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NO OPEN CARRY ON WMAs? (Wildlife Management Area)

justin0829

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
19
Location
Newport News, VA USA
I was reading the State WMA regulations and it states that a loaded firearm in your vehicle outside of a hunting season is prohibited. Does anyone have any information or clarity to provide on this? It does say that concealed carry with a CHP is permitted at any time. Interestingly enough also was that I participated in the clean up at Ragged Island some months back and everyone was open carrying, so I'm assuming that "something" was in season at the time? Also, (I know this forum isn't exactly for this) can anyone help me out with finding a hunting lease or club with in an hour or so of the Hampton Roads area? I live in Newport News and so far the only option I can find is a club west of Emporia for $650 a year or Chickahominy (which I would rather avoid due to the fact that public land is usually full of inconsiderate people). I grew up hunting in GA and now work at Langley AFB with the VA Air National Guard. I also know you can hunt bases, however I would rather not deal with the headache. I would love to find either a club or get permission from a land owner, but not being from VA I would have no idea where to even start a search of this kind..... needless to say, I am very frustrated at this point :cuss:
 

mrjam2jab

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2009
Messages
769
Location
Levittown, Pennsylvania, USA
Is this what you read?

4VAC15-270-60

4VAC15-270-60. Use of firearms loaded with slugs and discharge of firearms near boardwalk or nature trail on Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area.

A. It shall be unlawful to possess outside of a vehicle, or shoot or hunt with a rifle, muzzleloader, pistol or shotgun loaded with slugs, or to possess shotgun slugs, on Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area in Isle of Wight County. In addition, it shall be unlawful to discharge any firearm within 100 yards of the boardwalk or nature trail on Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area.

B. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit the possession, transport and use of loaded firearms by employees of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries while engaged in the performance of their duties, nor shall it prohibit the possession and transport of loaded concealed handguns where the individual possesses a concealed handgun permit as defined in § 18.2-308 of the Code of Virginia.

Statutory Authority

§§ 29.1-501 and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR325-02-25 § 6, eff. July 1, 1985; amended, Virginia Register Volume 15, Issue 19, eff. July 7, 1999.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Unfortunately, the hunt clubs are going to have most of the large parcels tied up. Tidewater isn't exactly rural. Plus you're going to have to put up with those damn dog hunters and I use the word "Hunter" in the same way I use "Va" in Northern Va.:cuss:

Your best bet is find a few small property owners that border on larger tracts. Lots of farmers hate hunt clubs but will let one or two individuals hunt if they promise to run the dog hunters off.

Welcome to the burbs!
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
Yes when we cleaned up Ragged Island it was a week or so still in season (for something) so we could OC.

I believe that WMA are on the list of places we would like to bring in line with other areas that simply follow state law rather than have their own rules.

I had a conversation with TCMECH once where he offered to take me hunting but his idea of a day trip was a bit much for me. He hunts about 6 hours south of here (one-way) so I wimped out quickly. Some of my friends hunt 3-4 hours west of here, so go west young man! :)
 

riverrat10k

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2008
Messages
1,472
Location
on a rock in the james river
Justin, send me a pm......

...with some info about you and the type of hunting you are used to. Meat or trophy? Bow, rifle, or shotgun? Tree stand capable?

I may be able to get you onto some property within an hour or so of you.
 

The Wolfhound

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
728
Location
Henrico, Virginia, USA
Working on WMAs

I know I have read the VCDL is working on carry in the WMAs. I mentioned it to Tucker Martin (Director of Communications for Governor McDonell) last time I saw him, as I thanked him for the Governor correcting the issue in State Forests. Until it is "anytime, anywhere" the struggle continues......
 

justin0829

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
19
Location
Newport News, VA USA
Is this what you read?

4VAC15-270-60

I read the full state regulation PDF on the Game and Inland fisheries site. It didn't have anything specific to each WMA it just had rules that apply to all of them. So I am assuming based on some of the responses on here that each WMA could possibly have more gun regulations than the required state standard....
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
I read the full state regulation PDF on the Game and Inland fisheries site. It didn't have anything specific to each WMA it just had rules that apply to all of them. So I am assuming based on some of the responses on here that each WMA could possibly have more gun regulations than the required state standard....

Only as far as hunting Justin.
For instance, you can't hunt with rifles in some counties.

Just carrying remains the same. You may carry during hunting season even if you're not hunting.
 
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doug23838

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
306
Location
, Virginia, USA
Justin:

It is a long shot, but you may find hunt clubs on craigslist posting membership openings. As with anything on the internet or more especially craigslist, you should protect yourself and your interests. When my hunt club gave me a roster of everybody's name & number, I made sure nobody was on any "registry".



As for WMAs. I've OC'd at Amelia WMA and even had a non-consensual encouter with a game warden. (Ahem.. Conservation Officer). I discovered through our conversation that he had every page of the DGIF website printed off and in a binder in his truck. He never said a word about my handgun.
 

justin0829

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
19
Location
Newport News, VA USA
Justin:

It is a long shot, but you may find hunt clubs on craigslist posting membership openings. As with anything on the internet or more especially craigslist, you should protect yourself and your interests. When my hunt club gave me a roster of everybody's name & number, I made sure nobody was on any "registry".



As for WMAs. I've OC'd at Amelia WMA and even had a non-consensual encouter with a game warden. (Ahem.. Conservation Officer). I discovered through our conversation that he had every page of the DGIF website printed off and in a binder in his truck. He never said a word about my handgun.

Based on the "Firearms" section, I'm assuming there must have been something in season you could have legally taken with your handgun or the "Conservation Officer" didn't notice or care about the handgun. The whole thing just seemed odd to me being that we just recently got "State Parks" taken care of, especially being that WMAs as far as I knew were managed by the state and the fact that they are specifically for hunting doesn't seem to make sense to restrict firearms carry whether there is or is not a hunting season in progress....
 

justin0829

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2011
Messages
19
Location
Newport News, VA USA
Unfortunately, the hunt clubs are going to have most of the large parcels tied up. Tidewater isn't exactly rural. Plus you're going to have to put up with those damn dog hunters and I use the word "Hunter" in the same way I use "Va" in Northern Va.:cuss:

Your best bet is find a few small property owners that border on larger tracts. Lots of farmers hate hunt clubs but will let one or two individuals hunt if they promise to run the dog hunters off.

Welcome to the burbs!

Thanks. Yea I never even heard of or knew anyone that heard of anyone that hunted with dogs the way they do around here in GA. As a matter of fact, as bad as it sounds, I knew several people that would shoot dogs if they saw them roaming around hunting property when they were hunting... Although, some of the areas I hunted had ferral dog issues, you would have people that would turn loose young dogs and puppies and it wouldn't take too long and they would be wild. My father and I actually found a ferral puppy when we were hunting and brought him home. I have to say that dog was by far the weirdest dog we ever had, he was good but you could tell he was a little crazy
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Thanks. Yea I never even heard of or knew anyone that heard of anyone that sat in their trucks on the road while their dogs ran through someone else s property the way they do around here in GA.

Fixed it for you!

As a matter of fact, as bad as it sounds, I knew several people that would shoot dogs if they saw them roaming around hunting property when they were hunting...

No Comment!

.....
 

230therapy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
279
Location
People's County of Fairfax
It's the diplomat in me:lol:

LOL

I'll make sure at least 10 beagles keep running by your treestand while you're 'hunting while seated'.

BTW, my dog doesn't go out of bounds because I zap the **** out of him if he doesn't obey immediately. I don't let him run so far either.
 
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230therapy

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
279
Location
People's County of Fairfax
Funny you say that. I have noticed that a lot of people here refer to northern VA as if going there would be similar to traveling to an entirely different planet. The furthest I've been is about 30 min north of Richmond....

NOVA isn't that bad. Sure it's full of libtards and granolas, but the few sane people carry guns around and school the cops in proper citizen interaction :monkey
 
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