Mecklenburg County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,665 deer killed in Mecklenburg County in the 2025-26 season: 1,328 antlered bucks, 183 button bucks and 1,154 does, along with 75 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1% of the county is public land, the largest share state parks and natural areas (DCR) (2,673 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)Mecklenburg CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 679 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1% (4,307 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Dick Cross WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,665 (1,328 antlered, 1,154 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.9 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 75 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Mecklenburg County?
DWR counted 2,665 deer in Mecklenburg County in 2025-26, up from 2,462. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,728 in 2023. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,328 | 183 | 1,154 | 2,665 |
| 2024-25 | 1,277 | 169 | 1,016 | 2,462 |
| 2023-24 | 1,469 | 165 | 1,094 | 2,728 |
| 2022-23 | 1,123 | 142 | 799 | 2,064 |
| 2021-22 | 1,173 | 192 | 942 | 2,307 |
| 2020-21 | 1,223 | 162 | 939 | 2,324 |
| 2019-20 | 1,197 | 143 | 864 | 2,204 |
| 2018-19 | 1,097 | 113 | 681 | 1,891 |
| 2017-18 | 1,118 | 158 | 830 | 2,106 |
| 2016-17 | 966 | 98 | 651 | 1,715 |
| 2015-16 | 1,147 | 134 | 714 | 1,995 |
| 2014-15 | 937 | 130 | 764 | 1,831 |
| 2013-14 | 1,343 | 215 | 1,149 | 2,710 |
| 2012-13 | 1,232 | 217 | 1,120 | 2,570 |
| 2011-12 | 1,130 | 244 | 1,133 | 2,507 |
| 2010-11 | 1,213 | 186 | 1,124 | 2,523 |
| 2009-10 | 1,205 | 196 | 1,129 | 2,530 |
| 2008-09 | 1,261 | 201 | 1,054 | 2,516 |
| 2007-08 | 1,233 | 181 | 899 | 2,313 |
| 2006-07 | 1,178 | 164 | 757 | 2,099 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Mecklenburg. 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 Mecklenburg County?
DWR counted 75 bears in Mecklenburg County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 75 |
| 2024 | 75 |
| 2023 | 72 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Mecklenburg 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 23 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 Mecklenburg County?
1% of Mecklenburg County is public land: 4,307 of its 434,605 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 2,673 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Mecklenburg County |
|---|---|---|
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 2,673 | 0.6% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 1,634 | 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 Mecklenburg County
| WMA | Acres in Mecklenburg County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Dick Cross WMA | 1,524 | November 14 to January 2 |
Which counties border Mecklenburg County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick County | 1.8% | 2,648 | 1,291 | 44 |
| Charlotte County | 1.7% | 2,145 | 1,193 | 107 |
| Halifax County | 2.1% | 5,058 | 2,177 | 77 |
| Lunenburg County | 0% | 1,874 | 942 | 86 |
Highways crossing Mecklenburg County: US 58 (86 miles), I-85 (39 miles), VA 49 (35 miles), VA 47 (28 miles), US 1 (23 miles) and US 15 (17 miles). Towns inside: South Hill, Clarksville, Chase City and La Crosse.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Mecklenburg County?
DWR counted 2,665 deer in Mecklenburg County in 2025-26, against 2,462 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,445 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,728 in 2023, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg 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 Mecklenburg County?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; muzzleloader November 7 to 13; firearms November 23 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 75 bears in Mecklenburg County in 2025.
How much public land is in Mecklenburg County?
4,307 acres, 1% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Dick Cross (1,524 acres).
Is Mecklenburg County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Mecklenburg 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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