Gloucester County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,045 deer killed in Gloucester County in the 2025-26 season: 389 antlered bucks, 131 button bucks and 525 does, along with no 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 state parks and natural areas (DCR) (1,080 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 Park ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Gloucester CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 288 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.2% (2,129 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Guinea Marsh WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,045 (389 antlered, 525 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.6 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | None |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Gloucester County?
DWR counted 1,045 deer in Gloucester County in 2025-26, down from 1,107. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 1,696 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 389 | 131 | 525 | 1,045 |
| 2024-25 | 447 | 137 | 523 | 1,107 |
| 2023-24 | 446 | 128 | 502 | 1,076 |
| 2022-23 | 429 | 123 | 469 | 1,021 |
| 2021-22 | 501 | 121 | 469 | 1,091 |
| 2020-21 | 476 | 120 | 533 | 1,129 |
| 2019-20 | 550 | 161 | 602 | 1,313 |
| 2018-19 | 460 | 101 | 426 | 987 |
| 2017-18 | 484 | 96 | 431 | 1,011 |
| 2016-17 | 426 | 109 | 417 | 952 |
| 2015-16 | 513 | 140 | 527 | 1,180 |
| 2014-15 | 425 | 144 | 552 | 1,122 |
| 2013-14 | 593 | 175 | 622 | 1,390 |
| 2012-13 | 475 | 154 | 660 | 1,290 |
| 2011-12 | 520 | 177 | 760 | 1,457 |
| 2010-11 | 440 | 196 | 693 | 1,329 |
| 2009-10 | 616 | 269 | 811 | 1,696 |
| 2008-09 | 667 | 230 | 792 | 1,689 |
| 2007-08 | 621 | 220 | 821 | 1,662 |
| 2006-07 | 557 | 224 | 705 | 1,486 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Gloucester. 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 Gloucester County?
DWR counted no bears in Gloucester County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Gloucester 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 5 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 Gloucester County?
1.2% of Gloucester County is public land: 2,129 of its 184,306 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 1,080 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Gloucester County |
|---|---|---|
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,080 | 0.6% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 785 | 0.4% |
| National Park Service | 264 | 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 Gloucester County
| WMA | Acres in Gloucester County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Guinea Marsh WMA | 846 | November 14 to January 2 |
Which counties border Gloucester County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James City County | 5% | 637 | 274 | |
| King and Queen County | 4.7% | 2,082 | 779 | 0 |
| Mathews County | 0% | 471 | 175 | |
| Middlesex County | 0% | 674 | 267 | |
| York County | 3.5% | 516 | 265 |
Highways crossing Gloucester County: US 17 (54 miles), VA 14 (14 miles), VA 3 (13 miles), VA 198 (12 miles), VA 33 (6 miles) and VA 216 (4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Gloucester County?
DWR counted 1,045 deer in Gloucester County in 2025-26, against 1,107 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,068 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 1,696 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Gloucester 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 Gloucester County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and December 5 through January 2 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Gloucester 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 no bears in Gloucester County in 2025.
How much public land is in Gloucester County?
2,129 acres, 1.2% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Guinea Marsh (846 acres).
Is Gloucester County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Gloucester 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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