Va hunter license

Please contact the nearest club from this list. Take a Hunter Education Course or Buy the Apprentice License The first step to buying a hunting license is to obtain a Virginia Hunter Education certificate by completing a hunter education course. Learn New Skills with Classes and Workshops Find a class near you on topics such as deer processing, bowhunting, waterfowl and more! Hunting Mentor Program DWR has a growing list of experienced hunters who are willing to support new hunters as they work towards accomplishing their goals.

Want to Get Started in Archery or Bowhunting? How to Gain Hunting Permission. The DGIF recognizes certificates from other states, which means you do not need to complete a separate course in VA if you are applying for a resident license for the first time in the commonwealth.

A variety of hunters education opportunities are provided throughout the year, which makes it easy for first-time hunters to get the certifications they need.

Classes can be taken online or in person, but most courses require at least one in-person session where hunters will demonstrate their skills. In order to pass a class, all participants will also need to complete an exam. In the sections below, you can learn more about the DGIF education requirements and find out how to take a class. There is a hunting season in Virginia for most types of game animals, and knowing which season to use is one of the most important pieces of information you need as a hunter.

There are a variety of regulations set by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries DGIF , all of which you will need to follow in order to keep your license. Hunting laws are put in place to keep hunters safe out in the field, both on their own and in the presence of other outdoorsmen. However, many hunting restrictions are also enacted to preserve wildlife populations as well as the environment. In the section below, outdoorsmen can find all of the information they need to know before planning a hunting trip in Virginia.

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What You Will Get: Free guide, and if you answer the optional survey, marketing offers from us and our partners. Use, Disclosure, Sale: If you complete the optional survey, we will send your answers to our marketing partners. How to Get a Hunting License in Virginia Finding out how to get a hunting license in Virginia is the first step to take if you want to get outdoors and hunt.

Allows hunting, trapping, fishing, mountain biking, and horse riding. Sold in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Forestry. Daily group rates are available. See Access Permit for more information.

To take migratory waterfowl; required of persons 16 years of age and over in addition to hunting license. Residency Qualifications Persons who have been a bona fide resident of the city, county, or state for six consecutive months immediately preceding the date of purchasing a license.

Persons who have been domiciliary residents of the state for at least two months upon approval of a completed affidavit to be furnished by the Department.

Legal voters in Virginia. Students including nonresident students boarding on campus residing in Virginia who are enrolled in bona fide Virginia schools. Any unnaturalized person who owns real estate in the county or city and who has actually resided there not less than five years preceding the date of the application for the license in the county or city. License Exemptions All persons, except those listed below, must purchase the proper licenses before hunting or trapping.

Tenants, renters, or lessees on lands they reside on, are not required to have a license, but must have the written permission of the landowner. Persons who lease property and do not permanently reside there are not exempt from license requirements. Residents, 65 years of age and over, do not need a license to hunt or trap on private property in their county or city of residence.

Resident hunters under the age of 12 are not required to have a hunting license or hunter education. Nonresident hunters under the age of 12 need a hunting license but do not need hunter education to purchase one. All hunters under the age of 12 may not hunt unless accompanied and directly supervised by a licensed adult.

Residents under the age of 16 are not required to have a license to trap when accompanied by any person 18 years of age or older who possesses a valid Virginia trapping license. Any person who is not hunting, but is aiding a disabled person to hunt when such disabled person possesses a valid Virginia Disabled Resident Lifetime hunting license or a Virginia Resident Disabled Veteran Lifetime license is not required to have a license.

Stockholders owning 50 percent or more of the stock of any domestic corporation owning land in Virginia, his or her spouse and children and minor grandchildren, resident or nonresident, do not need a license to hunt, trap and fish of lands and inland waters owned by the domestic corporation. Which Licenses Do I Need? To Hunt Small Game A hunting license is required. To Hunt With Archery Tackle An archery license is required in addition to a hunting license when using archery tackle during a designated archery season for bear, deer, turkey and bobcat.

To Hunt With a Muzzleloader A muzzleloading license is required in addition to the hunting license if hunting with a muzzleloading firearm during a designated muzzleloader deer or bear season. To Trap A trapping license is required to trap. Apprentice Hunting License The apprentice hunting license is a one-time purchase and serves as a first-time Virginia resident or nonresident hunting license and is good for two years.

Replacement Licenses If you purchased a license from a retail license agent, online, or by phone you can visit www. Select the license s you want, pay with your credit card and print your license if needed.