Patrick County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,545 deer killed in Patrick County in the 2025-26 season: 1,073 antlered bucks, 47 button bucks and 425 does, along with 36 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 4.1% of the county is public land, the largest share DWR land (WMAs) (4,731 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)National Park ServiceOther state landPatrick CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 486 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 4.1% (12,653 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Fairystone Farms WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,545 (1,073 antlered, 425 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.2 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 36 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Patrick County?
DWR counted 1,545 deer in Patrick County in 2025-26, up from 1,443. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,954 in 2003. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,073 | 47 | 425 | 1,545 |
| 2024-25 | 1,005 | 45 | 393 | 1,443 |
| 2023-24 | 1,063 | 41 | 356 | 1,460 |
| 2022-23 | 925 | 45 | 376 | 1,346 |
| 2021-22 | 985 | 45 | 331 | 1,361 |
| 2020-21 | 933 | 64 | 444 | 1,441 |
| 2019-20 | 890 | 47 | 404 | 1,341 |
| 2018-19 | 946 | 54 | 410 | 1,410 |
| 2017-18 | 1,023 | 51 | 407 | 1,481 |
| 2016-17 | 906 | 40 | 363 | 1,309 |
| 2015-16 | 1,000 | 60 | 445 | 1,505 |
| 2014-15 | 789 | 49 | 385 | 1,223 |
| 2013-14 | 951 | 74 | 547 | 1,572 |
| 2012-13 | 660 | 89 | 661 | 1,412 |
| 2011-12 | 887 | 105 | 999 | 1,995 |
| 2010-11 | 812 | 103 | 844 | 1,759 |
| 2009-10 | 1,065 | 175 | 1,292 | 2,532 |
| 2008-09 | 939 | 141 | 1,185 | 2,265 |
| 2007-08 | 1,204 | 165 | 957 | 2,326 |
| 2006-07 | 1,228 | 170 | 892 | 2,290 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Patrick. 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 Patrick County?
DWR counted 36 bears in Patrick County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 |
| 2024 | 36 |
| 2023 | 42 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Patrick 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, 28, and November 30 through December 12 |
| 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 Patrick County?
4.1% of Patrick County is public land: 12,653 of its 310,956 acres. The largest share is DWR land (WMAs), 4,731 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Patrick County |
|---|---|---|
| DWR land (WMAs) | 4,731 | 1.5% |
| National Park Service | 4,354 | 1.4% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 3,568 | 1.1% |
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.
Wildlife management areas in Patrick County
| WMA | Acres in Patrick County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Fairystone Farms WMA | 4,755 | November 14 to December 12 |
Which counties border Patrick County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County | 4.6% | 3,429 | 1,661 | 26 |
| Floyd County | 2.4% | 2,967 | 1,326 | 15 |
| Franklin County | 1.2% | 4,652 | 2,200 | 51 |
| Henry County | 1.9% | 1,590 | 1,092 | 20 |
Highways crossing Patrick County: US 58 (46 miles), VA 8 (29 miles), VA 103 (13 miles), VA 57 (11 miles) and VA 40 (10 miles). Towns inside: Stuart.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Patrick County?
DWR counted 1,545 deer in Patrick County in 2025-26, against 1,443 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,431 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,954 in 2003, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Patrick 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 Patrick County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 21, 28, and November 30 through December 12 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Patrick 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). DWR counted 36 bears in Patrick County in 2025.
How much public land is in Patrick County?
12,653 acres, 4.1% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Fairystone Farms (4,755 acres).
Is Patrick County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Patrick 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.
Virginia hunting Carroll County Floyd County Franklin County Henry County