Any county may prohibit the outdoor shooting of firearms or arrows from bows in any areas of the county which are in the opinion of the governing body so heavily populated as to make such conduct dangerous to the inhabitants thereof.For purposes of this section, “bow” includes all compound bows, crossbows, longbows and recurve bows having a peak draw weight of 10 pounds or more. The term “bow” does not include bows that have a peak draw of less than 10 pounds or that are designed or intended to be used principally as toys. The term “arrow” means a shaft-like projectile intended to be shot from a bow.Any county that prohibits the outdoor shooting of firearms or arrows from bows shall provide an exemption for the killing of deer pursuant to § 29.1-529. Such exemption for the shooting of firearms shall apply on land of at least five acres that is zoned for agricultural use. Such exemption for the shooting of arrows from bows shall apply on land of at least two acres that is zoned for agricultural use.

History

Code 1950, § 15-20.3; 1954, c. 223; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-518; 1968, c. 294; 1992, c. 600; 1993, c. 367; 1995, c. 284; 1997, c. 587; 2000, c. 229; 2004, c. 930; 2005, c. 564.