Virginia wildlife management areas (WMAs) are state-managed protected areas that exist primarily for the benefit of wildlife. Within the Commonwealth of Virginia, 46 tracts of land have been protected as WMAs, covering a total of over . They are managed and maintained by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
Purpose
WMAs in Virginia differ from other state-managed protected areas in that they are solely intended to preserve and improve wildlife habitat, with a particular focus on game animals, and to provide public space for hunting and fishing activities. Other protected areas in the state, such as state parks, state forests, and natural area preserves, may protect habitat but are also expressly managed to provide space for public recreation, research, timber production, and/or rare species conservation.
Land acquisition and maintenance funds for WMAs are ultimately provided by hunters and anglers, through license fees and taxes levied on gear. These fees are collected on a national level through the Pittman–Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, and distributed proportionally to individual states. Some WMA lands were originally donated to the state for wildlife purposes, rather than purchased.
Public use and access Although maintained for the primary benefit of hunters and anglers, other recreational pursuits are permitted within Virginia's WMAs. Hiking, primitive camping, horseback riding, and bird-watching is allowed on many WMA properties. Prohibited activities include swimming, mountain biking, organized sports, and ATV use. Boats, when permitted, must typically be non-motorized.
To utilize WMA land for any purpose, visitors ages 17 or older must possess a valid hunting or fishing permit, or a current Virginia boat registration. In the absence of these documents, visitors must obtain a daily or annual WMA access permit that allows entry to WMA lands.
List of Virginia wildlife management areas
The following table lists Virginia's 46 WMAs .
WMA nameCity, county or countiesUnless otherwise noted, information included in this column is sourced from individual pages listed at: AreaMajor waterbodiesNotes Amelia Amelia Appomattox River Big Survey Wythe Big Woods Sussex Contiguous with Big Woods State Forest. Briery Creek Prince Edward Briery Creek Lake Chester F. Phelps Fauquier,Culpeper Rappahannock River Cavalier Chesapeake Comprises two separate tracts, one of which is contiguous with Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Chickahominy Charles City Chickahominy River Clinch Mountain Smyth,Washington,Russell,Tazewell Laurel Bed Lake Crooked Creek Carroll Dick Cross Mecklenburg Roanoke River Formerly known as the Elm Hill Wildlife Management Area. Doe Creek Accomack Fairystone Farms Patrick,Henry Philpott Reservoir Contiguous with Fairy Stone State Park. Featherfin Prince Edward,Appomattox,Buckingham Appomattox River Flippo-Gentry Sussex Located west of Big Woods WMA G. Richard Thompson Fauquier Lake Thompson Game Farm Marsh New Kent Chickahominy Lake Goshen and Little North Mountain Augusta,Rockbridge Maury River Contiguous with George Washington National Forest and Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve. Hardware River Fluvanna James River,Hardware River Havens Roanoke The first VDGIF-managed property, initially purchased in 1930. Hidden Valley Washington Hidden Valley Lake Highland Highland Bullpasture River Hog Island Surry,Isle of Wight James River Horsepen Lake Buckingham Horsepen Lake James River Nelson James River Land's End King George Rappahannock River Managed as a waterfowl refuge; hunting not permitted. Mattaponi Caroline Mattaponi River,South River Mattaponi BluffsCarolineMattaponi River Merrimac Farm Prince William Adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico. Mockhorn Island Northampton Extent of the WMA's tidal marshland is greatly reduced at high tide.Oakley ForestSpotsylvania Pettigrew Caroline Powhatan Powhatan Princess Anne Virginia Beach Atlantic Ocean (Back Bay) Ragged Island Isle of Wight James River Rapidan MadisonGreene Rapidan River,Conway River,South River Contiguous with Shenandoah National Park.Robert W. DuncanCarolineMattaponi River Saxis Accomack Atlantic Ocean Primarily protects tidal marshland on Virginia's eastern shore. Short Hills Rockbridge,Botetourt Includes examples of karst topography. Smith Mountain Cooperative Bedford,Pittsylvania Smith Mountain Lake Owned by Appalachian Power and managed by VDWR. Stewarts Creek Carroll Turkeycock Franklin,Henry T. M. Gathright Bath Lake Moomaw Tye River Nelson Tye River Received from Dominion Energy via The Conservation Fund as mitigation for allowing the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross the James River WMA Ware Creek New Kent York River Weston Fauquier White Oak Mountain Pittsylvania Banister River
See also List of National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia
References
External links Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries: Wildlife Management Areas