Charlotte County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,145 deer killed in Charlotte County in the 2025-26 season: 1,193 antlered bucks, 144 button bucks and 808 does, along with 107 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1.7% of the county is public land, the largest share state forest (5,002 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)Charlotte CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 477 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.7% (5,250 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,145 (1,193 antlered, 808 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4.5 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 107 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Charlotte County?
DWR counted 2,145 deer in Charlotte County in 2025-26, up from 1,863. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,255 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,193 | 144 | 808 | 2,145 |
| 2024-25 | 1,024 | 146 | 693 | 1,863 |
| 2023-24 | 1,146 | 131 | 708 | 1,985 |
| 2022-23 | 862 | 94 | 540 | 1,496 |
| 2021-22 | 862 | 111 | 578 | 1,551 |
| 2020-21 | 835 | 110 | 645 | 1,590 |
| 2019-20 | 878 | 113 | 610 | 1,601 |
| 2018-19 | 802 | 78 | 485 | 1,365 |
| 2017-18 | 705 | 98 | 530 | 1,333 |
| 2016-17 | 813 | 109 | 492 | 1,414 |
| 2015-16 | 914 | 99 | 589 | 1,602 |
| 2014-15 | 729 | 104 | 561 | 1,394 |
| 2013-14 | 1,069 | 154 | 995 | 2,219 |
| 2012-13 | 984 | 192 | 955 | 2,132 |
| 2011-12 | 979 | 186 | 968 | 2,133 |
| 2010-11 | 990 | 129 | 919 | 2,038 |
| 2009-10 | 1,124 | 184 | 947 | 2,255 |
| 2008-09 | 1,003 | 172 | 832 | 2,007 |
| 2007-08 | 1,002 | 195 | 850 | 2,047 |
| 2006-07 | 1,155 | 196 | 817 | 2,168 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Charlotte. 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 Charlotte County?
DWR counted 107 bears in Charlotte County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 107 |
| 2024 | 100 |
| 2023 | 91 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Charlotte 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 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 Charlotte County?
1.7% of Charlotte County is public land: 5,250 of its 305,152 acres. The largest share is state forest, 5,002 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Charlotte County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest | 5,002 | 1.6% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 248 | 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.
Which counties border Charlotte County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appomattox County | 6.1% | 1,558 | 915 | 65 |
| Campbell County | 0.1% | 3,688 | 1,696 | 42 |
| Halifax County | 2.1% | 5,058 | 2,177 | 77 |
| Lunenburg County | 0% | 1,874 | 942 | 86 |
| Mecklenburg County | 1% | 2,665 | 1,328 | 75 |
| Prince Edward County | 5.6% | 1,922 | 1,033 | 61 |
Highways crossing Charlotte County: US 360 (48 miles), US 15 (44 miles), VA 47 (28 miles), VA 40 (25 miles), VA 59 (8 miles) and VA 92 (7 miles). Towns inside: Drakes Branch, Charlotte Court House, Keysville and Phenix.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Charlotte County?
DWR counted 2,145 deer in Charlotte County in 2025-26, against 1,863 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,808 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,255 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Charlotte 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 Charlotte 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 Charlotte 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 107 bears in Charlotte County in 2025.
How much public land is in Charlotte County?
5,250 acres, 1.7% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Charlotte County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Charlotte 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 Appomattox County Campbell County Halifax County Lunenburg County Mecklenburg County Prince Edward County