Essex County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,386 deer killed in Essex County in the 2025-26 season: 524 antlered bucks, 151 button bucks and 711 does, along with 1 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 0.6% of the county is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (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 forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)National wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Essex CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 286 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 0.6% (1,100 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,386 (524 antlered, 711 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4.8 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 1 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Essex County?
DWR counted 1,386 deer in Essex County in 2025-26, down from 1,588. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 3,052 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 524 | 151 | 711 | 1,386 |
| 2024-25 | 565 | 191 | 832 | 1,588 |
| 2023-24 | 550 | 168 | 821 | 1,539 |
| 2022-23 | 560 | 144 | 756 | 1,460 |
| 2021-22 | 508 | 162 | 803 | 1,473 |
| 2020-21 | 625 | 134 | 838 | 1,597 |
| 2019-20 | 710 | 173 | 863 | 1,746 |
| 2018-19 | 647 | 127 | 702 | 1,476 |
| 2017-18 | 618 | 196 | 721 | 1,535 |
| 2016-17 | 590 | 187 | 939 | 1,716 |
| 2015-16 | 640 | 205 | 942 | 1,787 |
| 2014-15 | 534 | 251 | 1,030 | 1,816 |
| 2013-14 | 793 | 299 | 1,239 | 2,332 |
| 2012-13 | 697 | 299 | 1,348 | 2,345 |
| 2011-12 | 769 | 388 | 1,539 | 2,696 |
| 2010-11 | 747 | 382 | 1,597 | 2,726 |
| 2009-10 | 900 | 437 | 1,715 | 3,052 |
| 2008-09 | 903 | 418 | 1,681 | 3,002 |
| 2007-08 | 788 | 418 | 1,527 | 2,733 |
| 2006-07 | 697 | 333 | 1,383 | 2,413 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Essex. 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 Essex County?
DWR counted 1 bears in Essex County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Essex 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 30 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 Essex County?
0.6% of Essex County is public land: 1,100 of its 183,184 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 972 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Essex County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 972 | 0.5% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 157 | 0.1% |
| State forest | 128 | 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 Essex County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | 1.6% | 2,851 | 1,259 | 3 |
| King George County | 3.9% | 754 | 375 | 1 |
| King and Queen County | 4.7% | 2,082 | 779 | 0 |
| Lancaster County | 0.9% | 1,115 | 428 | |
| Middlesex County | 0% | 674 | 267 | |
| Richmond County | 4.2% | 1,302 | 432 | |
| Westmoreland County | 1.7% | 1,479 | 553 |
Highways crossing Essex County: US 17 (71 miles) and US 360 (19 miles). Towns inside: Tappahannock.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Essex County?
DWR counted 1,386 deer in Essex County in 2025-26, against 1,588 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,489 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 3,052 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Essex 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 Essex 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 Essex County?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; muzzleloader November 7 to 13; firearms November 30 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 1 bears in Essex County in 2025.
How much public land is in Essex County?
1,100 acres, 0.6% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Essex County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Essex 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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