Virginia’s second segment of dove season opens November 22, and before everyone heads to the fields, the Department of Wildlife Resources is asking hunters to keep something important in mind: please don’t shoot at birds sitting on power lines. Most folks already know that’s against the law, but there’s a new wrinkle this year that’s causing real problems across the state.
For decades, hunters have taken the occasional shot at a dove on a wire and never thought much about it. It usually wasn’t a big deal. But now, fiber optic cables are running right underneath those power lines. They look harmless enough—and most of the time, you don’t even notice them—but they can’t take a hit from birdshot. When a pellet breaks one of those tiny glass fibers, whole communities can lose internet and phone service.
And it’s not just a minor inconvenience. Without broadband, 911 communications can go down. Emergency responders can’t talk to each other. Schools, businesses, and homes lose service. According to state officials, Virginia has already racked up more than 300,000 broadband outage minutes during the first part of this year’s dove season. All from shot-up lines.
Gary Wood, the CEO of Firefly Broadband, said that this is a brand-new problem for both broadband providers and hunters. Folks have been hunting these same fields for generations without causing damage, simply because the old lines were tougher and fiber wasn’t there. Now those thin, glass-packed cables sit just below the wires—an easy target for stray pellets and a nightmare to repair.
Repairing one of these damaged fiber cables can cost around $25,000. And that bill doesn’t magically disappear. In many cases, the shooter and even the landowner can be held responsible. Considering Virginia and the federal government have spent nearly $2 billion installing fiber optic lines since 2017, it’s safe to say the state takes this seriously.
At the end of the day, nobody’s trying to spoil anyone’s hunt. Broadband is just part of life now, and the folks using it are your neighbors, your kids’ teachers, the businesses down the road, and the first responders who show up when someone calls for help. A single broken fiber can leave an entire area in the dark.
So as dove season rolls on, do everyone a favor and leave those birds on the lines alone. Enjoy the hunt, be a good neighbor, and keep your shots clear of the poles. Simple as that.
