The Virginia Citizens Defense League is asking the State Forester to change the current regulation to allow the otherwise lawful carry of handguns, either concealed with a concealed handgun permit or openly, in a state forest. 

The Department of Forestry shall submit notice of the petition to the Registrar for publication in the Virginia Register.  The notice will be available for a 21-day comment period by the public.  After the close of the 21-day comment period, the agency will issue a written decision as to whether it will grant or deny the petition.

The request is granted in part and denied in part. The State Forester has reviewed the petitioner's request to allow the lawful carry of handguns, either concealed with a concealed handgun permit, or openly in a state forest, and agrees to amend the regulations to allow the lawful carry of concealed handguns with a concealed handgun permit, but not change regulations to allow the carrying of open handguns on State Forests. Once the State Forest regulations are successfully amended, the requirements for carrying handguns on State Forests will be similar to those governing handguns on State Parks.