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
  • Muzzleloading firearms
  • Dogs may be used by regulation (see Hunting with Dogs)
  • Electronic calls

Crow

Season:

August 18-March 15 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday only.

Crows are a federally regulated migratory species, no HIP number is required to hunt them. Crow hunting on National Forest Lands and Department Lands is permitted from September 1-March 10 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday only).

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 time periods when it is legal to hunt spring turkeys.

Grouse

Bag Limit:

Three per day.

Season:

October 27-February 9 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 10-January 31

Rabbit

Bag Limit:

Six per day.

Season:

November 3-February 29. (this is a change from the printed regulations digest; learn more »)

Squirrel (Gray, Red, and Fox*)

* Fox squirrels open only in the counties west of the Blue Ridge and in the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Loudoun, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock during any authorized squirrel season.

Bag Limit:

All squirrels combined - six per day.

Seasons:

  • September 1-January 31: statewide
  • Spring Season: June 7-21, 2008
    • Allowed only on the following Wildlife Management Areas: Amelia, Big Survey, Briery Creek, Chickahominy, Dick Cross, Dismal Swamp, Fairystone (including Fairystone State Park and Philpott Reservoir), Goshen, Havens, Hog Island (Carlisle Tract only), Horsepen, James River, Pettigrew, Phelps, Powhatan, Thompson, Turkeycock Mountain, and White Oak Mountain Wildlife Management Areas.
  • Fox squirrels may only be harvested on Big Survey, Goshen, Havens, Phelps and Thompson Wildlife Management Areas.
  • Hunting squirrels with dogs is not allowed during the spring season.

Shooting Preserves

Pen-raised game birds may be taken on licensed shooting preserves from September 1 through April 30. A list of operated shooting preserves open to the public may be obtained from the Permits Section at the Department's Richmond office (804-367-1000) or on this Web site. A state resident hunting pen-raised game birds on a licensed shooting preserve is required to have either a state or county resident hunting license. A nonresident is required to have either a state nonresident license ($85.00) or a special nonresident shooting preserve license ($17.00) which is valid only within the boundaries of licensed shooting preserves.