys.
8. Migratory game birds may not be taken by the use or aid of recorded bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds.
9. Migratory game birds may not be taken by the aid of baiting, or on, or over any baited area. As used in this section, "baiting" shall mean the direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory game birds to, on, or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them; and "baited area" means any area on which salt, grain, or other feed has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered, if that salt, grain, or other feed could serve as a lure or attraction for migratory game birds to, on, or over areas where hunters are attempting to take them. Any such area will remain a baited area for 10 days following the complete removal of all such salt, grain, or other feed. Hunters may be charged with hunting over bait if they "know or reasonably should know" that the area is a baited area. The placing or directing the placement of bait on or adjacent to an area for the purpose of causing, inducing, or allowing any person to take or attempt to take any migratory game bird by the aid of baiting or on or over a baited area constitutes a separate offense.
10. Waterfowl may not be hunted over manipulated planted millet, or over seed or grain from manipulated agricultural crops or normal agricultural operations except where seed or grain is present solely as a result of normal planting, harvesting or post-harvest manipulation or normal soil stabilization practice.

Possession and Transportation

• Possession limits apply to transportation of game killed on more than one day.
• Ownership and possession of birds legally taken by any hunter is deemed to have ceased when such birds have been delivered by him to a post office, a common carrier, or a commercial cold-storage or locker plant for transportation to some person other than the hunter.
• No person may possess over the daily limit of any wild bird or animal while in the forests, fields or waters of this state.
• If any person leaves migratory game birds in any place for any purpose, including temporary storage, the birds must have a tag attached with certain identifying information. Also, no person shall have in possession any migratory game birds belonging to another unless the birds are tagged.
• Any person, without a permit, may possess and transport for his own use the plumage and skins of lawfully taken, migratory game birds.
• Any persons, without a permit, may possess, dispose of and transport for the making of fishing flies, bed pillows, and mattresses, and for similar commercial uses, but not for millinery or ornamental use, feathers of wild ducks and wild geese lawfully killed, or seized and condemned by federal or state game authorities.
• Any person, without a permit, may transport lawfully killed migratory game birds into, within, or out of any state during and after the open seasons in the state where taken, subject to these and other conditions and restrictions.
  1. If such birds are dressed, one fully feathered wing must remain attached to each bird so as to permit species identification while being transported between the place where taken and the personal abode of the possessor or between the place where taken and a commercial preservation facility.
  2. Any package or container in which such birds are transported must have the name, address and hunting license number of the shipper, name and address of the consignee and an accurate statement of the numbers and kinds of birds contained therein clearly and conspicuously marked on the outside thereof.

Areas Closed To Waterfowl Hunting

The discharge of firearms is prohibited within 750 yards of a wildlife sanctuary in any city in Virginia.

Taking, attempting to take, pursuing or disturbing waterfowl is prohibited in the following areas:

• In Virginia Beach on the waters and from the shores of Crystal Lake, Linkhorn and Broad Bay and Long Creek and their tributaries.
• Hog Island State Waterfowl Refuge in Surry County and all of the waters of the James River within a radius of 1,000 yards around that island, with the exception of blinds erected by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
• The waters of the James River around Presquile National Wildlife Refuge (except for Turkey Island cutoff canal) to the mean low water mark on the opposite shore.
• The Dick Cross Waterfowl Refuge below Kerr Dam and in the Roanoke River downstream to High Rock.
• Within the posted section of the Rappahannock River adjacent to Lands End Waterfowl Refuge in King George County.
• The waters of the Great Hunting Creek embayment within the City of Alexandria, and the waters of the Potomac River in Fairfax County north of Dyke Marsh and south of the City of Alexandria and between the shore and a line 1,000 feet from the Maryland State line, although waterfowl that have been wounded elsewhere may be pursued into this area.
• The waters of Kane Creek Waterfowl Refuge within the boundaries of Mason Neck State Park in Fairfax County.
• The waters of the Potomac River in Fairfax County adjacent to the Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge extending from Sycamore Point northeasterly to Hallowing Point including all tributary creeks, guts, and inlets along the shoreline.
• The portion of the New River that lies entirely within the boundaries of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in the counties of Montgomery and Pulaski.