Powhatan County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,069 deer killed in Powhatan County in the 2025-26 season: 1,031 antlered bucks, 117 button bucks and 921 does, along with 11 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 4.1% of the county is public land, the largest share DWR land (WMAs) (4,579 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)Other state landPowhatan CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 262 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 4.1% (6,937 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Powhatan WMA, Amelia WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,069 (1,031 antlered, 921 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 7.9 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 11 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Powhatan County?
DWR counted 2,069 deer in Powhatan County in 2025-26, up from 1,897. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,913 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,031 | 117 | 921 | 2,069 |
| 2024-25 | 904 | 124 | 869 | 1,897 |
| 2023-24 | 1,032 | 136 | 810 | 1,978 |
| 2022-23 | 835 | 109 | 783 | 1,727 |
| 2021-22 | 845 | 98 | 659 | 1,602 |
| 2020-21 | 745 | 119 | 750 | 1,614 |
| 2019-20 | 908 | 143 | 783 | 1,834 |
| 2018-19 | 827 | 121 | 689 | 1,637 |
| 2017-18 | 826 | 88 | 654 | 1,568 |
| 2016-17 | 745 | 119 | 623 | 1,487 |
| 2015-16 | 930 | 116 | 760 | 1,806 |
| 2014-15 | 660 | 118 | 648 | 1,426 |
| 2013-14 | 997 | 171 | 1,022 | 2,192 |
| 2012-13 | 869 | 152 | 933 | 1,955 |
| 2011-12 | 965 | 219 | 1,291 | 2,477 |
| 2010-11 | 965 | 171 | 1,192 | 2,328 |
| 2009-10 | 1,183 | 268 | 1,462 | 2,913 |
| 2008-09 | 1,053 | 194 | 1,125 | 2,372 |
| 2007-08 | 1,063 | 184 | 1,041 | 2,288 |
| 2006-07 | 940 | 147 | 910 | 1,997 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Powhatan. 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 Powhatan County?
DWR counted 11 bears in Powhatan County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2023 | 3 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Powhatan 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 14 through January 2 (full season) |
| 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 Powhatan County?
4.1% of Powhatan County is public land: 6,937 of its 167,856 acres. The largest share is DWR land (WMAs), 4,579 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Powhatan County |
|---|---|---|
| DWR land (WMAs) | 4,579 | 2.7% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,562 | 0.9% |
| Other state land | 796 | 0.5% |
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 Powhatan County
| WMA | Acres in Powhatan County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Powhatan WMA | 4,496 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Amelia WMA | 11 | November 14 to January 2 |
Which counties border Powhatan County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amelia County | 1.1% | 2,995 | 1,346 | 29 |
| Chesterfield County | 3.4% | 1,771 | 808 | 2 |
| Cumberland County | 8.7% | 2,702 | 1,169 | 33 |
| Goochland County | 0.3% | 1,747 | 906 | 3 |
| Henrico County | 1.5% | 649 | 304 |
Highways crossing Powhatan County: US 60 (34 miles), VA 13 (17 miles), US 522 (9 miles) and VA 288 (7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Powhatan County?
DWR counted 2,069 deer in Powhatan County in 2025-26, against 1,897 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,855 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,913 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Powhatan 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 Powhatan County runs November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 14 through January 2 (full season) (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Powhatan 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 11 bears in Powhatan County in 2025.
How much public land is in Powhatan County?
6,937 acres, 4.1% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Powhatan (4,496 acres) and Amelia (11 acres).
Is Powhatan County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Powhatan 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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