YORK COUNTY — Virginia State Parks offer a wide variety of hunting opportunities and countless other outdoor activities for the entire family. Hunting opportunities range from open hunting in designated areas to managed deer hunts where individuals participate through a reservation.
Specific sites that offer hunting may change from year to year. Managed deer hunts are a tool in Virginia State Parks’ overall deer management program, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) explained.
Locally, York River State Park is a participating site.
Participating hunters are asked to support management efforts by following harvest guidelines associated with each hunt.
Virginia State Parks hunting rules require:
- Hunting and camping is permitted only in designated areas.
- Virginia game laws apply in all designated hunting areas.
- Hunting is prohibited within 100 yards of all state park buildings and roads.
- Lottery and reservation hunts require proof of completion of a hunter safety course.
- State law requires hunters to wear blaze orange or blaze pink. The minimum required by law is a blaze orange or blaze pink cap or vest; most managed hunts at state parks require a blaze orange or blaze pink vest, at a minimum, which is more than required by state regulations.
Hunting opportunities range from open hunting in designated areas to managed deer hunts, according to DCR. Hunters can also reserve stands or zones on a first-come, first-served basis using the online system.
To make a reservation, visit, reservevaparks.
The first hunt reservation will go live on Sept. 3 and then open individually per park throughout the rest of the month, according to DCR. The reservation period begins at 9 a.m., and interested participants can view a grid on the website for more details on hunt locations and dates. Each park may have special regulations so be sure to read all the information before making a reservation.
Find more information, including dates, hunt packets, and hunt maps, by visiting dcr.virginia.gov/
