Alleghany County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,253 deer killed in Alleghany County in the 2025-26 season: 971 antlered bucks, 21 button bucks and 261 does, along with 39 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 49.9% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (143,092 acres), by the USGS Protected Areas Database.
Data updated October 2026. Deer: DWR Deer Kill Data. Bears: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County. Seasons: DWR's 2026-27 deer and bear regulations. Land: PAD-US 4.1.
National forestDWR land (WMAs)State forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)Other state landAlleghany CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 450 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 49.9% (143,550 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,253 (971 antlered, 261 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 2.8 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 39 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
| National forest firearms season | November 14 to November 28 |
How many deer are killed in Alleghany County?
DWR counted 1,253 deer in Alleghany County in 2025-26, down from 1,377. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,710 in 1995. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 971 | 21 | 261 | 1,253 |
| 2024-25 | 1,031 | 31 | 315 | 1,377 |
| 2023-24 | 995 | 19 | 279 | 1,293 |
| 2022-23 | 858 | 16 | 215 | 1,089 |
| 2021-22 | 813 | 24 | 315 | 1,152 |
| 2020-21 | 892 | 34 | 286 | 1,212 |
| 2019-20 | 906 | 30 | 328 | 1,264 |
| 2018-19 | 774 | 29 | 185 | 988 |
| 2017-18 | 858 | 16 | 250 | 1,124 |
| 2016-17 | 767 | 18 | 220 | 1,005 |
| 2015-16 | 812 | 27 | 326 | 1,165 |
| 2014-15 | 785 | 26 | 261 | 1,073 |
| 2013-14 | 727 | 43 | 401 | 1,171 |
| 2012-13 | 914 | 37 | 320 | 1,271 |
| 2011-12 | 776 | 37 | 275 | 1,088 |
| 2010-11 | 799 | 43 | 330 | 1,172 |
| 2009-10 | 908 | 63 | 598 | 1,569 |
| 2008-09 | 982 | 84 | 774 | 1,840 |
| 2007-08 | 1,066 | 92 | 815 | 1,973 |
| 2006-07 | 1,185 | 55 | 532 | 1,772 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Alleghany. DWR's figure for the latest season is preliminary and leaves out the late urban archery and late antlerless-only seasons.
How many bears are killed in Alleghany County?
DWR counted 39 bears in Alleghany County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 |
| 2024 | 87 |
| 2023 | 79 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Alleghany County?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Deer, early archery (either sex, statewide) | October 3 to November 13 |
| Deer, early muzzleloader (most of the state) | October 31 to November 13 |
| Deer, firearms, private lands | November 14 to December 12 |
| Deer, either-sex days | November 21, 27, and 28 |
| Deer, firearms, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest | November 14 to November 28 |
| Deer, either-sex days on the national forest | November 28 |
| Bear, archery | October 17 to November 13 |
| Bear, muzzleloader | November 10 to 13 |
| Bear, firearms | November 27 to 29, and December 21 to January 2 |
Sources: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons; DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons, read 2026-10-18. Late archery and late muzzleloader seasons differ by area; DWR's pages list them. Public land other than the national forest and DWR's WMAs follows the private land seasons.
How much public land is in Alleghany County?
49.9% of Alleghany County is public land: 143,550 of its 287,826 acres. The largest share is national forest, 143,092 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Alleghany County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 143,092 | 49.7% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 458 | 0.2% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). Hunting is allowed on most national forest and DWR land; Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway are closed to it, and state parks allow it only in places.
Which counties border Alleghany County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath County | 56% | 1,545 | 1,070 | 60 |
| Botetourt County | 25.9% | 3,609 | 1,757 | 32 |
| Craig County | 55.3% | 1,726 | 910 | 70 |
| Rockbridge County | 25.4% | 3,639 | 1,888 | 33 |
Highways crossing Alleghany County: I-64 (79 miles), US 60 (45 miles), US 220 (32 miles), VA 18 (19 miles), VA 311 (12 miles) and VA 159 (11 miles). Towns inside: Clifton Forge and Iron Gate.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Alleghany County?
DWR counted 1,253 deer in Alleghany County in 2025-26, against 1,377 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,233 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,710 in 1995, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Alleghany County in 2026?
Early archery runs October 3 to November 13 and early muzzleloader October 31 to November 13 in most of the state. The firearms season on private land in Alleghany County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 21, 27, and 28 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Alleghany County?
In 2026-27: archery October 17 to November 13; muzzleloader November 10 to 13; firearms November 27 to 29, and December 21 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 39 bears in Alleghany County in 2025.
How much public land is in Alleghany County?
143,550 acres, 49.9% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. National forest: 143,092 acres.
Is Alleghany County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Alleghany County as an Earn a Buck county.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer: DWR Deer Kill Data. Bears: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County; DWR, 2025-2026 bear, deer and turkey harvest data announced.
- Seasons, either-sex days and Earn a Buck: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons; DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons.
- Boundary: Virginia county and city boundaries (DCR, served by DWR). WMAs: DWR Wildlife Management Areas. Public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1).
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Numbers are copied from DWR and federal sources, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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