Buckingham County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,594 deer killed in Buckingham County in the 2025-26 season: 1,503 antlered bucks, 167 button bucks and 924 does, along with 69 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 4% of the county is public land, the largest share state forest (9,717 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)National Park ServiceOther state landBuckingham CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 583 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 4% (15,091 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Horsepen Lake WMA, Featherfin WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,594 (1,503 antlered, 924 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4.4 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 69 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Buckingham County?
DWR counted 2,594 deer in Buckingham County in 2025-26, up from 2,276. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 3,388 in 1992. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,503 | 167 | 924 | 2,594 |
| 2024-25 | 1,380 | 141 | 755 | 2,276 |
| 2023-24 | 1,451 | 122 | 721 | 2,294 |
| 2022-23 | 1,003 | 128 | 657 | 1,788 |
| 2021-22 | 1,284 | 164 | 875 | 2,323 |
| 2020-21 | 1,296 | 155 | 885 | 2,336 |
| 2019-20 | 1,405 | 153 | 1,003 | 2,561 |
| 2018-19 | 1,447 | 155 | 869 | 2,471 |
| 2017-18 | 1,126 | 160 | 785 | 2,071 |
| 2016-17 | 1,262 | 124 | 739 | 2,125 |
| 2015-16 | 1,394 | 204 | 944 | 2,542 |
| 2014-15 | 1,076 | 158 | 919 | 2,155 |
| 2013-14 | 1,502 | 241 | 1,420 | 3,165 |
| 2012-13 | 1,426 | 231 | 1,208 | 2,866 |
| 2011-12 | 1,392 | 239 | 1,221 | 2,853 |
| 2010-11 | 1,288 | 205 | 1,142 | 2,635 |
| 2009-10 | 1,463 | 299 | 1,386 | 3,148 |
| 2008-09 | 1,371 | 221 | 1,103 | 2,695 |
| 2007-08 | 1,393 | 299 | 1,324 | 3,016 |
| 2006-07 | 1,318 | 218 | 947 | 2,483 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Buckingham. 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 Buckingham County?
DWR counted 69 bears in Buckingham County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 69 |
| 2024 | 58 |
| 2023 | 66 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Buckingham 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 28 through January 2 |
| 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 Buckingham County?
4% of Buckingham County is public land: 15,091 of its 373,403 acres. The largest share is state forest, 9,717 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Buckingham County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest | 9,717 | 2.6% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 3,842 | 1% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,532 | 0.4% |
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 Buckingham County
| WMA | Acres in Buckingham County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Horsepen Lake WMA | 2,957 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Featherfin WMA | 882 | November 14 to January 2 |
Which counties border Buckingham County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle County | 3.5% | 4,739 | 2,054 | 13 |
| Appomattox County | 6.1% | 1,558 | 915 | 65 |
| Cumberland County | 8.7% | 2,702 | 1,169 | 33 |
| Fluvanna County | 0.7% | 2,052 | 928 | 24 |
| Nelson County | 9.7% | 2,486 | 1,476 | 42 |
| Prince Edward County | 5.6% | 1,922 | 1,033 | 61 |
Highways crossing Buckingham County: US 15 (33 miles), US 60 (28 miles), VA 20 (19 miles), VA 56 (11 miles) and VA 24 (9 miles). Towns inside: Dillwyn.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Buckingham County?
DWR counted 2,594 deer in Buckingham County in 2025-26, against 2,276 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,255 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 3,388 in 1992, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Buckingham 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 Buckingham County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and December 28 through January 2 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Buckingham 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 69 bears in Buckingham County in 2025.
How much public land is in Buckingham County?
15,091 acres, 4% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Horsepen Lake (2,957 acres) and Featherfin (882 acres).
Is Buckingham County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Buckingham 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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