Hog Island Wildlife Management Area
Confirmed against an official or primary source as of the date shown.
Every access/closure/restriction claim above is a direct quote or close paraphrase from a live WebFetch of DWR's own Hog Island WMA page on 2026-08-09, including the 1,000-yard refuge-closure detail — a real, concrete example of exactly the kind of nuance a visitor could easily miss by assuming the whole WMA is open simply because it's public land.
Important closure/boundary detail: DWR's own page carries a current notice (checked 2026-08-09) that Hog Island WMA is closed to public access, including via water, from August 1–17, 2026 for nutria eradication efforts — a real, dated, temporary closure, not a permanent rule. Reconfirm current closure status directly before visiting.
- Managing authority
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
- City / county
- Surry County
- Location precision
- A specific named place, as published by the source below — not a precise coordinate.
- Boat access only
- No — some or all of the area is reachable without a boat
- Launch / parking
- A boat ramp on the management area at Lawnes Creek serves those launching to fish or hunt the James River.
- Hours
- Closed all Saturdays until noon during September; open Sundays (main road only) October 1–March 15; all areas open daily March 16–August 31, per DWR.
Habitat & species context
Roughly 3,373 acres of tidal marsh, hardwood swamp, and mixed pine-hardwood forest along the lower James River, across from Hampton Roads proper. Over 30 species of waterfowl have been recorded here, drawn to the tidal marshes, diked impoundments, and planted fields, per DWR.
Major restrictions
- Waterfowl hunting occurs on the Hog Island Tract under controlled conditions (agency quota-hunt system) only.
- The Hog Island State Waterfowl Refuge itself, plus the waters of the James River within a 1,000-yard radius of the island, are closed to waterfowl hunting — except from blinds erected by DWR itself.
- Department-constructed blinds accommodate three hunters each.
Last reviewed 2026-08-09.
Boundaries, permit systems, and closures can change. Confirm current rules directly at the managing authority's own page before hunting, and see Licensing & Regulations →