Highland County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,471 deer killed in Highland County in the 2025-26 season: 961 antlered bucks, 65 button bucks and 445 does, along with 45 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 27.9% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (59,237 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.
National forestDWR land (WMAs)Other state landHighland CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 416 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 27.9% (74,129 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Highland WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,471 (961 antlered, 445 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.5 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 45 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
| National forest firearms season | November 14 to November 28 |
How many deer are killed in Highland County?
DWR counted 1,471 deer in Highland County in 2025-26, down from 1,691. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 4,698 in 1992. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 961 | 65 | 445 | 1,471 |
| 2024-25 | 1,071 | 56 | 564 | 1,691 |
| 2023-24 | 963 | 49 | 396 | 1,408 |
| 2022-23 | 785 | 49 | 381 | 1,215 |
| 2021-22 | 932 | 71 | 503 | 1,506 |
| 2020-21 | 1,020 | 66 | 554 | 1,640 |
| 2019-20 | 982 | 45 | 507 | 1,534 |
| 2018-19 | 922 | 38 | 414 | 1,374 |
| 2017-18 | 1,026 | 48 | 457 | 1,531 |
| 2016-17 | 787 | 44 | 480 | 1,311 |
| 2015-16 | 927 | 78 | 608 | 1,613 |
| 2014-15 | 885 | 67 | 730 | 1,683 |
| 2013-14 | 920 | 100 | 748 | 1,769 |
| 2012-13 | 1,051 | 78 | 694 | 1,823 |
| 2011-12 | 1,114 | 130 | 904 | 2,148 |
| 2010-11 | 924 | 83 | 587 | 1,594 |
| 2009-10 | 1,188 | 158 | 1,171 | 2,517 |
| 2008-09 | 1,265 | 168 | 1,232 | 2,665 |
| 2007-08 | 1,133 | 131 | 1,187 | 2,451 |
| 2006-07 | 1,225 | 161 | 972 | 2,358 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Highland. 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 Highland County?
DWR counted 45 bears in Highland County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 45 |
| 2024 | 49 |
| 2023 | 83 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Highland 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, 27, and 28 |
| Deer, firearms, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest | November 14 to November 28 |
| Deer, either-sex days on the national forest | November 28 |
| Bear, archery | October 17 to November 13 |
| Bear, muzzleloader | November 10 to 13 |
| Bear, firearms | November 27 to 29, and December 21 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 Highland County?
27.9% of Highland County is public land: 74,129 of its 266,150 acres. The largest share is national forest, 59,237 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Highland County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 59,237 | 22.3% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 13,888 | 5.2% |
| Other state land | 1,004 | 0.4% |
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 Highland County
| WMA | Acres in Highland County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Highland WMA | 14,125 | November 14 to November 28 |
Which counties border Highland County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta County | 35.8% | 6,207 | 2,964 | 25 |
| Bath County | 56% | 1,545 | 1,070 | 60 |
Highways crossing Highland County: US 250 (32 miles), US 220 (24 miles) and VA 84 (15 miles). Towns inside: Monterey.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Highland County?
DWR counted 1,471 deer in Highland County in 2025-26, against 1,691 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,458 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 4,698 in 1992, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Highland 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 Highland County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 21, 27, and 28 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Highland County?
In 2026-27: archery October 17 to November 13; muzzleloader November 10 to 13; firearms November 27 to 29, and December 21 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 45 bears in Highland County in 2025.
How much public land is in Highland County?
74,129 acres, 27.9% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Highland (14,125 acres). National forest: 59,237 acres.
Is Highland County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Highland County as an Earn a Buck county.
Get a Virginia hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Virginia are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Virginia included.
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.