King William County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,694 deer killed in King William County in the 2025-26 season: 688 antlered bucks, 161 button bucks and 845 does. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1.6% of the county is public land, the largest share state forest (2,438 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 landKing William CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 285 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.6% (2,926 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,694 (688 antlered, 845 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 5.9 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in King William County?
DWR counted 1,694 deer in King William County in 2025-26, up from 1,693. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,711 in 2008. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 688 | 161 | 845 | 1,694 |
| 2024-25 | 714 | 156 | 823 | 1,693 |
| 2023-24 | 763 | 189 | 849 | 1,801 |
| 2022-23 | 684 | 155 | 734 | 1,573 |
| 2021-22 | 667 | 134 | 736 | 1,537 |
| 2020-21 | 873 | 153 | 880 | 1,906 |
| 2019-20 | 968 | 216 | 1,036 | 2,220 |
| 2018-19 | 806 | 159 | 748 | 1,713 |
| 2017-18 | 839 | 184 | 801 | 1,824 |
| 2016-17 | 672 | 164 | 723 | 1,559 |
| 2015-16 | 787 | 180 | 717 | 1,684 |
| 2014-15 | 661 | 211 | 829 | 1,702 |
| 2013-14 | 925 | 288 | 1,204 | 2,418 |
| 2012-13 | 878 | 271 | 1,002 | 2,152 |
| 2011-12 | 852 | 330 | 1,233 | 2,415 |
| 2010-11 | 931 | 359 | 1,369 | 2,659 |
| 2009-10 | 941 | 391 | 1,365 | 2,697 |
| 2008-09 | 937 | 387 | 1,387 | 2,711 |
| 2007-08 | 966 | 320 | 1,287 | 2,573 |
| 2006-07 | 930 | 290 | 1,144 | 2,364 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, King William. DWR's figure for the latest season is preliminary and leaves out the late urban archery and late antlerless-only seasons.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in King William 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 21 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 King William County?
1.6% of King William County is public land: 2,926 of its 182,786 acres. The largest share is state forest, 2,438 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of King William County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest | 2,438 | 1.3% |
| Other state land | 486 | 0.3% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 2 | 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.
Which counties border King William County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | 1.6% | 2,851 | 1,259 | 3 |
| Hanover County | 0.6% | 2,615 | 1,025 | 7 |
| King and Queen County | 4.7% | 2,082 | 779 | 0 |
| New Kent County | 3% | 1,055 | 504 | 0 |
Highways crossing King William County: VA 30 (37 miles), VA 600 (22 miles) and US 360 (17 miles). Towns inside: West Point.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in King William County?
DWR counted 1,694 deer in King William County in 2025-26, against 1,693 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,660 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,711 in 2008, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in King William 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 King William County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and December 21 through January 2 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in King William 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).
How much public land is in King William County?
2,926 acres, 1.6% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is King William County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark King William 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.
Virginia hunting Caroline County Hanover County King and Queen County New Kent County