Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge hosts an annual white-tailed deer hunt to manage the deer population on the site. Hunts are generally scheduled for November and December. Occoquan Bay operates a lottery based hunt, participants must view an online orientation video that defines the rules of the hunt, as well as the management objectives, before purchasing a hunt permit. All hunters are required to have a state hunting license and each must show proficiency with firearms by qualifying at a firing range. The hunt qualifies through the Virginia鈥檚 Deer Management Assistance Program.
Hunt Dates: Thursday, November 20 & December 4, 2025
Scout Date: Saturday, November 15 2025, 9am-2pm
The Lottery for the 2025 hunt will open July 26, 2025.
Lottery, orientation, and permit sales administered on
The 2025 Northern Virginia Managed Hunt Shotgun Qualification Card and Standards:
/media/firearms-qualification-standards
/media/2025-northern-virginia-managed-hunt-shotgun-qualification-card