Public land that may allow hunting in Virginia
142 named public land units in Virginia from PAD-US 4.1: 74 state wildlife & game areas, 33 forests & grasslands, 17 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 1 BLM units, 3 lake & reservoir project lands, 14 other public land units. The largest are George Washington National Forest, Jefferson National Forest, Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Regulations & licenses: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
This site does not list seasons, bag limits, license or permit rules. Those change every year and differ by area. Check them with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (hunting information) before you go, and confirm the specific area is open to the hunting you plan.
All 142 areas, largest first
| Area | Acres (approx.) | Manager | Access | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington National Forest National Forest land | 961,016 | U.S. Forest Service (USDA) | Open access | Augusta County, Bath County + 11 more |
| Jefferson National Forest National Forest land | 712,425 | U.S. Forest Service (USDA) | Open access | Craig County, Bland County + 17 more |
| Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 86,533 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Chesapeake city, Suffolk city |
| Goshen and Little North Mountain Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 33,307 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Rockbridge County, Augusta County |
| Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 24,804 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Smyth County, Russell County + 2 more |
| Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest State forest | 20,058 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Appomattox County, Buckingham County |
| Cumberland State Forest State forest | 16,729 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Cumberland County, Buckingham County |
| Highland Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 13,911 | Not recorded | Open access | Highland County |
| Gathright Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 13,193 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Bath County |
| Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 11,943 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Accomack County |
| Rapidan Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 10,051 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Madison County, Greene County |
| Dragon Run State Forest State forest | 9,546 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | King and Queen County |
| Havens Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 9,380 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Roanoke County |
| Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 8,820 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Virginia Beach city |
| John W Flannagan Recreation Area Army Corps of Engineers project land | 8,162 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Open access | Dickenson County |
| Mockhorn Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 7,704 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Northampton County |
| Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 7,680 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Richmond County, Essex County + 3 more |
| The Big Survey Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 7,596 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Wythe County |
| DCR Holding Other state land | 7,352 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Halifax County |
| Prince Edward-Gallion State Forest State forest | 7,038 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Prince Edward County |
| Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 6,250 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Washington County |
| Saxis Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 6,197 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Accomack County |
| Fairystone Farms Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 5,187 | Not recorded | Open access | Patrick County, Henry County |
| Charlotte State Forest State forest | 5,012 | Not recorded | Open access | Charlotte County |
| Smith Mountain Cooperative Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,992 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Pittsylvania County, Bedford County |
| Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,951 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Charles City County |
| The Channels State Forest State forest | 4,848 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Washington County |
| James River National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 4,626 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Prince George County |
| Powhatan Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,590 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Mixed (open and restricted parcels) | Powhatan County |
| C.F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,559 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fauquier County, Culpeper County |
| Cavalier Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,529 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Chesapeake city |
| Oakley Forest Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,470 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Spotsylvania County |
| Short Hills Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,313 | Not recorded | Open access | Rockbridge County, Botetourt County |
| Big Woods Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,176 | Not recorded | Open access | Sussex County |
| Thompson Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 4,012 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fauquier County, Warren County + 1 more |
| Featherfin Farm Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 3,168 | Not recorded | Open access | Prince Edward County, Buckingham County + 1 more |
| Briery Creek Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 3,122 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Prince Edward County |
| Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 3,058 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Poquoson city |
| Horsepen Lake Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,957 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Buckingham County |
| North Fork Of Pound Rv Recreation Area Army Corps of Engineers project land | 2,791 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Open access | Wise County |
| White Oak Mountain Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,675 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Pittsylvania County |
| Ware Creek Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,659 | Not recorded | Open access | New Kent County |
| Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,659 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | New Kent County |
| Turkeycock Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,637 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Henry County, Franklin County |
| Bluestone Recreation Area Army Corps of Engineers project land | 2,558 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Open access | Giles County |
| Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,533 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Caroline County |
| Big Woods State Forest State forest | 2,402 | Not recorded | Open access | Sussex County |
| Hog Island Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,382 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Surry County, Isle of Wight County |
| Moore's Creek State Forest State forest | 2,365 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Rockbridge County |
| Amelia Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,224 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Amelia County |
| James River Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 2,132 | Not recorded | Mixed (open and restricted parcels) | Nelson County |
| Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 2,084 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Northampton County |
| Sandy Point State Forest State forest | 2,059 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | King William County |
| Crooked Creek Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,833 | Not recorded | Open access | Carroll County |
| Havens State wildlife / game area | 1,809 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Roanoke County |
| Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,516 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Mecklenburg County |
| Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 1,479 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Fairfax County |
| Princess Anne Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,479 | Not recorded | Open access | Virginia Beach city |
| Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,468 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Isle of Wight County |
| Robert W. Duncan Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,343 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Caroline County |
| Eastern Shore Of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 1,325 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Northampton County |
| New Kent Forestry Center State forest | 1,307 | State: other or unknown agency | Open access | New Kent County |
| Presquile National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 1,299 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Chesterfield County, Henrico County |
| Hardware River Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,242 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fluvanna County |
| Stewarts Creek Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 1,204 | Not recorded | Open access | Carroll County |
| James River State wildlife / game area | 1,166 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Mixed (open and restricted parcels) | Nelson County |
| Pettigrew Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 918 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Caroline County |
| Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 888 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Virginia Beach city |
| George Washington and Jefferson National Forest National Forest land | 870 | U.S. Forest Service (USDA) | Open access | Alleghany County, Montgomery County + 4 more |
| Chestnut Ridge Other state land | 812 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Giles County |
| BLM Southeastern States District Office Public Lands BLM public land | 802 | Bureau of Land Management | Open access | Fairfax County |
| Game Farm Marsh Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 798 | Not recorded | Open access | New Kent County, Charles City County |
| Guinea Marsh State wildlife / game area | 787 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Gloucester County |
| Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 627 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Prince William County |
| First Mountain State Forest State forest | 622 | State: other or unknown agency | Open access | Rockingham County |
| Judge Matthews State Forest State forest | 568 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Grayson County |
| Lake Robinson State Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 526 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Rockbridge County |
| Lands End Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 485 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | King George County |
| Virginia Outdoors Foundation Land Holding Other state land | 481 | State: other or unknown agency | Open access | King William County |
| Poor Mountain Other state land | 481 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Roanoke County |
| Mattaponi Bluffs Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 472 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Caroline County |
| Devils Backbone State Forest State forest | 469 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Shenandoah County |
| Conway Robinson Memorial State Forest State forest | 437 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Prince William County |
| Lesesne State Forest State forest | 427 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Nelson County |
| Nansemond National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 425 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Suffolk city |
| Chilton Woods State Forest State forest | 395 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Lancaster County |
| Zoar State Forest State forest | 370 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | King William County |
| Wallops Island National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 358 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Accomack County |
| The Cedars Other state land | 355 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Lee County |
| Lyndhurst Ponds Other state land | 351 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Augusta County |
| Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 343 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Prince William County |
| Old Flat State Forest State forest | 319 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Grayson County |
| Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 302 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Prince William County |
| Kittewan Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 292 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Charles City County |
| Bourassa State Forest State forest | 284 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Bedford County |
| Weston Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 274 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fauquier County |
| South Quay State Forest State forest | 266 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Suffolk city |
| Featherfin State wildlife / game area | 264 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Appomattox County, Prince Edward County |
| Crawford State Forest State forest | 262 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | New Kent County |
| Great Dismal Swamp Fish and Wildlife Service land | 252 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Open access | Suffolk city |
| Lake Burke Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 204 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fairfax County |
| Garland Gray Forestry Center State forest | 198 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Sussex County |
| Deep Run Ponds Other state land | 198 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Rockingham County |
| Doe Creek State Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 193 | Not recorded | Open access | Accomack County |
| Highland State wildlife / game area | 191 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Highland County |
| Niday Place State Forest State forest | 181 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Craig County |
| Paul State Forest State forest | 176 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Rockingham County |
| Lake Brunswick Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 168 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Brunswick County |
| General Vaughns Bridge Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 165 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Southampton County |
| Kimberling Creek Purchase Unit National Forest land | 164 | U.S. Forest Service (USDA) | Open access | Bland County |
| Lake Nottoway Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 158 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Nottoway County |
| South Quay Sandhills Other state land | 158 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Suffolk city |
| Magothy Bay Other state land | 152 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Northampton County |
| Whitney State Forest State forest | 147 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Fauquier County |
| Lake Frederick Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 139 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Frederick County |
| Antioch Pines Other state land | 139 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Isle of Wight County |
| Pedlar Hills Glades Other state land | 137 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Montgomery County |
| Browne State Forest State forest | 134 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Essex County |
| Lake Orange Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 134 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Orange County |
| Martin National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | 123 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Restricted access | Accomack County |
| Airfield Pond Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 119 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Sussex County |
| Hawks State Forest State forest | 118 | State: department of natural resources | Open access | Carroll County |
| Divided Mountain Purchase Unit National Forest land | 108 | U.S. Forest Service (USDA) | Open access | Grayson County |
| Lake Gordon Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 108 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Mecklenburg County |
| Lake Connor Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 98 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Halifax County |
| Crooked Creek State wildlife / game area | 93 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Carroll County |
| Johnson Marsh State Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 88 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Restricted access | Chesterfield County |
| Mount Joy Pond Other state land | 84 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Augusta County |
| Monongahela National Forest National Forest land | 83 | U.S. Forest Service (USDA) | Open access | Highland County, Bath County + 1 more |
| Short Hills State wildlife / game area | 82 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Rockbridge County |
| Balthrope Marsh Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 80 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Mixed (open and restricted parcels) | Newport News city, Halifax County |
| Fairystone Farms State wildlife / game area | 73 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Patrick County |
| Lake Brittle Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 68 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fauquier County |
| Lake Burton Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 68 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Pittsylvania County |
| Crow's Nest Other state land | 60 | State: department of conservation | Open access | Stafford County |
| Camp Branch Wetlands Other state land | 59 | State: department of conservation | Restricted access | Floyd County |
| Fluvanna Ruritan Lake Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 57 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Fluvanna County |
| Goochland Marsh State Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 49 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Restricted access | Goochland County |
| Chandlers Millpond Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 49 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Westmoreland County |
| Gardys Millpond Public Fishing Lake State wildlife / game area | 44 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | Northumberland County, Westmoreland County |
| Greensprings Wildlife Management Area State wildlife / game area | 43 | Not recorded | Open access | James City County |
| DGIF Land Holding State wildlife / game area | 43 | State: fish and wildlife agency | Open access | James City County |
Acreage is calculated from simplified PAD-US boundaries for the portion inside Virginia. “Access” is the PAD-US public access field, not a statement about hunting. National wildlife refuges are generally coded “restricted” in PAD-US because of seasonal or area closures.
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- Accomack County
- Alleghany County
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- Botetourt County
- Buckingham County
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- Carroll County
- Charles City County
- Fairfax County
- Fauquier County
- Giles County
- Grayson County
- Halifax County
- Highland County
- Isle Of Wight County
- King William County
- Montgomery County
- Nelson County
- New Kent County
- Northampton County
- Pittsylvania County
- Prince Edward County
- Prince William County
- Roanoke County
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- Smyth County
- Suffolk City
- Sussex County
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- Westmoreland County