Middlesex County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 674 deer killed in Middlesex County in the 2025-26 season: 267 antlered bucks, 74 button bucks and 333 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.
State forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)Other state landMiddlesex CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 211 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 0% (1 acre) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 674 (267 antlered, 333 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.2 (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 Middlesex County?
DWR counted 674 deer in Middlesex County in 2025-26, up from 660. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 983 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 267 | 74 | 333 | 674 |
| 2024-25 | 288 | 72 | 300 | 660 |
| 2023-24 | 264 | 63 | 269 | 596 |
| 2022-23 | 277 | 61 | 278 | 616 |
| 2021-22 | 296 | 69 | 339 | 704 |
| 2020-21 | 301 | 57 | 357 | 715 |
| 2019-20 | 393 | 51 | 325 | 769 |
| 2018-19 | 330 | 53 | 260 | 643 |
| 2017-18 | 303 | 47 | 235 | 585 |
| 2016-17 | 271 | 53 | 310 | 634 |
| 2015-16 | 318 | 44 | 297 | 659 |
| 2014-15 | 228 | 63 | 291 | 582 |
| 2013-14 | 347 | 77 | 399 | 823 |
| 2012-13 | 308 | 69 | 417 | 794 |
| 2011-12 | 356 | 96 | 412 | 864 |
| 2010-11 | 279 | 124 | 459 | 862 |
| 2009-10 | 390 | 113 | 480 | 983 |
| 2008-09 | 421 | 100 | 432 | 953 |
| 2007-08 | 378 | 102 | 383 | 863 |
| 2006-07 | 328 | 86 | 341 | 755 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Middlesex. 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 Middlesex 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 Middlesex County?
0% of Middlesex County is public land: 1 of its 134,889 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Middlesex County |
|---|---|---|
| Other state land | 1 | 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 Middlesex County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack County | 6.4% | 3,192 | 1,140 | |
| Essex County | 0.6% | 1,386 | 524 | 1 |
| Gloucester County | 1.2% | 1,045 | 389 | 0 |
| King and Queen County | 4.7% | 2,082 | 779 | 0 |
| Lancaster County | 0.9% | 1,115 | 428 | |
| Mathews County | 0% | 471 | 175 | |
| Northampton County | 4% | 1,256 | 546 | |
| Richmond County | 4.2% | 1,302 | 432 |
Highways crossing Middlesex County: US 17 (29 miles), VA 33 (27 miles), VA 3 (12 miles) and VA 227 (2 miles). Towns inside: Urbanna.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Middlesex County?
DWR counted 674 deer in Middlesex County in 2025-26, against 660 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 650 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 983 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Middlesex 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 Middlesex 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 Middlesex 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 Middlesex County?
1 acre, 0% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Middlesex County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Middlesex 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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