Amelia County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,995 deer killed in Amelia County in the 2025-26 season: 1,346 antlered bucks, 212 button bucks and 1,437 does, along with 29 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1.1% of the county is public land, the largest share DWR land (WMAs) (2,219 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.
DWR land (WMAs)State forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)Amelia CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 361 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.1% (2,512 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Amelia WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,995 (1,346 antlered, 1,437 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 8.3 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 29 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Amelia County?
DWR counted 2,995 deer in Amelia County in 2025-26, up from 2,665. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 3,450 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,346 | 212 | 1,437 | 2,995 |
| 2024-25 | 1,232 | 223 | 1,210 | 2,665 |
| 2023-24 | 1,280 | 193 | 1,091 | 2,564 |
| 2022-23 | 1,167 | 183 | 1,093 | 2,443 |
| 2021-22 | 1,222 | 199 | 1,077 | 2,498 |
| 2020-21 | 1,231 | 228 | 1,298 | 2,757 |
| 2019-20 | 1,274 | 237 | 1,212 | 2,723 |
| 2018-19 | 1,122 | 188 | 1,073 | 2,383 |
| 2017-18 | 1,088 | 175 | 935 | 2,198 |
| 2016-17 | 1,000 | 154 | 846 | 2,000 |
| 2015-16 | 1,231 | 172 | 1,069 | 2,472 |
| 2014-15 | 951 | 190 | 956 | 2,098 |
| 2013-14 | 1,293 | 273 | 1,437 | 3,004 |
| 2012-13 | 1,203 | 269 | 1,310 | 2,784 |
| 2011-12 | 1,231 | 326 | 1,612 | 3,170 |
| 2010-11 | 1,346 | 286 | 1,511 | 3,143 |
| 2009-10 | 1,429 | 353 | 1,668 | 3,450 |
| 2008-09 | 1,512 | 347 | 1,590 | 3,449 |
| 2007-08 | 1,445 | 350 | 1,417 | 3,212 |
| 2006-07 | 1,454 | 308 | 1,370 | 3,132 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Amelia. 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 Amelia County?
DWR counted 29 bears in Amelia County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 |
| 2024 | 24 |
| 2023 | 31 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Amelia 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 January 2 |
| Deer, either-sex days | November 21, 28, and December 5 through January 2 |
| Bear, archery | October 3 to November 13 |
| Bear, muzzleloader | November 7 to 13 |
| Bear, firearms | November 30 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 Amelia County?
1.1% of Amelia County is public land: 2,512 of its 231,055 acres. The largest share is DWR land (WMAs), 2,219 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Amelia County |
|---|---|---|
| DWR land (WMAs) | 2,219 | 1% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 293 | 0.1% |
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.
Wildlife management areas in Amelia County
| WMA | Acres in Amelia County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Amelia WMA | 2,219 | November 14 to January 2 |
Which counties border Amelia County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County | 3.4% | 1,771 | 808 | 2 |
| Cumberland County | 8.7% | 2,702 | 1,169 | 33 |
| Dinwiddie County | 4.5% | 2,594 | 1,190 | 24 |
| Nottoway County | 10.8% | 2,357 | 1,026 | 38 |
| Powhatan County | 4.1% | 2,069 | 1,031 | 11 |
| Prince Edward County | 5.6% | 1,922 | 1,033 | 61 |
Highways crossing Amelia County: US 360 (35 miles), VA 153 (11 miles) and VA 38 (7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Amelia County?
DWR counted 2,995 deer in Amelia County in 2025-26, against 2,665 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,633 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 3,450 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Amelia 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 Amelia County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and December 5 through January 2 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Amelia County?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; muzzleloader November 7 to 13; firearms November 30 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 29 bears in Amelia County in 2025.
How much public land is in Amelia County?
2,512 acres, 1.1% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Amelia (2,219 acres).
Is Amelia County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Amelia 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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