Hunters and fishers; persons going on land, etc., without consent of landowner, Class 1 misdemeanor.
Summary
Board of Wildlife Resources; early special deer muzzleloading season; hunting with dogs. Directs the Board of Wildlife Resources to prescribe an early muzzleloading season to hunt deer that is no less than three weeks in duration and provides that no person shall hunt any game or nuisance species with dogs during the three-week period following such early muzzleloading season.
Bill status
failed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 22, 2026
Last action Feb 16, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced
→
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended from its original introduced version to a substitute version by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources. The substantive policy content regarding hunting seasons and regulations remains largely the same, but the substitute version adds a new requirement for the Board of Wildlife Resources to extend hunting seasons where hounds are used by one week each. The formatting and document structure were also updated to reflect the substitute amendment process.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on deer muzzleloading seasons and hunting with dogs, but the substitute version adds a new requirement for extending hunting seasons where hounds are used.
REQUIREMENT
Added a new provision requiring the Board of Wildlife Resources to promulgate regulations extending hunting seasons where hounds may be used by one week each.
TECHNICAL
Updated document formatting to reflect substitute amendment process with committee markup and page numbering.
Added exception to hunting with dogs prohibition for retrieving wounded or dead small game or waterfowl, expanding the original exception which only covered bear, turkey, or deer.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 12, 2026
How they voted
39–0
Passed
Total votes 39
Feb 12, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
14
Key actions
4
Committee
5
Feb 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (8-Y 6-N)
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate subcommittee offered
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Committee
Assigned HACNR sub: Rural Affairs
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 26104704D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Bryce Reeves
RRepublican
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