Chesterfield County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,771 deer killed in Chesterfield County in the 2025-26 season: 808 antlered bucks, 105 button bucks and 858 does, along with 2 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 3.4% of the county is public land, the largest share state parks and natural areas (DCR) (7,972 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 refugeNational Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Chesterfield CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 438 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 3.4% (9,546 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Woodvale Wetlands WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,771 (808 antlered, 858 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 2 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | Yes: an antlerless deer must be taken before a second antlered deer (DWR) |
How many deer are killed in Chesterfield County?
DWR counted 1,771 deer in Chesterfield County in 2025-26, up from 1,416. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,378 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 808 | 105 | 858 | 1,771 |
| 2024-25 | 719 | 102 | 595 | 1,416 |
| 2023-24 | 908 | 102 | 657 | 1,667 |
| 2022-23 | 770 | 80 | 411 | 1,261 |
| 2021-22 | 720 | 67 | 420 | 1,207 |
| 2020-21 | 698 | 64 | 445 | 1,207 |
| 2019-20 | 711 | 62 | 495 | 1,268 |
| 2018-19 | 629 | 52 | 321 | 1,002 |
| 2017-18 | 640 | 56 | 384 | 1,080 |
| 2016-17 | 520 | 82 | 412 | 1,014 |
| 2015-16 | 666 | 88 | 462 | 1,216 |
| 2014-15 | 470 | 70 | 510 | 1,051 |
| 2013-14 | 802 | 103 | 662 | 1,568 |
| 2012-13 | 664 | 113 | 668 | 1,445 |
| 2011-12 | 721 | 197 | 1,037 | 1,955 |
| 2010-11 | 775 | 145 | 856 | 1,776 |
| 2009-10 | 973 | 248 | 1,157 | 2,378 |
| 2008-09 | 865 | 163 | 753 | 1,781 |
| 2007-08 | 816 | 150 | 660 | 1,626 |
| 2006-07 | 733 | 147 | 529 | 1,409 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Chesterfield. 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 Chesterfield County?
DWR counted 2 bears in Chesterfield County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Chesterfield 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 14 through January 2 (full season) |
| 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 Chesterfield County?
3.4% of Chesterfield County is public land: 9,546 of its 280,463 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 7,972 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Chesterfield County |
|---|---|---|
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 7,972 | 2.8% |
| National wildlife refuge | 1,296 | 0.5% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 572 | 0.2% |
| Other state land | 144 | 0.1% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 80 | under 0.1% |
| National Park Service | 54 | 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 Chesterfield County
| WMA | Acres in Chesterfield County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Woodvale Wetlands WMA | 146 | Follows the private land season |
Which counties border Chesterfield County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amelia County | 1.1% | 2,995 | 1,346 | 29 |
| Charles City County | 4.6% | 1,235 | 503 | 1 |
| Dinwiddie County | 4.5% | 2,594 | 1,190 | 24 |
| Goochland County | 0.3% | 1,747 | 906 | 3 |
| Henrico County | 1.5% | 649 | 304 | |
| Powhatan County | 4.1% | 2,069 | 1,031 | 11 |
| Prince George County | 3% | 2,058 | 771 | 1 |
Highways crossing Chesterfield County: VA 288 (44 miles), US 360 (43 miles), VA 10 (39 miles), US 60 (24 miles), I-95 (24 miles) and VA 150 (20 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Chesterfield County?
DWR counted 1,771 deer in Chesterfield County in 2025-26, against 1,416 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,464 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,378 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Chesterfield 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 Chesterfield County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 14 through January 2 (full season) (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Chesterfield 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 2 bears in Chesterfield County in 2025.
How much public land is in Chesterfield County?
9,546 acres, 3.4% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Woodvale Wetlands (146 acres).
Is Chesterfield County an Earn a Buck county?
Yes. DWR marks Chesterfield County as an Earn a Buck county for 2026-27: a hunter must take an antlerless deer there before taking a second antlered deer.
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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 Amelia County Charles City County Dinwiddie County Goochland County Henrico County Powhatan County Prince George County