Franklin County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 4,652 deer killed in Franklin County in the 2025-26 season: 2,200 antlered bucks, 201 button bucks and 2,251 does, along with 51 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1.2% of the county is public land, the largest share National Park Service (3,143 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 Park ServiceOther state landFranklin CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 712 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.2% (5,623 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Turkeycock Mountain WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 4,652 (2,200 antlered, 2,251 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 6.5 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 51 |
| 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 Franklin County?
DWR counted 4,652 deer in Franklin County in 2025-26, up from 4,078. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 6,161 in 2008. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,200 | 201 | 2,251 | 4,652 |
| 2024-25 | 1,981 | 193 | 1,904 | 4,078 |
| 2023-24 | 2,424 | 207 | 2,076 | 4,707 |
| 2022-23 | 1,823 | 191 | 1,826 | 3,840 |
| 2021-22 | 1,932 | 172 | 1,831 | 3,935 |
| 2020-21 | 2,165 | 230 | 2,054 | 4,449 |
| 2019-20 | 1,747 | 213 | 1,904 | 3,864 |
| 2018-19 | 2,274 | 216 | 1,763 | 4,253 |
| 2017-18 | 2,246 | 212 | 1,662 | 4,120 |
| 2016-17 | 2,041 | 211 | 1,517 | 3,769 |
| 2015-16 | 2,441 | 253 | 1,758 | 4,452 |
| 2014-15 | 2,031 | 232 | 1,615 | 3,878 |
| 2013-14 | 2,405 | 311 | 2,232 | 4,949 |
| 2012-13 | 1,837 | 327 | 2,284 | 4,448 |
| 2011-12 | 2,046 | 342 | 2,564 | 4,954 |
| 2010-11 | 1,905 | 336 | 2,465 | 4,706 |
| 2009-10 | 2,363 | 466 | 3,262 | 6,091 |
| 2008-09 | 2,385 | 431 | 3,345 | 6,161 |
| 2007-08 | 2,468 | 438 | 2,403 | 5,309 |
| 2006-07 | 2,583 | 435 | 2,249 | 5,267 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Franklin. 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 Franklin County?
DWR counted 51 bears in Franklin County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 |
| 2024 | 62 |
| 2023 | 65 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Franklin 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 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 Franklin County?
1.2% of Franklin County is public land: 5,623 of its 455,408 acres. The largest share is National Park Service, 3,143 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Franklin County |
|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 3,143 | 0.7% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,552 | 0.3% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 928 | 0.2% |
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 Franklin County
| WMA | Acres in Franklin County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Turkeycock Mountain WMA | 927 | Follows the private land season |
Which counties border Franklin County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford County | 6% | 8,626 | 3,793 | 13 |
| Floyd County | 2.4% | 2,967 | 1,326 | 15 |
| Henry County | 1.9% | 1,590 | 1,092 | 20 |
| Patrick County | 4.1% | 1,545 | 1,073 | 36 |
| Pittsylvania County | 1.1% | 5,649 | 2,960 | 79 |
| Roanoke County | 12.3% | 1,631 | 789 | 37 |
Highways crossing Franklin County: US 220 (55 miles), VA 40 (42 miles), VA 122 (17 miles) and VA 116 (10 miles). Towns inside: Rocky Mount and Boones Mill.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Franklin County?
DWR counted 4,652 deer in Franklin County in 2025-26, against 4,078 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 4,242 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 6,161 in 2008, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 51 bears in Franklin County in 2025.
How much public land is in Franklin County?
5,623 acres, 1.2% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Turkeycock Mountain (927 acres).
Is Franklin County an Earn a Buck county?
Yes. DWR marks Franklin 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.
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