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.