- Heritage Day, scheduled for April 4 has been canceled.
- Stockings for Urban Program Waters and the Youth-Only Stocked Trout Program will be rescheduled and will no longer be pre-announced. All waters will still receive their full allotment of trout stockings for the season.
- Additionally, trout stockings at the Department’s three Fee Fishing Areas (Clinch Mountain, Crooked Creek, and Douthat Lake) will not begin in early April as planned. Stockings at the Fee Areas will resume as soon as it is advisable.
Information on daily trout stockings can be found on the DGIF website or by calling the Trout Line at 434-525-3474.
In addition to fishing and boating opportunities, hunting opportunities are still out there. Of special interest this time of year, Spring Turkey season (including Youth and Apprentice Weekend) remains on schedule, and as many of you are probably seeing, the birds are already out and about across the Commonwealth. And if you’re not aware, there are still deer hunting opportunities in some parts of the state—in the form of urban archery seasons. All of the information that you see in our Hunting and Trapping Digest pertaining to hunting seasons and rules and regulations remains applicable.
If you’re home and wondering how you’re going to do your hunter or boater education since in person classes have been canceled, don’t worry, you can do those online! Through our partner, Kalkomey, they have graciously offered up 1000 courses to ensure students have the option for online education while at home. To obtain the complementary hunter education certificate, go to hunter-ed.com/virginia and use the code G1VirginiaHE2020. You must register by April 14, 2020 for the free course.
Our WMAs remain open, and we encourage you to take advantage of them while practicing social distancing. Check out our website for more information. We’ll update this accordingly should things change. While the outdoors provide an escape and an opportunity for social distancing, current concerns have led us to need to cancel public events, as others have done. As excited as we were for The Merrimac Farm WMA Bluebell Festival scheduled for April 11, we’ve had to cancel. Visitors may still enter the WMA on their own to view the Virginia Bluebells found throughout the Cedar Run floodplain.
If you’re stuck indoors because the weather isn’t nice, you can always take a look at our Shad Cam or, if you want some entertainment, watch the Falcon Cam! The falcons have been stirring up all kinds of trouble this year so I’m sure you’ll be entertained! If you’re indoors because you’re a teacher or a parent learning to home-school, we have some great resources for you online!
Remember, we’re all in this together and DGIF wants to help you experience the outdoors while promoting your safety. Before you venture out, check our website and COVID-19 page for updates. If you have any questions regarding DGIF services or activities, please give us a call (804-367-1000) and we will help with your needs as best we can.
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