I’ve always thought that Virginia’s Wildlife Management Areas flew under the radar for those outdoor-loving, but non-hunting and angling, Virginians. WMAs are packed during hunting season, and fishermen know the opportunities they provide. But I’m not sure other outdoor enthusiasts — trail runners, hikers, bikers and bird watchers — realize how much the WMA’s have to offer — the amount of trail, the natural beauty. Well, in a few days, those non-hunters and anglers are going to have to pay — though not much — for the pleasure.

 

 

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries owns more than 201,000 acres of land on 39 Wildlife Management Areas located across the Commonwealth. The DGIF also owns 35 public fishing lakes statewide. Most of the land and the lakes were purchased using primarily revenue from the sale of hunting licenses, freshwater fishing licenses, and trapping licenses. Revenue from these sales has also paid for upkeep of the DGIF-maintained roads, parking areas, kiosks, and wildlife and fish habitat and management work done on these properties. Over the years, hunters and anglers who shouldered the cost to acquire and to maintain these sites, have shared the property with bird watchers, wildflower enthusiasts, horseback riders, and others who have had the benefit of accessing these locations at no cost. But that is going to change on January 1.