Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 11, 2006
Contact:
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation offers hunting opportunities statewide
Virginia State Parks, managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, offer the outdoorsman a variety of hunting opportunities, including several lottery and reservation-only hunts as well as open hunting throughout the season. Hunters can reserve stands or zones on a first-come, first-served basis at the following hunts:
Muzzleloading and archery hunts will be held at York River State Park, in James City County, Nov. 6-7, the reservation period begins Sept. 6; Smith Mountain Lake State Park, in Bedford County, Nov. 6-7 and Nov. 13-14, the reservation period begins Sept. 20; and James River State Park, in Buckingham County, Nov. 27-28 and Dec. 12-14, with the reservation period beginning Sept. 27.
Muzzleloading-only hunts will be held at Caledon Natural Area, in King George County, Nov. 9-10 and Nov. 16-17, with the reservation period beginning Sept. 13; Claytor Lake State Park in Pulaski County, Jan. 11-13, with the reservation period beginning Oct. 11; and at Douthat State Park in Bath County, Nov. 13-16, with the reservation period beginning Sept. 6.
Shotgun hunts will be held at Chippokes Plantation State Park, in Surry County, Dec. 11, the reservation period begins Sept. 27; James River State Park, Jan. 4-6, the reservation period begins Sept. 27; and at York River State Park, Nov. 27-28, the reservation period begins Sept. 6.
General firearms hunts will be held at Douthat State Park in Bath County on Jan. 18-20, with the reservation period beginning Sept. 6; at Shenandoah River State Park in Warren County on Nov. 27-28, with the reservation period beginning Sept. 20; and a special youth general Firearms hunt at Shenandoah River State Park in Warren County Nov. 20-21, with the reservation period beginning Sept. 20.
Hunters may reserve preferred days and stands or zones for an advanced fee
of $15 a day by calling the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center, 1-800-933-PARK.
Reservations will be accepted until all slots are taken at each hunt up until
two days prior to the hunt, provided that the hunter can complete the payment
before the day of the hunt.
Applications are now being accepted for the following lottery hunts:
A Belle Isle muzzleloader hunt Nov. 14-15 and a general firearms hunt on Jan. 3-4; a Grayson Highlands muzzleloading hunt on Nov. 13-14 and general firearms hunt on Nov. 20-21; and Kiptopeke archery-muzzleloader hunts Nov. 10-11 and shotgun hunts Dec. 8-9.
The application deadline for the Belle Isle muzzleloader hunt is Oct. 20, and the Belle Isle general firearms hunt is Dec. 8. The deadline for the Grayson Highlands muzzleloader hunt is Oct. 20, and general firearms hunt is Oct. 27. The deadline for the Kiptopeke archery-muzzleloader hunt is Oct. 13 and the Kiptopeke shotgun hunt is Nov. 3.
Each lottery requires a separate application. Call 1-800-933-PARK for an
application or download one from www.dcr.virginia.gov/parks/hunting . Applications
and a $5 application fee must be received by the designated deadlines.
Open hunting is offered in designated areas of five state parks: Fairy Stone
in Patrick and Henry counties; Grayson Highlands in Grayson County; Hungry
Mother in Smyth County; Occoneechee in Mecklenburg County; and Pocahontas
in Chesterfield County.
All hunting laws and regulations apply in Virginia State Parks. Additional rules may apply in individual parks, and all lottery and reservation hunts have special regulations.
Several state parks are in or near state forests, national forests or wildlife management areas that allow hunting. State parks with overnight accommodations are convenient and economical base camps for hunting anywhere in the area. These parks offer maps and affordable camping or cabin accommodations only minutes from the field. Campsites are available through early December, and cabins are open year-round.
For information on hunting licenses, hunter safety education and hunting regulations, call the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at (804) 367-1000 or visit www.dgif.virgina.gov .
For more information about hunting opportunities and programs in Virginia State Parks, hunt lottery applications or reservations, or camping or cabin reservations, call 1-800-933-PARK. For more information on Virginia State Parks, visit www.dcr.virginia.gov .
Virginia State Parks that allow hunting
Belle Isle State Park Lancaster County (804) 462-5030
Caledon Natural Area King George County (540) 663-3861
Chippokes Plantation
State Park Surry County (757) 294-3625
Claytor Lake State Park Pulaski County (540) 643-2500
Douthat State Park Bath County (540) 862-8100
Fairy Stone State Park Patrick County (276) 930-2424
False Cape State Park Virginia Beach (757) 426-7128
Grayson Highlands
State Park Grayson County (276) 579-7092
Hungry Mother State Park Smyth County (276) 781-7400
James River State Park Buckingham County (434) 933-4355
Kiptopeke State Park Northampton County (757) 331-2267
Mason Neck State Park Fairfax County (703) 490-4979
Occoneechee State Park Mecklenburg County (434) 374-2210
Shenandoah River
State Park Warren County (540) 622-6840
Pocahontas State Park Chesterfield County (804) 796-4255
Smith Mountain Lake
State Park Bedford County (540) 297-6066
York River State James City County (757) 566-3036
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