                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

STATIONARY BLINDS ON SHORE AND IN THE PUBLIC WATERS FOR OWNERS OF RIPARIAN
RIGHTS (§ 29.1-344)

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7; 29.1-340, each year, the owners of
riparian rights, their lessees or permittees shall have the exclusive privilege
of licensing and erecting stationary blinds on their shoreline, and the prior
right of licensing and erecting stationary blinds in the public waters in front
of their shoreline, to shoot waterfowl over the public waters. Such blinds shall
not be located in water having a depth greater than eight feet at mean high
tide, nor shall they be located farther than halfway across the body of water
from the riparian owner&#8217;s shoreline, except on the shores and waters of
Back Bay in the City of Virginia Beach where such blinds are limited to (i) the
riparian owner&#8217;s shoreline at the mean low water mark or (ii) blinds
erected and licensed by the riparian owner in 2011. When licensing a stationary
blind, the location of each blind licensed shall be provided as latitude and
longitude coordinates. When such a license has been obtained and a stake or a
stationary blind has been erected on the site with the license for that season
properly affixed, no other stationary or floating blind shall be located in the
public waters within 500 yards of the licensed site without the consent of the
riparian owner, lessee or permittee.

B. At the time of the license transaction pursuant to subsection A, the licensee
shall provide the unique location of each stationary waterfowl blind to the
Department, identified as standardized latitude and longitude coordinates, using
the decimal degrees format with a minimum of five digit precision. The
Department shall publish such coordinates by November 1 of each year, excluding
any customer personal information, on its website in a searchable, publicly
accessible, and conspicuous manner.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 29-85; 1987, c. 488; 1989, c. 217; 2004, c. 422; 2010, c.
9; 2012, c. 227; 2013, c. 745; 2020, c. 415; 2024, c. 186.