Bath County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,545 deer killed in Bath County in the 2025-26 season: 1,070 antlered bucks, 29 button bucks and 446 does, along with 60 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 56% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (174,231 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 parks and natural areas (DCR)Other state landBath CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 534 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 56% (191,632 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Gathright WMA, Coursey Springs Fish Culture Center WMA, Highland WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,545 (1,070 antlered, 446 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 2.9 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 60 |
| 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 Bath County?
DWR counted 1,545 deer in Bath County in 2025-26, down from 1,582. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 4,926 in 1992. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,070 | 29 | 446 | 1,545 |
| 2024-25 | 1,053 | 34 | 495 | 1,582 |
| 2023-24 | 1,082 | 25 | 353 | 1,460 |
| 2022-23 | 899 | 21 | 345 | 1,265 |
| 2021-22 | 860 | 36 | 467 | 1,363 |
| 2020-21 | 1,062 | 30 | 391 | 1,483 |
| 2019-20 | 1,017 | 39 | 411 | 1,467 |
| 2018-19 | 837 | 34 | 359 | 1,230 |
| 2017-18 | 986 | 23 | 333 | 1,342 |
| 2016-17 | 976 | 44 | 416 | 1,436 |
| 2015-16 | 890 | 48 | 539 | 1,477 |
| 2014-15 | 929 | 59 | 459 | 1,447 |
| 2013-14 | 837 | 66 | 628 | 1,532 |
| 2012-13 | 1,046 | 70 | 611 | 1,728 |
| 2011-12 | 1,058 | 88 | 698 | 1,845 |
| 2010-11 | 1,085 | 72 | 620 | 1,777 |
| 2009-10 | 1,127 | 127 | 1,090 | 2,344 |
| 2008-09 | 1,507 | 162 | 1,375 | 3,044 |
| 2007-08 | 1,436 | 191 | 1,385 | 3,012 |
| 2006-07 | 1,606 | 176 | 914 | 2,696 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Bath. 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 Bath County?
DWR counted 60 bears in Bath County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 |
| 2024 | 78 |
| 2023 | 116 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Bath 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 Bath County?
56% of Bath County is public land: 191,632 of its 342,160 acres. The largest share is national forest, 174,231 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Bath County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 174,231 | 50.9% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 13,184 | 3.9% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 4,217 | 1.2% |
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.
Wildlife management areas in Bath County
| WMA | Acres in Bath County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Gathright WMA | 13,204 | November 14 to November 28 |
| Coursey Springs Fish Culture Center WMA | 218 | Follows the private land season |
| Highland WMA | 25 | November 14 to November 28 |
Which counties border Bath County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany County | 49.9% | 1,253 | 971 | 39 |
| Augusta County | 35.8% | 6,207 | 2,964 | 25 |
| Highland County | 27.9% | 1,471 | 961 | 45 |
| Rockbridge County | 25.4% | 3,639 | 1,888 | 33 |
Highways crossing Bath County: VA 39 (36 miles), US 220 (27 miles) and VA 42 (17 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Bath County?
DWR counted 1,545 deer in Bath County in 2025-26, against 1,582 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,443 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 4,926 in 1992, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Bath 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 Bath 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 Bath 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 60 bears in Bath County in 2025.
How much public land is in Bath County?
191,632 acres, 56% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Gathright (13,204 acres), Coursey Springs Fish Culture Center (218 acres) and Highland (25 acres). National forest: 174,231 acres.
Is Bath County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Bath 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.
Virginia hunting Alleghany County Augusta County Highland County Rockbridge County