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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

Hazardous Weather 23 SEPT 2023

Hazardous weather conditions are forecasted for 23 September 2023. Hunting and scouting will be closed on Saturday 23 Sept until conditions improve.

 

UPDATE: 1 SEPT 2023

New Lunga Park hours
Monday - Sunday = Sunrise to Sunset

All boaters must physically sign kiosk book at MCCS Lunga Park Boat House as well as check-into iSportsman.
 

 

UPDATE: 25 AUG 2023

2023-2024 Hunting Seasons – The 2023-2024 MCBQ Fishing & Hunting Season bulletin is in the base review and approval process.  As soon as the bulletin is approved, it will be publish on the Quantico iSportsman website.    Hunting and Fishing Regulations can be found in Base Order 11015.2D

 

Until the Fishing & Hunting Season bulletin is finalized, the hunting seasons for September 2023 are as follows:

 

September 2023 Hunting Seasons

SEPTEMBER CANADA GOOSE

5 Sep – 25 Sep

Daily Limit: 10 per day

East of I-95

5 – 16 Sep; Hunting ceases at ½ hour after sunset.

17 – 25 Sep; Hunting ceases at sunset.

West of I-95

5 – 20 Sep; Hunting ceases at ½ hour after sunset.

21 – 25 Sep; Hunting ceases at sunset.

DOVE

5 Sep – 22 Oct; 18 Nov – 26 Nov; 22 Dec – 20 Jan

Daily Limit: 15 per day. The legal shooting hours are ½ hour before sunrise until sunset for the entire season. 

SQUIRREL

5 Sep – 31 Jan

Daily Limit: 6

SEPTEMBER TEAL

17 - 30 Sep (East of I-95); 21 - 30 Sep (West of I-95)

Daily Limit: 6 per day;

WHITE-TAILED DEER

Youth/Apprentice Hunt             

30 Sep     

Either-sex. Firearms or Archery.  Blaze orange or pink required.

 

 

UPDATE 28 June 2023

Give back to your hunting and fishing community by helping wildlife at Quantico. Join our Conservation Volunteer Program to support the restoration of nearly 58,000 acres of forest and wetland habitat at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

UPDATE 30 May 2023

June 2^nd - 4^th are the  2023 Virginia Free Fishing Days.  A free MCBQ fishing permit, valid only those dates, is available for purchase through iSportsman.  Look for  "Free Fishing Days Permit - June 2-4" in the purchase permits section of iSportsman.  Anglers must possess the free permit or other valid MCBQ fishing permit while fishing during VA’s Free Fishing days.  VA Fishing Licenses are not required June 2^nd – 4^th, 2023.

 

UPDATE 22 May 2023

 

Lunga Reservoir and Lunga Park Reopening

The MCBQ Fish and Wildlife Program is conducting an angler creel survey for all Lunga Reservoir anglers, May 26 - June 30, 2023.  Surveys will be available at the Lunga Park boat launch and must be filled out by all anglers.  Please follow guidance provided on the signage at the boat launch.  This information provides critical information for fish and wildlife managers for future fisheries management at Lunga Reservoir.

PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION AND REFERENCED WEBSITES

For further details about Lunga Park and specific access criteria, please see the MCCS Lunga Park website Lunga Park (usmc-mccs.org).

MCBO 5090.1 -  MCINCR-MCBQ Lunga Recreation Area Operations Order

Lunga Park Safety Brochure

When: 

• Initial opening - May 26^th- May 29^th 
• Closed to recreation - May 30^th -June 2^nd
• Re-opens - June 3^rd for Lunga Park Adventure Day and remains open for the remainder of the season.
  • June 2^nd - 4^th are VA’s Free Fishing Days.  A free MCBQ fishing permit, valid only those dates, will be available for purchase (starting May 30^th) through iSportsman.  Anglers must possess the free permit or other valid MCBQ fishing permit while fishing during VA’s Free Fishing days.  VA Fishing Licenses are not required June 2^nd – 4^th.
  • No Personal boats/watercraft launching will be allowed on June 3^rd, due to safety concerns during the Adventure Day event.  See Lunga Park (usmc-mccs.org) for more detail.
• Fishing and Boating Hours: See the MCCS Lunga Park website for all fishing and boating hours (note that there are different hours for the Park, Boat House, and Boat Launch) on Lunga Park and Lunga Recreation Area.

Who:

Per DoD policies, only authorized patrons (and guests) of MCCS – Moral, Welfare, & Recreation (MWR) services may be permitted access to Lunga Park in accordance with base access policies.  Members of the general public are not authorized at this time.

The following individuals have full access to MWR services and programs:

• Active-duty service members and their families
• Members of the National Guard and reserves and their families
• Current and retired DoD civilian employees
• Service academy and Merchant Marine cadets
• Retired service members and their families
• Honorably discharged veterans with a 100% service-connected disability
• Medal of Honor recipients
• Surviving family members of uniformed service members or retirees until they age out of eligibility, or their dependent status associated with the deceased member or retiree changes.

Who is required to check in and out through iSportsman?

• Anyone launching a personal boat (includes kayaks and canoes) and all anglers are required to obtain all necessary permits (see below) and check in and out using Quantico iSportsman.  Please register for an iSportsman account and obtain permits prior to coming on MCBQ.
  • A MCBQ Lunga Boating permit (available through iSportsman) is required to operate a personal boat for recreation (non-fishing) on Lunga Reservoir.  A boating permit is not required if fishing from a boat (see fishing license requirements below).

Who is NOT required to check in and out through iSportsman?

• Recreational boaters (non-fishing) that are renting boats on-site from MCCS
  • Will be checked in and out directly at the Lunga MCCS Facility
  • Do not need a boating permit from Quantico iSportsman

What:

Boating

• All boats must launch from the MCCS operated facilities at Lunga Park.
• All recreational users must read the Lunga Safety Brief prior to any recreation at Lunga.
• Per MCINCR-MCBQ Base Order 5090.1 – MCINCR MCBQ Lunga Recreation Area Operations -   ….Boating and Fishing. 
  • Boating is restricted to electric motors only
  • Boats with both gas and electric motors are allowed to utilize the electric motor only with the gas engine fully out of the water.  No secondary fuel containers are allowed in boats.
  • No anchoring (including the use of power poles) of any boats at the bottom of Lunga Reservoir is allowed; patron should avoid any disturbance of the sediments at the bottom of the reservoir during boating and fishing activities.
  • Boaters must check the flagpole at the boat launch area, if the active range use flag is flying, then boaters shall not pass the Safety Danger Zone buoys within the reservoir. 
  • All boaters and anglers must adhere to policies and procedures outlined MCBO 11015.2D and MCBBul 11015.

Fishing

• At this time, shoreline fishing will only be permitted within Lunga Park (no fishing from the docks).
• Boat fishing on Lunga Reservoir is permitted and all boats will launch at Lunga Park. 
• A Virginia Fishing License and MCBQ Fishing Permit is required to fish anywhere aboard MCBQ.
• VA regulations concerning the possession of game and nongame fish, reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrates are applicable and enforced at MCBQ. MCBQ follows the state Creel and Length Limits for all fish species.  Consult VA freshwater fishing regulations for creel and length limits.  https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/media/creel-and-length-limits.pdf

       Note: The length restriction for bass on MCBQ is no longer in effect and MCBQ follows the state creel and length limits.

• See MCBO 11015.2D – Fish and Wildlife Management Procedural Manual for all fishing regulations on MCBQ.

UPDATE 27 Mar 2023

 

UPDATE 06 Mar 2023

Spring Scouting Period

Dates                                     18 Mar - 13 May*

*Scouting is closed on Youth/Apprentice Day

Hours                                     0800-1600 preseason and Sundays

                                               Follows hunting hours during season 

- Locator calls that do not mimic turkeys are the only calls permitted while scouting

- Areas east of I-95 will be open for scouting only for those who have completed the Mainside Archery Qualification

 

2023 Spring Gobbler Season (Bearded Birds Only)

*Hunts end at 1200 for all seasons and dates

 

Youth/Apprentice Day               1 Apr 

Gobbler Season                        8 Apr - 13 May

 

Daily Limit :                              1

Annual Limit :                           3 (Fall 2022/2023 & Spring 2023 Seasons)

* Note: No more than 2 turkeys may be taken in the Fall and no more than 2 turkeys may be taken in the Spring

 

UPDATE 09 JAN 2023

 

There will be a Turkey Hunting Skills workshop offered by VA DWR Hunter Ed program at the NREA Game Checkstation on Saturday March 4 2023.  See link below for details..

https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/190598

 

UPDATE 05 JAN 2023

As of 05 Jan 2023, any game cameras found deployed on MCBQ property will be confiscated by Law Enforcement.

MCBQ Command has implemented a change to the Base Photography Order.  Effective immediately game camera use, including for scouting, hunting and other outdoor recreation, is prohibited on MCBQ.  

 

UPDATE 14 DEC 2022

Reminder, waterfowl Blind 1 will be closed to hunting after 15 Dec, due to the proximity of a bald eagle nest and the eagle nesting season.  Alternate blind stake (Blind 1A) will be opened and available to hunting (stake only).  Please see the 2022 blind guide for directions to Blind stake 1A.

 

UPDATE 14 DEC 2022

All Quantico iSportsmen systems and procedures should be back to normal operations.

 

UPDATE 15 NOV 2022

With the holiday season approaching, a reminder that the Game Check Station will be closed and no hunting or scouting is allowed on Thursday- 24 November (Thanksgiving Day), Saturday- 24 Dec through Monday- 26 Dec (Christmas Eve through the Observed Christmas Holiday) & Sunday- 1 Jan and Monday- 2 Jan (Actual and Observed New Years Day).

 

UPDATE 10 NOV 2022

A Fall trout stocking was conducted on 09 Nov in the Chopawamsic Designated Trout Waters (from below the Breckenridge dam to Grey's Reservoir.  Please note that in order to fish this area, you need a state freshwater fishing license, trout stamp, and a base fishing license as well.

 

UPDATE 08 NOV 2022

MCBQ Command has implemented a change to the Base Photography Order.  Effective immediately game camera use, including for scouting, hunting and other outdoor recreation, is prohibited on MCBQ.  Hunters that have game cameras currently deployed on base Training Areas need to remove them as soon as the corresponding Training Area is accessible.

 

UPDATE 20 OCT 2022

The 2022-2023 Hunting Bulletin has been signed by command and is located on the iSportsment hompage.  See the Notes from the program below for more information and highlighted changes to regulations for 2022-2023. 

Notes from the Fish & Wildlife Program

Some notes on wildlife, habitat, and hunting seasons from the MCBQ Fish & Wildlife program.

Population Status Updates

• Hard mast surveys to assess acorn production from red and white oak species were conducted on MCBQ during late August. Surveys showed very poor hard mast production in both white and red oaks at most survey locations.  This trend was also seen in other survey locations in Northern Virginia.
• Brood surveys for turkeys were conducted for adult and young turkeys during July and August.  Surveys results showed some pockets of good brood numbers but for the most part turkeys and brood numbers were lower than normal and scattered.
• Although we are still in the timeframe where deer could be contract Hemorrhagic Disease (HD), no reports of deer exhibiting clinical signs of HD have been noted on MCBQ in 2022.

Habitat Management

• F&W and Forestry programs have worked hard to implement habitat management efforts across MCBQ that will benefit a variety of wildlife species and hunting opportunities.
• 8,000 acres of open and timber lands were managed utilizing planned prescribed burns and fires managed under prescribed conditions that resulted from military training operations.  These burned acres all benefited MCBQ by reducing fuel (reducing the risk of hazardous wildfires), improving cover for military operations, and diversifying plant species and cover types for wildlife.
• ~30 acres of summer wildlife plantings were implemented this year.  These plots not only provide forage for wildlife during summer months (and some potential dove hunting plots), they also set the stage future management on these acres.
• Over 30 acres of fall food plots have been planted with perennial forage to provide winter forage and hunting opportunities on base. 

What’s new for the 2022-2023 Hunting Season?

• The MCBQ Antler Point Restriction (one of the 2 antlered deer permitted to be harvested on base must have at least 3 antler points) has been removed.  Removing the antler point restriction is consistent with the disease management guidance that is recommended by the VA Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) within the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Areas, which MCBQ falls within.  Since adult bucks have the largest home range, they are the most likely deer age and sex group to spread CWD. Regulations or policies that protect those bucks (e.g. antler point restrictions) have a potential to increase the spread of CWD.

 

• An additional Youth & Veteran Waterfowl Hunting Date has been added for the 2022-2023 Hunting Season.  In addition to October 22^nd we will also offer youth & veteran waterfowl hunting on February 4^th.

 

• Earlier this year, legislation was passed allowing Sunday hunting on public lands in Virginia.  Each public land entity would then determine if they would allow Sunday hunting.  At this time, MCBQ command has decided to not permit Sunday hunting on base.

 

• Hunting on MCBQ for Thanksgiving Day has been closed.

 

 

UPDATE: 27 SEP 2022

 

MCINCR-MCBQ OCTOBER HUNTING SEASONS

Seasons beyond October will be posted at future date.

The GCS is closed and no hunting allowed on Sundays.

 

BLACK BEAR

Archery                     1 Oct - 18 Nov

Virginia bear license is required. One (1) per season. Females with cubs may not be harvested. Minimum weight 100 lbs. live or 75 lbs. dressed. Bear can be taken in any open hunting area but hunters must abide by weapons restrictions, i.e., must use archery tackle only in archery hunting areas. MCINCR-MCBQ will NOT participate in the Early Firearms Bear Season, youth/apprentice bear hunting weekend, nor muzzleloader season.

WHITE-TAILED DEER

Archery                  1 Oct – 18 Nov   Either-sex. Base-wide.

 

MCINCR-MCBQ Deer Hunting Policies and Bag Limits

Antlerless Deer: Females (does) and male fawns (button bucks) having no polished antler protruding above the hairline.

Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) Tags.  The Game Checking Station may provide DMAP tags for the harvest of antlerless deer in the following Archery Only Areas: Mainside, TDSA, OCS (2A, 2B, 3, 4), 5B, 5C, 6A, 6C, 7C, 8A, 8B, 17C, and Camp Upshur.  Only DMAP permits issued by the GCS are valid aboard MCINR-MCBQ.  Only 1 DMAP tag may be used per day per hunter. Deer tagged with DMAP tags will not count against either daily or season bag limits.   

Antlered Deer: Antlered deer must have antlers visible above the hairline. DMAP and antlerless tags may NOT be used on antlered deer.

Daily Bag Limit.  1 per day. Exception:  Guests selected for a Wounded, Ill, and Injured (WII) Warrior Hunts may harvest 2 deer per day, one which must be antlered and one which must be antlerless. Deer harvested by these hunters count against their season bag limit. Antlerless deer taken on DMAP tags do not count against the daily bag limit.

Season Bag Limit:  3 per license year. Only 1 antlerless deer can be taken and no more than 2 antlered bucks (see definition above) can be taken at MCINCR-MCBQ during the 2022-2023 deer season. Any of the appropriate tags on the Virginia deer license can be used at MCBQ so long as no more than 2 antlered bucks are harvested and the total number of tabs notched at MCBQ does not exceed 3.  Antlerless deer taken on DMAP tags do not count against the season limit. With approval, WII Warriors and hunters confined to wheelchairs may utilize a firearm within an archery only area to take 1 antlerless deer on a DMAP tag; all other harvest by firearm will count against season bag limit.

Special Youth Antlerless Deer Regulation:  The Virginia apprentice and youth antlerless deer regulation applies at MCINCR-MCBQ.

Bonus Deer Tags.  Bonus deer tags, sold by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, will not be accepted for deer harvested aboard MCINCR-MCBQ.

TURKEY

Fall Seasons – Either-sex

Youth/Apprentice Hunt     8 Oct     Firearms or Archery.

Archery                   1 Oct – 18 Nov

Firearms                  22 Oct - 4 Nov

SQUIRREL

6 Sep – 28 Jan

Daily Limit: 6

 

FURBEARER HUNTING

 Opossum              15 Oct - 28 Jan        No Limit

 Raccoon              15 Oct - 28 Jan        Daily Limit: 2

 Bobcat (Archery)     1 Oct - 31 Oct         Daily Limit: 2*

 Coyote & Skunk       During any open MCBQ hunting season, with the allowable weapon for that season     

Note:  Night hunting prohibited on MCINCR-MCBQ; Furbearers can only be taken ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. 

*Bobcat daily limit is 2 per hunting party; Annual limit is 4 taken by hunting and trapping combined.

 

MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS

DOVE

6 Sep – 22 Oct

Daily Limit: 15 per day. The legal shooting hours are ½ hour before sunrise until sunset for the entire season.           

YOUTH & VETERAN WATERFOWL DAYS

22 Oct

Open to youth 15 years of age and under, military veterans, and active duty service members. Participants may harvest the allowed daily limit of ducks and other waterfowl.

DUCKS

7-10 Oct (Black duck closed)

Daily Limit: 6 ducks of any species except noted DWR species limits (See DWR Migratory Gamebird Digest)

MERGANSERS

7 - 10 Oct

Daily Limit:  5 birds total, and can include any combination of hooded, red-breasted, and common mergansers

All other migratory game bird species not listed will follow the VA DWR seasons and bag limits. See DWR Migratory Gamebird Digest for more additional regulations and seasons. 

 

Game Check Station Hours

Oct              0730- 1 hour past sunset

Archery Qualifications

4-27 Oct             1200 Tuesdays and Thursdays

UPDATE: 2 SEP 2022

2022 Managed Dove Fields – We are pleased to be able to offer two complexes of managed dove fields on MCBQ for the 2022 hunting season.  Rich Reid and Turkey Trot  fields (both TA 9D) were planted in a dove field mix and managed to offer dove hunting opportunities.  Dove season on MCBQ opens on September 6th (see full season details below).  Access to these fields are still dependent on military training and are more likely to be available on Saturdays (see "Open Areas" tab for day to day availability).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rich Reid Fields: (38.53261, -77.51350)

Turkey Trot Fields: (38.54165, -77.49624)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATE: 22 AUG 2022

2022-2023 Hunting Seasons – The 2022-2023 MCBQ Fishing & Hunting Season bulletin is in the base review and approval process.  As soon as the bulletin is approved, it will be publish on the Quantico iSportsman website.    Hunting and Fishing Regulations can be found in Base Order 11015.2D

 

Until the Fishing & Hunting Season bulletin is finalized, the hunting seasons for September 2022 are as follows:

 

September 2022 Hunting Seasons

SEPTEMBER CANADA GOOSE

6 Sep – 24 Sep

Daily Limit: 10 per day

East of I-95

6 – 16 Sep; Hunting ceases at ½ hour after sunset.

17 – 24 Sep; Hunting ceases at sunset.

West of I-95

6 – 20 Sep; Hunting ceases at ½ hour after sunset. 21 – 24 Sep; Hunting ceases at sunset.

DOVE

6 Sep – 22 Oct; 19 Nov – 26 Nov; 23 Dec – 21 Jan

Daily Limit: 15 per day. The legal shooting hours are ½ hour before sunrise until sunset for the entire season. 

SQUIRREL

6 Sep – 28 Jan

Daily Limit: 6

SEPTEMBER TEAL

17 - 30 Sep (East of I-95); 21 - 30 Sep (West of I-95)

Daily Limit: 6 per day;

WHITE-TAILED DEER

Youth/Apprentice Hunt             

24 Sep     

Either-sex. Firearms or Archery.  Blaze orange or pink required.

2022 Archery Qualifications – Archery Qualifications will be held Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 12 noon starting Tuesday, September 6 through September 30th and Tuesdays and Thursdays October 1st- October 31st.  If hunters are unable to attend on Tuesday or Thursday, contact the game check station to see if staffing allows for alternate arrangements.  The archery safety brief within iSportsman has replaced the archery safety video formerly viewed at the Game Check Station.  To complete the archery safety brief, click on “my safety briefs” within your iSportsman account.  In order to maintain social distancing procedures, we have created a day-of check-in activity on iSportsman.  Beginning at 4 am, people can check-in to the Archery Qualification Activity to reserve a spot for the Qualification of that day. 

Update: 12 April 2022

Camp Upshur parking areas have changed in that there are now 5 different parking spots, each cooresponding to different huntable sector(s) for access. Please refer to the new Camp Upshur Map and Description. Parking Area P13 is only situationally accessible as the "gate" is only unlocked and passable on certains days after 0600. Gate open or close will be reflected in the Open Areas. 
 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ

 

Quantico DOES NOT participate in the Early Archery Season in September that Stafford and Prince William Counties have enrolled in. 

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Containment Area –Fauquier County in its entirety is located within VDWR’s Disease Management Area (DMA) 2.  Training Areas 9B, 13, 14A, 14B, 14C are within Fauquier County. Any deer harvested in these areas MUST follow VDWR’s requirements on transporting deer.  VDWR has authorized base hunters to transport deer to the Quantico Game Check Station for data collection purposes.  Fauquier County deer must be immediately taken to a processor within DMA 1 or DMA 2 or processed (quartered) at the Game Check Station. We have a refrigerator unit available to hang deer for up to 72 hours for you to come process your deer. The spinal column and head MUST be left at the GCS so NREA Staff can properly dispose of them. In a joint effort with the state, we have and will continue to take samples to test for CWD. Through testing, CWD has not been confirmed present on the base. Please see our Guidelines for Hunting within DMA2 document for more information.

​Sunday Scouting:
​Sunday scouting is permitted 0800-1600. You cannot reserve an area on Saturday to scout Sunday. Additionally, to make a reservation for Monday, you make your reservation on Sunday instead of Saturday.

Adding a participant/youth to your hunt:
​When checking in to hunt, if you click yes to add a participant, THEY MUST check themselves out at the end of the night (or you log in to their account and sign them out). They will not automatically check out when you check yourself out.

Hunt Map Georeferenced – We have provided an online PDF version of our hunt map that is georeferenced. This means that when using a mapping app such as Avenza, you can see where you are located at all times to ensure you are in the correct training area. This is a great feature to have on your smart phone.