District of Columbia Hunting Laws

DC has the strictest gun control laws. The 1975 Firearms Control and Regulation Act requires that all firearms must be registered. If the gun was registered before 1975 the law does not apply. The 2008 Supreme Court Case, District of Columbia v. Heller, stated that the city's ban on firearms as unconstitutional.

DC residents may possess weapons purchased legally and secured safely in their houses. Most Washington DC residents who are hunters must travel outside of the City to hunting. Hunting of any animal is illegal in the District of Columbia, therefore most hunters go on hunting trips to rural counties of Maryland and Virginia. Refer to the hunting laws of Maryland and Virginia for additional information on hunting for DC residents.

Possession of a firearm while is vehicle must be unloaded and contained safely in the trunk while in transport, provision of DC legislation is referred to as peaceable journey. This provision allows hunters to go on hunting trips outside of the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia. Hunters also lease hunting lands outside of the DC metro area.

Hunting leases are privately owned land that are rented out to hunters. Other hunters go on hunting trips to public hunting grounds in State Parks on designated hunting grounds. All hunters who are residents of Washington, DC must follow the hunting legislation of the locality in which a hunter is hunting.

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