Waterfowl Quota Hunts

Meghan Marchetti/DWR

General Information/Application

Quota hunts provide hunters opportunities to access public lands that otherwise may be closed to hunting. Hunters can participate in random drawings to hunt waterfowl, white-tailed deer, black bear, quail, rabbits and turkeys. To participate, hunters must apply pre-season and submit a non-refundable application fee. Applicants should be aware there is no guarantee that you will be selected for the hunt or hunt dates. Your application fee(s) will not be returned.

Your application fee(s) are used to process the application, conduct computer random hunter selections and post online hunter notifications. Application fees are $7.50 for each hunt.

A hunter may only apply through the Department’s website at www.gooutdoorsvirginia.com. Applicants will be notified of their status via email. Successful applicants can find their hunt materials online by logging into their GoOutdoorsVirginia account and navigating to the Quota Hunts landing page. Hunters will not receive hunt materials by mail.

Quota Hunts Having Early Application Deadlines

• Princess Anne WMA Early Season Waterfowl Hunt #112 — Applications must be received on or before July 25, 2025.
• Hog Island WMA September Goose and Teal Hunt #114 — Applications must be received on or before July 25, 2025.

Waterfowl

Hog Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) - #101

Hunt waterfowl at Hog Island WMA in Surry County. For every hunt day, eight hunters will be randomly selected and assigned a hunting zone. Hunting parties may hunt anywhere within their randomly assigned zone and each hunter may bring three guests. Blinds and boats are no longer provided. Dogs are allowed and recommended. Walking in can be up to 1.5 miles, one way. There will be no stand-by hunter draws for “no show” vacancies this year. Beginning September 1, scouting is allowed on Sundays only.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025.

Princess Anne WMA Waterfowl Hunts - #102

Hunt waterfowl on managed impoundments at Princess Anne WMA in Virginia Beach. Hunt includes half day hunting each Saturday during the general duck season. Four hunters will be randomly selected for each day of hunting and selected hunters are allowed three guests. Hunter check-in is from 4:15–4:45 a.m. Stand-by drawings will be held promptly at 4:45 to replace “no show” vacancies; individuals with a current “unsuccessful draw notification letter” will be given priority. Draw notification letters must be shown at the time of check-in. Dogs are allowed and recommended. All hunters are required to stop hunting at 1:00 p.m. and have all decoys retrieved and be away from the impoundments by 2:00 p.m. Note: No decoys or blinds provided.

• Applications due: August 29, 2025.

Dutch Gap Conservation Area Waterfowl Hunts - #103

Hunt waterfowl on the Dutch Gap Conservation Area in Chesterfield County. Hunt days are Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday during the last two segments of the general duck season. The last day of the season will be a single-day hunt. Three hunters will be randomly selected for each set of hunting dates and selected hunters may bring two guests. Hunting is from floating blinds at designated blind stakes only.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025.

Tundra Swan Permit - #104

Tundra Swan hunting is by permit only. Each permit holder will be authorized to take one tundra swan. The hunt area is limited to east of U.S. Route I-95 and south of Chopawamsic Creek on the Prince William / Stafford County line. Hunters who did not return the previous year’s survey will be ineligible to be awarded this year’s permit.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025.

Lake Orange Waterfowl Hunts - #105

Hunt waterfowl on Lake Orange in Orange County. Hunt days are Wednesday and Saturday during the last two segments of the general duck season. One hunter will be randomly selected for each hunt date and selected hunters may bring two guests. Hunting will only be allowed on a designated section(s) of Lake Orange. Only floating blinds, anchored within 50 feet of shore, or portable blinds along the designated shoreline will be allowed.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025.

Dick Cross WMA Waterfowl Hunts - #106

Hunt waterfowl on designated impoundments at Dick Cross WMA in Mecklenburg County. Hunt days are every Wednesday during the last two segments of the general duck season. Two hunters will be randomly selected for each hunt date and selected hunters may bring two guests. Hunts begin one half hour before sunrise and end at 3:00 p.m. Hunters must provide decoys. Dogs are allowed. There are no boat landings or direct vehicular access provided. Small boats or canoes may be used but must be transported on foot.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025.

Princess Anne WMA Floating Blind Stake Waterfowl Hunts - #107

Hunt waterfowl for half days on the waters of Back Bay in Virginia Beach on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and opening day during the last two segments of the general duck season. There are 43 floating blind stakes available for hunting. Each hunter will be randomly assigned a number prior to the season for each day that they apply. Each hunt day, hunters present will select their blind based on their assigned number for that day, starting with the lowest number until all the hunters present have selected or all stakes have been drawn. Drawings start promptly at 5:00 a.m. Hunters who are late or without a draw number can participate in a standby drawing that will take place immediately after the quota drawing. Selected hunters may bring as many guests as their boat can legally hold as determined by Coast Guard capacity placard. Limited water access to the area requires that all hunting parties have a boat/ float blind and float blind license. All hunters are required to stop hunting at 1:00 p.m. and have all decoys retrieved and be away from the blind stakes by 2:00 p.m. It is recommended that each hunting party visit the hunting area prior to the season to locate boat access, blind stakes, and scout the area in general. You must be familiar with the area to locate the blind stakes before shooting time! See Princess Anne WMA web page for maps.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025.
• Christmas Day and New Year’s Day will be first-come, first-served. No check-in required on those dates.

Princess Anne WMA Early Season Floating Blind Stake Waterfowl Hunt - #112

Hunt September Canada geese/teal (during the September teal season) and waterfowl (during the October waterfowl season) on the waters of Back Bay in Virginia Beach on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and opening day. Resident goose season prior to the teal season is open on a first-come, first-served basis. Quota hunting begins with the opening of teal season. There are 43 floating blind stakes available for hunting. Each hunter will be randomly assigned a number prior to the season for each day that they apply. Each hunt day, hunters present will select their blind based on their assigned number for that day, starting with the lowest number until all the hunters present have selected or all stakes have been drawn. Drawings start promptly at 5:00 a.m. Hunters who are late or without a draw number can participate in a standby drawing that will take place immediately after the quota drawing. Selected hunters may bring as many guests as their boat can legally hold as determined by Coast Guard capacity placard. Limited water access to the area requires that all hunting parties have a boat/ float blind and float blind license. All hunters are required to stop hunting at 1:00 p.m. and have all decoys retrieved and be away from the blind stakes by 2:00 p.m. It is recommended that each hunting party visit the hunting area prior to the season to locate boat access, blind stakes, and scout the area in general. You must be familiar with the area to locate the blind stakes before shooting time, See the Princess Anne WMA web page for maps.

• Applications due: July 25, 2025.

Game Farm Marsh (WMA) - #113

Hunting at Game Farm Marsh WMA in New Kent County is by Quota Hunt drawing on the first two dates of the October segment and the opening day of the November and December segments. Seven parties will be randomly selected to hunt the area on these days. Each successful applicant will be allowed two guests. There is no standby for this hunt.

Hunt locations will be on a first-come, first-served basis and hunting parties are asked to maintain a respectful distance from each other. A limited number of DWR-licensed stationary blinds are available on the area. Hunters may use these blinds. Hunters may also hunt from floating blinds or while standing on Game Farm Marsh property. Hunting out of floating blinds is not permitted within 500 yards of any privately licensed stationary blinds. Hunters may not occupy the area before 5:00 a.m. and must vacate the area by 1:00 p.m. No other equipment is provided. You will need a boat to access the WMA – access is not allowed through the adjacent New Kent Forestry Center. Dogs are allowed and recommended.

For the remainder of the October, November, and December/January segments of the duck season, Game Farm Marsh WMA is open for hunting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, with no restrictions on the number of hunters. Hunters may not occupy the area before 5:00 a.m. and must vacate the area by 1:00 p.m.

• Applications Due: August 29, 2025.

Hog Island WMA September Goose and Teal Hunt - #114

Hunt geese and/or teal at Hog Island WMA in Surry County. Hunt days include September 1 and each Saturday in the month. For every hunt day, five hunters will be randomly selected, and each may bring three guests. Dogs are allowed and recommended. There will be no stand-by hunter draws for “no show” vacancies this year.

• Applications due: July 25, 2025

Hog Island WMA Waterfowl Youth/Apprentice Hunt - #115

This hunt allows youth and apprentice hunters exclusive access to pursue waterfowl at Hog Island WMA in Surry County. For both hunt days, eight youth (15 years of age or younger) or licensed apprentice hunters will be randomly selected and assigned a hunting zone. Hunting parties may hunt anywhere within their randomly assigned zone. At least one licensed hunter (18 years of age or older) must attend as a guest mentor – up to two mentors are allowed. Only the youth or licensed apprentice hunter may harvest. Blinds and boats are no longer provided. Individuals aged 16 years and older must present a government-issued ID to Dominion security the day of the hunt. Dogs are allowed and recommended. Walking in can be up to 1.5 miles, one. There will be no stand-by hunter draws for “no show” vacancies this year. Beginning September 1, scouting is allowed on Sundays only.

• Applications due: September 26, 2025

The Department of Wildlife Resources reserves the right to manage hunter access and hunter use on Department-owned and controlled lands as deemed appropriate.