4VAC15-50-11. Open season; generally.
A. It shall be lawful to hunt bears in the following localities, including the cities and towns therein, during the following seasons:
Location | Season |
Accomack County | Closed |
Albemarle County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Alleghany County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Amelia County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Amherst County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Appomattox County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Arlington County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Augusta County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Bath County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Bedford County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Bland County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Botetourt County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Brunswick County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Buchanan County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following; and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Buckingham County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Campbell County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Caroline County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Carroll County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Charles City County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Charlotte County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Chesapeake (City of) | October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Chesterfield County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Clarke County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Craig County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Culpeper County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Cumberland County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Dickenson County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following; and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Dinwiddie County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Essex County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Fairfax County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Fauquier County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Floyd County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Fluvanna County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Franklin County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Frederick County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Giles County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Gloucester County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Goochland County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Grayson County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Greene County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Greensville County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Halifax County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Hanover County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Henrico County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Henry County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Highland County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Isle of Wight County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
James City County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
King and Queen County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
King George County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
King William County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Lancaster County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Lee County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following; and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Loudoun County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Louisa County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Lunenburg County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Madison County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Mathews County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Mecklenburg County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Middlesex County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Montgomery County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Nelson County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
New Kent County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Northampton County | Closed |
Northumberland County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Nottoway County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Orange County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Page County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Patrick County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Pittsylvania County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Powhatan County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Prince Edward County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Prince George County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Prince William County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Pulaski County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Rappahannock County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Richmond County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Roanoke County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Rockbridge County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Rockingham County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Russell County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following; and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Scott County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following; and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Shenandoah County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Smyth County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Southampton County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Spotsylvania County | Fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Stafford County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Suffolk (City of) | October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Surry County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Sussex County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Tazewell County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Virginia Beach (City of) | October 1 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Warren County | Friday following the fourth Monday in November and for two consecutive days following, and 12 days immediately prior to and including the first Saturday in January. |
Washington County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following, and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Westmoreland County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Wise County | Monday following the last Saturday in September and for two days following, and the fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
Wythe County | The fourth Monday in November through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
York County | Monday nearest December 2 through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive. |
B. Notwithstanding provisions of subsection A of this section, bears may be hunted from the first Saturday in October through the first Saturday in January, both dates inclusive, within the incorporated limits of any town or city that allows bear hunting.
C. Changes to seasons in this section for the 2025-2026 bear hunting season shall be in effect only through the 2026-2027 bear hunting season, except that the consistent, county-wide season in Montgomery, Pulaski, Smyth, Washington, and Wythe Counties shall be maintained to ensure the season in these counties follows the season that existed north or west of Interstate 81 during the 2024-2025 bear firearms season.
Statutory Authority
§§ 29.1-103 and 29.1-501 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2011; amended, Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 25, eff. August 15, 2013; Volume 30, Issue 24, eff. August 1, 2014; Volume 33, Issue 23, eff. August 1, 2017; Volume 35, Issue 23, eff. August 1, 2019; Volume 39, Issue 24, eff. July 17, 2023; Volume 41, Issue 26, eff. September 1, 2025.