Caroline County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,851 deer killed in Caroline County in the 2025-26 season: 1,259 antlered bucks, 295 button bucks and 1,297 does, along with 3 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1.6% of the county is public land, the largest share DWR land (WMAs) (5,283 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 forestNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Caroline CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 537 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.6% (5,470 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Mattaponi WMA, Robert W. Duncan WMA, Pettigrew WMA, Mattaponi Bluffs WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,851 (1,259 antlered, 1,297 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 5.3 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 3 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Caroline County?
DWR counted 2,851 deer in Caroline County in 2025-26, up from 2,819. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 5,167 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,259 | 295 | 1,297 | 2,851 |
| 2024-25 | 1,224 | 272 | 1,323 | 2,819 |
| 2023-24 | 1,407 | 290 | 1,215 | 2,912 |
| 2022-23 | 1,161 | 200 | 890 | 2,251 |
| 2021-22 | 1,148 | 243 | 1,016 | 2,407 |
| 2020-21 | 1,335 | 203 | 1,149 | 2,687 |
| 2019-20 | 1,399 | 289 | 1,206 | 2,894 |
| 2018-19 | 1,141 | 166 | 751 | 2,058 |
| 2017-18 | 1,364 | 264 | 1,073 | 2,701 |
| 2016-17 | 1,065 | 196 | 792 | 2,053 |
| 2015-16 | 1,190 | 255 | 891 | 2,336 |
| 2014-15 | 1,226 | 301 | 1,307 | 2,834 |
| 2013-14 | 1,664 | 456 | 1,990 | 4,112 |
| 2012-13 | 1,267 | 515 | 1,858 | 3,640 |
| 2011-12 | 1,729 | 589 | 2,416 | 4,741 |
| 2010-11 | 1,575 | 492 | 1,904 | 3,971 |
| 2009-10 | 1,962 | 665 | 2,540 | 5,167 |
| 2008-09 | 1,801 | 419 | 1,849 | 4,069 |
| 2007-08 | 1,573 | 435 | 1,662 | 3,670 |
| 2006-07 | 1,400 | 313 | 1,371 | 3,084 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Caroline. 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 Caroline County?
DWR counted 3 bears in Caroline County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2023 | 8 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Caroline 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 21 through January 2 |
| Bear, archery | October 3 to November 13 |
| Bear, muzzleloader | November 7 to 13 |
| Bear, firearms | November 23 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 Caroline County?
1.6% of Caroline County is public land: 5,470 of its 343,725 acres. The largest share is DWR land (WMAs), 5,283 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Caroline County |
|---|---|---|
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 74,456 | 21.7% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 5,283 | 1.5% |
| National wildlife refuge | 123 | under 0.1% |
| National Park Service | 64 | under 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 Caroline County
| WMA | Acres in Caroline County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Mattaponi WMA | 2,551 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Robert W. Duncan WMA | 1,345 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Pettigrew WMA | 917 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Mattaponi Bluffs WMA | 469 | November 14 to January 2 |
Which counties border Caroline County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 0.6% | 1,386 | 524 | 1 |
| Hanover County | 0.6% | 2,615 | 1,025 | 7 |
| King George County | 3.9% | 754 | 375 | 1 |
| King William County | 1.6% | 1,694 | 688 | |
| King and Queen County | 4.7% | 2,082 | 779 | 0 |
| Spotsylvania County | 5.2% | 1,939 | 843 | 7 |
| Stafford County | 2.5% | 1,018 | 477 | 2 |
Highways crossing Caroline County: US 301 (46 miles), VA 2 (34 miles), I-95 (31 miles), VA 207 (25 miles), US 17 (24 miles) and US 1 (15 miles). Towns inside: Bowling Green and Port Royal.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Caroline County?
DWR counted 2,851 deer in Caroline County in 2025-26, against 2,819 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,648 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 5,167 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Caroline 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 Caroline County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and December 21 through January 2 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Caroline County?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; muzzleloader November 7 to 13; firearms November 23 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 3 bears in Caroline County in 2025.
How much public land is in Caroline County?
5,470 acres, 1.6% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Mattaponi (2,551 acres), Robert W. Duncan (1,345 acres), Pettigrew (917 acres) and Mattaponi Bluffs (469 acres).
Is Caroline County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Caroline County as an Earn a Buck county.
Get a Virginia hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Virginia are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Virginia included.
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 Essex County Hanover County King George County King William County King and Queen County Spotsylvania County Stafford County