City of Chesapeake, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 470 deer killed in City of Chesapeake in the 2025-26 season: 258 antlered bucks, 32 button bucks and 180 does, along with 15 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs October 1 to November 30. 25.8% of the city is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (51,212 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 parks and natural areas (DCR)National wildlife refugeOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)City of ChesapeakeNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 351 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 25.8% (58,072 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Cavalier WMA, Bear Garden WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 470 (258 antlered, 180 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 1.3 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 15 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | October 1 to November 30 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in City of Chesapeake?
DWR counted 470 deer in City of Chesapeake in 2025-26, down from 488. DWR's table for the city runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 1,249 in 1962. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 258 | 32 | 180 | 470 |
| 2024-25 | 238 | 44 | 206 | 488 |
| 2023-24 | 263 | 42 | 227 | 532 |
| 2022-23 | 212 | 35 | 184 | 431 |
| 2021-22 | 250 | 28 | 185 | 463 |
| 2020-21 | 259 | 30 | 212 | 501 |
| 2019-20 | 248 | 37 | 209 | 494 |
| 2018-19 | 253 | 36 | 213 | 502 |
| 2017-18 | 294 | 36 | 203 | 533 |
| 2016-17 | 223 | 29 | 142 | 394 |
| 2015-16 | 285 | 43 | 214 | 542 |
| 2014-15 | 246 | 33 | 248 | 527 |
| 2013-14 | 303 | 51 | 342 | 696 |
| 2012-13 | 272 | 53 | 292 | 617 |
| 2011-12 | 303 | 57 | 333 | 693 |
| 2010-11 | 373 | 56 | 384 | 813 |
| 2009-10 | 364 | 57 | 331 | 752 |
| 2008-09 | 376 | 61 | 374 | 811 |
| 2007-08 | 410 | 50 | 331 | 791 |
| 2006-07 | 367 | 53 | 244 | 664 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Chesapeake. 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 City of Chesapeake?
DWR counted 15 bears in City of Chesapeake in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2023 | 13 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in City of Chesapeake?
| 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 | October 1 to November 30 |
| Deer, either-sex days | October 1 through November 30 (full season) |
| Bear, archery | October 3 to November 13 |
| Bear, firearms | October 1 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 City of Chesapeake?
25.8% of City of Chesapeake is public land: 58,072 of its 224,928 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 51,212 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of City of Chesapeake |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 51,212 | 22.8% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 5,721 | 2.5% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 4,525 | 2% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 2,268 | 1% |
| Other state land | 67 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the city 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 City of Chesapeake
| WMA | Acres in City of Chesapeake | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Cavalier WMA | 3,770 | October 1 to November 30 |
| Bear Garden WMA | 756 | Follows the private land season |
Which counties border City of Chesapeake?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Suffolk | 14.2% | 1,738 | 741 | 35 |
| City of Virginia Beach | 7.6% | 168 | 82 | 0 |
Highways crossing City of Chesapeake: VA 168 (51 miles), US 13 (29 miles), US 17 (28 miles), US 460 (24 miles), I-64 (23 miles) and VA 165 (17 miles). Towns inside: Chesapeake.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in City of Chesapeake?
DWR counted 470 deer in City of Chesapeake in 2025-26, against 488 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 477 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 1,249 in 1962, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in City of Chesapeake 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 City of Chesapeake runs October 1 to November 30, with either-sex days October 1 through November 30 (full season) (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in City of Chesapeake?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; firearms October 1 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 15 bears in City of Chesapeake in 2025.
How much public land is in City of Chesapeake?
58,072 acres, 25.8% of the city, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Cavalier (3,770 acres) and Bear Garden (756 acres).
Is City of Chesapeake an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark City of Chesapeake 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.