Pulaski County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,324 deer killed in Pulaski County in the 2025-26 season: 1,115 antlered bucks, 103 button bucks and 1,106 does, along with 26 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 9.6% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (19,233 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.
National forestDWR land (WMAs)State parks and natural areas (DCR)Other state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Pulaski CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 329 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 9.6% (20,142 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,324 (1,115 antlered, 1,106 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 7.1 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 26 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | Yes: an antlerless deer must be taken before a second antlered deer (DWR) |
| National forest firearms season | November 14 to November 28 |
How many deer are killed in Pulaski County?
DWR counted 2,324 deer in Pulaski County in 2025-26, up from 2,107. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,447 in 2015. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,115 | 103 | 1,106 | 2,324 |
| 2024-25 | 1,006 | 98 | 1,003 | 2,107 |
| 2023-24 | 1,053 | 94 | 1,107 | 2,254 |
| 2022-23 | 1,059 | 117 | 1,137 | 2,313 |
| 2021-22 | 1,015 | 105 | 947 | 2,067 |
| 2020-21 | 1,120 | 122 | 1,193 | 2,435 |
| 2019-20 | 932 | 123 | 1,096 | 2,151 |
| 2018-19 | 968 | 104 | 890 | 1,962 |
| 2017-18 | 1,152 | 143 | 1,124 | 2,419 |
| 2016-17 | 923 | 100 | 724 | 1,747 |
| 2015-16 | 1,189 | 164 | 1,094 | 2,447 |
| 2014-15 | 936 | 129 | 842 | 1,908 |
| 2013-14 | 1,030 | 164 | 1,049 | 2,244 |
| 2012-13 | 865 | 145 | 734 | 1,744 |
| 2011-12 | 822 | 129 | 708 | 1,660 |
| 2010-11 | 699 | 115 | 667 | 1,481 |
| 2009-10 | 983 | 190 | 1,064 | 2,237 |
| 2008-09 | 956 | 171 | 1,057 | 2,184 |
| 2007-08 | 1,069 | 180 | 1,021 | 2,270 |
| 2006-07 | 919 | 150 | 743 | 1,812 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Pulaski. 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 Pulaski County?
DWR counted 26 bears in Pulaski County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 |
| 2024 | 26 |
| 2023 | 27 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Pulaski 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) |
| Deer, firearms, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest | November 14 to November 28 |
| Deer, either-sex days on the national forest | November 21 and November 28 |
| 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 Pulaski County?
9.6% of Pulaski County is public land: 20,142 of its 210,842 acres. The largest share is national forest, 19,233 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Pulaski County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 19,233 | 9.1% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 1,725 | 0.8% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 889 | 0.4% |
| Other state land | 20 | 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 Pulaski County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bland County | 33.5% | 1,519 | 931 | 35 |
| Carroll County | 4.6% | 3,429 | 1,661 | 26 |
| Floyd County | 2.4% | 2,967 | 1,326 | 15 |
| Giles County | 29.9% | 2,412 | 1,147 | 63 |
| Montgomery County | 8.7% | 2,765 | 1,323 | 29 |
| Wythe County | 22.2% | 3,202 | 1,457 | 36 |
Highways crossing Pulaski County: VA 100 (41 miles), I-81 (35 miles), US 11 (34 miles), VA 99 (5 miles) and VA 114 (4 miles). Towns inside: Pulaski and Dublin.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Pulaski County?
DWR counted 2,324 deer in Pulaski County in 2025-26, against 2,107 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,213 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,447 in 2015, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Pulaski 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 Pulaski 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 Pulaski 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 26 bears in Pulaski County in 2025.
How much public land is in Pulaski County?
20,142 acres, 9.6% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. National forest: 19,233 acres.
Is Pulaski County an Earn a Buck county?
Yes. DWR marks Pulaski County as an Earn a Buck county for 2026-27: a hunter must take an antlerless deer there before taking a second antlered deer.
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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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