Recovering Downed Birds

Make every reasonable effort to recover a downed or crippled bird before pursuing another shot opportunity — a trained retriever is the single most effective tool for this, both on land and in water, and is a strong reason many waterfowl hunters use one.

A bird that falls into heavy cover, deep water, or a fast current can require real, sustained effort to recover — factor this into shot selection itself (see Ethical Range above): don't take a shot over terrain or water you can't realistically follow up in.

Virginia, like other states, prohibits wanton waste of game — leaving a recoverable, downed bird unretrieved without genuine effort is not just poor form, it's a real regulatory violation; see DWR's own current wanton-waste rule for the exact current language before hunting.