Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Statewide, Virginia
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference flags the Department of Wildlife Resources' regional law-enforcement talkgroups on STARS as encrypted, but a number of the agency's regional tac, 'Special' and 'Blue' talkgroups — including all of Region 3's except its law-enforcement channel — are still listed in the clear, so 'all operations' overstates it.
Encryption Details
What This Means
Some of this agency's traffic is encrypted and some is not. What you can hear depends on the channel and on what the department is doing at the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources radio encrypted?
Yes. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources uses P25 AES-256 encryption. Some of this agency's traffic is encrypted and some is not. What you can hear depends on the channel and on what the department is doing at the time.
Can I listen to Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources on a police scanner?
Partially. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources encrypt their radio?
The standard justification nationwide is officer safety and operational security, regardless of whether a documented local incident ever required it. The tradeoff that follows is consistent too: public oversight drops, and reporters lose the ability to track state agency response as it happens.
Can Statewide County reverse the encryption decision?
Nothing technical prevents it. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources operates encrypted because someone decided it should, and decisions of that kind get revisited when councils hear sustained, organised pressure rather than isolated complaints.
What can I do about Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources encryption?
File a FOIA request for Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources's radio recordings and encryption-decision paperwork, then show up to speak at a council or commission meeting. Find other residents or journalists in Statewide County who want the same access — state legislation requiring public radio access is the longer-term fix, but organized local pressure is what usually moves the needle first.