Code of Virginia - Title 29.1 Game, Inland Fisheries And Boating - Chapter 5 Wildlife And Fish Laws

29.1-500 Description unavailable
Reserved. ...
29.1-501 Promulgation of regulations; publication of proposed regulations or change therein; validation; evi...
A. The Board may promulgate regulations pertaining to the hunting, taking, capture, killing, possession, sale, purchase and transportation of any wild bird, wild animal, or ...
29.1-502 Adoption of regulations
The board may adopt regulations and amendments to regulations upon completion of all applicable hearing and notice requirements. The Board shall file the regulations with ...
29.1-503 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1996, c. 9. ...
29.1-504 Annual publication of laws and regulations
All laws relating to hunting, fishing and trapping, together with the regulations of the Board, of both general and local application, shall be published annually ...
29.1-505 Penalty for violation of regulations
It shall be a misdemeanor to violate any regulation promulgated pursuant to this title. Any person violating such a regulation shall be guilty of a ...
29.1-505.1 Conspiracy; penalty
If any person conspires with another to commit any offense defined in this title or any of the regulations of the Board of Game and ...
29.1-506 Prescribing seasons and bag limits for taking fish and game
After careful study of each species of wild bird, animal and fish within the jurisdiction of the Board in cities and counties of the Commonwealth, ...
29.1-507 Closing or shortening open season
The Board may close or shorten the open season in any county or city (i) whenever extreme weather threatens the welfare of wild birds, wild ...
29.1-508 Board to prescribe seasons, bag limits and methods of taking and killing fish and game on lands an...
The Board is hereby authorized to adopt rules and regulations to prescribe and enforce the seasons, bag limits and methods of taking fish and game ...
29.1-508.1 Use of drugs on vertebrate wildlife
A. Without written authorization from the Director or his designee, it is unlawful to administer any drug to any vertebrate wildlife, except in accordance with ...
29.1-509 Duty of care and liability for damages of landowners to hunters, fishermen, sightseers, et...
A. For the purpose of this section: "Fee" means any payment or payments of money to a landowner for use of the premises or in ...
29.1-510 Big game; small game
For the purpose of the hunting and trapping laws of the Commonwealth, big game shall include bear and deer and small game shall include other ...
29.1-511 Open season on nuisance species
There shall be a continuous open season for killing nuisance species of wild birds and wild animals as defined in § 29.1-100. (Code 1950, § ...
29.1-512 Closed season on other species
There shall be a continuous closed hunting season on all birds and wild animals which are not nuisance species as defined in § 29.1-100, except ...
29.1-513 Daily and season bag limits as promulgated by Board regulations
It shall be lawful to hunt wild birds and wild animals specified in this article within any applicable daily and season bag limits during the ...
29.1-514 Nonmigratory game birds
A. The following nonmigratory game birds may be hunted during prescribed open seasons: Birds introduced by the Board. Bobwhite quail. Grouse. Pheasants. Turkey. B. The ...
29.1-515 Migratory game birds
Migratory game birds may be hunted in accordance with regulations of the Board. Board regulations shall conform to the regulations of the United States government ...
29.1-516 Game animals
The following provisions shall apply to the killing and hunting of the particular game animals listed: Black bear. - Black bear may be killed by ...
29.1-517 Fur-bearing animals
A landowner may shoot fur-bearing animals except muskrats or raccoons, upon his own land during closed season. When muskrats or raccoons are damaging crops or ...
29.1-518 When killing of beaver permitted
When beaver are damaging crops or lands, the owner of the premises, his agent or tenant, may kill the animals, or have them killed. (1958, ...
29.1-519 Guns, pistols, revolvers, etc., which may be used; penalty
A. All wild birds and wild animals may be hunted with the following weapons unless shooting is expressly prohibited: 1. A shotgun or muzzleloading shotgun ...
29.1-520 Times for hunting
A. Nonmigratory game birds and game animals may be hunted from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Bears may be hunted without ...
29.1-521 Unlawful to hunt, trap, possess, sell or transport wild birds and wild animals except as permitted...
A. The following shall be unlawful: 1. To hunt or kill any wild bird or wild animal, including any nuisance species, with a gun, firearm ...
29.1-521.1 Willfully impeding hunting or trapping; penalty
A. It shall be unlawful to willfully and intentionally impede the lawful hunting or trapping of wild birds or wild animals. B. Any person convicted ...
29.1-521.2 Violation of { 18.2-286 while hunting; forfeiture of certain weapons; revocation of licens...
A. Any firearm, crossbow or bow and arrow used by any person to hunt any game bird or game animal in a manner which violates ...
29.1-521.3 Shooting wild birds and wild animals from stationary vehicles by disabled persons
Any person, upon application to a conservation police officer and the presentation of a medical doctor's written statement based on a physical examination that such ...
29.1-522 Unlawful to kill male deer unless antlers visible above hair
Unless the Board declares otherwise by regulation, it shall be unlawful to kill male deer in any county or city of the Commonwealth unless the ...
29.1-523 Killing deer by use of certain lights; acts raising presumption of attempt to kill
Any person who kills or attempts to kill any deer between a half hour after sunset and a half hour before sunrise by use of ...
29.1-523.1 Hunting deer with sights after dark; forfeiture of weapon and sighting device
A. Any person who kills or attempts to kill any deer between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise using a firearm equipped ...
29.1-524 Forfeiture of vehicles and weapons used for killing or attempt to kill
Every vehicle, firearm, crossbow, bow and arrow, or speargun used with the knowledge or consent of the owner or lienholder thereof, in killing or attempting ...
29.1-525 Employment of lights under certain circumstances upon places used by deer
A. Any person in any vehicle and then in possession of any firearm, crossbow, bow and arrow or speargun who employs a light attached to ...
29.1-525.1 Deer enclosures prohibited; exceptions; penalty
A. It is unlawful to erect a fence that prevents or impedes the free egress of deer from the enclosed area with the intent to ...
29.1-526 Counties and cities may prohibit hunting or trapping near primary and secondary highways
The governing body of any county or city may prohibit by ordinance the hunting, with a firearm, of any game bird or game animal while ...
29.1-527 Counties, cities or towns may prohibit hunting near public schools and county, city, town or region...
The governing body of any county, city or town may prohibit by ordinance, shooting or hunting with a firearm, or prohibit hunters from traversing an ...
29.1-527.1 Localities may prohibit feeding of migratory and nonmigratory waterfowl
Upon notice to the Department, any locality may prohibit by ordinance the feeding of migratory and nonmigratory waterfowl in any subdivision or other area of ...
29.1-528 Board to develop model ordinances for hunting with firearms; counties or cities may adopt
A. The Board shall promulgate regulations establishing model ordinances for hunting with firearms that may be adopted by counties or cities. Such model ordinances developed ...
29.1-529 Killing of deer or bear damaging fruit trees, crops, livestock, or personal property or creating a ...
A. Whenever deer or bear are damaging fruit trees, crops, livestock or personal property utilized for commercial agricultural production in the Commonwealth, the owner or ...
29.1-530 Open and closed season for trapping, bag limits, etc
A. There shall be a continuous open season for trapping nuisance species and a continuous closed trapping season on all other species of wild birds ...
29.1-530.1 Blaze orange clothing required at certain times
During any firearms deer season, except during the special season for hunting deer with a muzzle-loading rifle only, in counties and cities designated by the ...
29.1-530.2 Unlawfully killing bear; penalty
Any person who kills or attempts to kill a bear in violation of any provision of this article or of a regulation adopted thereunder shall ...
29.1-530.3 Remote hunting prohibited; penalty
A. It is unlawful for any person to engage in computer-assisted remote hunting or provide or operate a facility that allows others to engage in ...
29.1-530.4 Duty of certain entities to report hunting incidents
Any law-enforcement agency or emergency medical service provider that receives a report that a person engaged in hunting as defined in § 29.1-100 has suffered ...
29.1-531 Unlawful to take or attempt to take, possess, sell or transport fish except as permitted
A. Unless otherwise provided by a regulation of the Board, it shall be unlawful for any person to take or attempt to take any fish ...
29.1-532 Dams and fishways
Any dam or other object in a watercourse, which obstructs navigation or the passage of fish, shall be deemed a nuisance, unless it is used ...
29.1-533 Prohibition against use of substances injurious to fish
It shall be unlawful to use any explosive for the destruction of fish, or knowingly cast any noxious substance or matter into any watercourse of ...
29.1-534 Right to fish in interjurisdictional inland waters
A Virginia resident or a resident of an adjoining jurisdiction which has inland water lying adjacent to Virginia land or water may take fish with ...
29.1-535 Reciprocal agreement as to fishing in such waters
The Board shall have the necessary authority to enter into a reciprocal agreement with an adjoining jurisdiction having inland waters lying adjacent to Virginia land ...
29.1-536 Sale
When taken in accordance with the provisions of law or regulation, muskrat, opossum, rabbits, raccoon and squirrels may be bought and sold during the open ...
29.1-537 Possession
When taken in accordance with the provisions of this title, each species of wild bird, wild animal or fish may be possessed at any time. ...
29.1-538 Description unavailable
Reserved. ...
29.1-539 Keeping deer or bear struck by motor vehicle; procedure to be followed by driver
Any person driving a motor vehicle who collides with a deer or bear may, upon compliance with the provisions of this section, keep the deer ...
29.1-540 Carriage and shipment
When taken in accordance with the provisions of this title, wild birds, wild animals or fish may be transported as follows: 1. By any person ...
29.1-541 Storage
It shall be unlawful for any person to store any wild birds, wild animals or fish if selling them is prohibited by law, except persons ...
29.1-542 Importation
Live wolves or coyotes, or birds and animals otherwise classed as predatory or undesirable, may not be imported into the Commonwealth or liberated therein, or ...
29.1-543 Game and fish taken and packaged outside the Commonwealth
It shall be lawful to possess, store, transport, offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, purchase and otherwise deal in any wild animal, bird, fish ...
29.1-544 Dressing, packing and selling bobwhite quail
A. It shall be lawful for the licensee of a shooting preserve or his designated agents to dress, pack and sell bobwhite quail raised by ...
29.1-545 Possession, sale, offering for sale or liberation of live nutria
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association or corporation to possess, sell, offer for sale, or liberate in the Commonwealth any live fur-bearing ...
29.1-546 General penalty
Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this title shall, unless otherwise specified, be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. (Code 1950, ...
29.1-547 Trapping, selling, purchasing, etc., migratory game birds
Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 29.1-546 and 29.1-553, any person convicted of trapping or attempting to trap any migratory game bird, as defined in § ...
29.1-548 Killing deer illegally
Any person killing a deer in violation of Board regulations, or who exceeds the bag limit for deer, or who kills a deer during the ...
29.1-549 Hunting deer from watercraft; confiscation of watercraft and weapons used
A. Any person who kills or attempts to kill any deer while the person is in a boat or other type watercraft shall be guilty ...
29.1-550 Taking game or fish during closed season or exceeding bag limit
It shall be unlawful for any person to (i) take, or attempt to take, any wild bird, wild animal or fish during the closed season, ...
29.1-551 Assessment of value of game or fish unlawfully taken
The judge or court, upon convicting any person of a violation of §§ 29.1-523, 29.1-525.1, 29.1-530.2, 29.1-548, 29.1-550 or § 29.1-552 shall, in addition to ...
29.1-552 Killing wild turkey during closed season
Any person who kills a wild turkey during the closed season, or who kills a beardless turkey during an open hunting season prescribed by the ...
29.1-553 Selling or offering for sale; penalty
A. Any person who offers for sale, sells, offers to purchase, or purchases any wild bird or wild animal, or any part thereof, or any ...
29.1-554 Violation of sanctuaries, refuges, preserves and water used for propagation
It shall be unlawful for any person, including a property owner, to commit the following acts, the violation of which shall constitute a Class 3 ...
29.1-554.1 Impeding lawful fishing in inland waters; penalty
A. It is unlawful for any person to willfully and intentionally impede the lawful fishing of any species of fish. "Fishing" means those activities defined ...
29.1-555 Description unavailable
Reserved. ...
29.1-556 Unlawful devices to be destroyed
Any firearm, trap, net, or other device of any kind or nature for taking wild birds, wild animals, or fish, except as specifically permitted by ...
29.1-556.1 Release of certain balloons prohibited; civil penalty
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly release or cause to be released into the atmosphere within a one-hour period fifty or ...
29.1-557 Confiscation of wild birds and animals under certain circumstances; disposition
Wild birds, wild animals and fish are the property of the Commonwealth and may be reduced to personal possession only in accordance with law. Any ...
29.1-558 through 29.1-560
Reserved. ...
29.1-561 Self-incrimination
No person shall be excused from testifying for the Commonwealth as to any offense committed by another under the provisions of the game, inland fish ...
29.1-562 Description unavailable
Reserved. ...
29.1-563 Definitions
For the purposes of this article: "Endangered species" means any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its ...
29.1-564 Taking, transportation, sale, etc., of endangered species prohibited
The taking, transportation, possession, sale, or offer for sale within the Commonwealth of any fish or wildlife appearing on any list of threatened or endangered ...
29.1-565 Description unavailable
Reserved. ...
29.1-566 Regulations
The Board is authorized to adopt the federal list, as well as modifications and amendments thereto by regulations; to declare by regulation, after consideration of ...
29.1-567 Penalties; authority of conservation police officers and police officers; disposition of property s...
A. Any person who violates the provisions of § 29.1-564 or § 29.1-566, or any regulations issued pursuant to these sections, or whoever violates any ...
29.1-568 When Board may permit taking, etc., of endangered species
The Board may permit the taking, exportation, transportation or possession of any fish or wildlife which is listed by the provisions of this article, for ...
29.1-569 Keeping of reptiles generally; penalty
It shall be unlawful for the owner or keeper of any exotic reptile or type of reptile not native to the Commonwealth of Virginia, including ...
29.1-570 Cooperation of state agencies
All departments, commissions, boards, authorities, agencies, offices and institutions within any branch of the state government shall cooperate with the Board in carrying out the ...
29.1-571 Definition
"Nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species" means a nonindigenous aquatic freshwater animal species whose presence in state waters poses or is likely to pose a significant threat ...
29.1-572 Authority of Board; regulations
The Board may promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this article including, but not limited to, the designation of other nonindigenous aquatic ...
29.1-573 Department; powers
A. The Department may conduct operations and measures to suppress, control, eradicate, prevent, or retard the spread of any nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species. The maximum ...
29.1-574 Prohibitions
A. No person shall knowingly import, possess, transport, sell, purchase, give, receive, or introduce into the Commonwealth any member of a species designated as a ...
29.1-575 Permits
The Director shall permit the importation, possession, purchase, receipt, or transportation of a nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species for purposes of research by recognized academic institutions ...
29.1-576 Authority for inspection; warrants
To carry out the purposes of this article, the Director may obtain a warrant pursuant to § 19.2-52, or with the consent of the owner ...
29.1-577 Penalties
Any person who violates any provision of this article or who knowingly obstructs the Director or his designee in carrying out his lawful duties under ...

Last modified: April 3, 2009