Henry County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,590 deer killed in Henry County in the 2025-26 season: 1,092 antlered bucks, 36 button bucks and 462 does, along with 20 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 1.9% of the county is public land, the largest share state parks and natural areas (DCR) (2,368 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)Other state landHenry CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 384 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.9% (4,558 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Turkeycock Mountain WMA, Fairystone Farms WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,590 (1,092 antlered, 462 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4.1 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 20 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Henry County?
DWR counted 1,590 deer in Henry County in 2025-26, up from 1,477. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,316 in 2003. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,092 | 36 | 462 | 1,590 |
| 2024-25 | 1,005 | 33 | 439 | 1,477 |
| 2023-24 | 1,047 | 34 | 417 | 1,498 |
| 2022-23 | 760 | 37 | 351 | 1,148 |
| 2021-22 | 893 | 30 | 383 | 1,306 |
| 2020-21 | 858 | 36 | 441 | 1,335 |
| 2019-20 | 710 | 33 | 389 | 1,132 |
| 2018-19 | 841 | 35 | 373 | 1,249 |
| 2017-18 | 957 | 48 | 470 | 1,475 |
| 2016-17 | 872 | 39 | 407 | 1,318 |
| 2015-16 | 954 | 41 | 419 | 1,414 |
| 2014-15 | 796 | 49 | 454 | 1,299 |
| 2013-14 | 1,022 | 72 | 578 | 1,672 |
| 2012-13 | 767 | 82 | 594 | 1,444 |
| 2011-12 | 1,034 | 79 | 680 | 1,795 |
| 2010-11 | 770 | 67 | 631 | 1,468 |
| 2009-10 | 1,024 | 112 | 804 | 1,940 |
| 2008-09 | 845 | 76 | 643 | 1,564 |
| 2007-08 | 819 | 103 | 752 | 1,674 |
| 2006-07 | 896 | 106 | 739 | 1,741 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Henry. 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 Henry County?
DWR counted 20 bears in Henry County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2024 | 17 |
| 2023 | 18 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Henry 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 December 12 |
| Deer, either-sex days | November 21, 28, and November 30 through December 12 |
| 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 Henry County?
1.9% of Henry County is public land: 4,558 of its 246,006 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 2,368 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Henry County |
|---|---|---|
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 2,368 | 1% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 2,137 | 0.9% |
| Other state land | 53 | 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 Henry County
| WMA | Acres in Henry County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Turkeycock Mountain WMA | 1,707 | Follows the private land season |
| Fairystone Farms WMA | 430 | November 14 to December 12 |
Which counties border Henry County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 1.2% | 4,652 | 2,200 | 51 |
| Patrick County | 4.1% | 1,545 | 1,073 | 36 |
| Pittsylvania County | 1.1% | 5,649 | 2,960 | 79 |
Highways crossing Henry County: US 58 (53 miles), US 220 (48 miles), VA 57 (31 miles), VA 108 (12 miles), VA 87 (4 miles) and VA 457 (3 miles). Towns inside: Ridgeway.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Henry County?
DWR counted 1,590 deer in Henry County in 2025-26, against 1,477 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,404 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,316 in 2003, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Henry 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 Henry County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and November 30 through December 12 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Henry 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 20 bears in Henry County in 2025.
How much public land is in Henry County?
4,558 acres, 1.9% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Turkeycock Mountain (1,707 acres) and Fairystone Farms (430 acres).
Is Henry County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Henry 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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