Mathews County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 471 deer killed in Mathews County in the 2025-26 season: 175 antlered bucks, 60 button bucks and 236 does. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. The USGS Protected Areas Database shows almost no public land in the county: nearly all hunting here is on private land.
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)Mathews CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 252 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 0% (74 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 471 (175 antlered, 236 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 1.9 (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 Mathews County?
DWR counted 471 deer in Mathews County in 2025-26, down from 510. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 616 in 2020. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 175 | 60 | 236 | 471 |
| 2024-25 | 213 | 43 | 254 | 510 |
| 2023-24 | 189 | 46 | 213 | 448 |
| 2022-23 | 191 | 62 | 238 | 491 |
| 2021-22 | 208 | 70 | 298 | 576 |
| 2020-21 | 210 | 78 | 328 | 616 |
| 2019-20 | 210 | 68 | 307 | 585 |
| 2018-19 | 194 | 43 | 225 | 462 |
| 2017-18 | 193 | 40 | 240 | 473 |
| 2016-17 | 163 | 58 | 279 | 500 |
| 2015-16 | 183 | 40 | 235 | 458 |
| 2014-15 | 170 | 57 | 257 | 486 |
| 2013-14 | 180 | 38 | 271 | 489 |
| 2012-13 | 160 | 42 | 177 | 379 |
| 2011-12 | 175 | 42 | 248 | 465 |
| 2010-11 | 186 | 58 | 232 | 476 |
| 2009-10 | 194 | 50 | 256 | 500 |
| 2008-09 | 234 | 65 | 231 | 530 |
| 2007-08 | 199 | 38 | 162 | 399 |
| 2006-07 | 164 | 40 | 172 | 376 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Mathews. 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 Mathews 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 28 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 Mathews County?
0% of Mathews County is public land: 74 of its 161,253 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 74 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Mathews County |
|---|---|---|
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 74 | 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 Mathews County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack County | 6.4% | 3,192 | 1,140 | |
| Gloucester County | 1.2% | 1,045 | 389 | 0 |
| Middlesex County | 0% | 674 | 267 | |
| Northampton County | 4% | 1,256 | 546 | |
| York County | 3.5% | 516 | 265 |
Highways crossing Mathews County: VA 14 (18 miles), VA 198 (12 miles), VA 3 (5 miles) and VA 223 (2 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Mathews County?
DWR counted 471 deer in Mathews County in 2025-26, against 510 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 499 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 616 in 2020, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Mathews 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 Mathews County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and December 28 through January 2 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Mathews 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 Mathews County?
74 acres, 0% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Mathews County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Mathews 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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