Richmond County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,302 deer killed in Richmond County in the 2025-26 season: 432 antlered bucks, 168 button bucks and 702 does. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 4.2% of the county is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (5,880 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 forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)National wildlife refugeOther state landRichmond CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 216 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 4.2% (5,880 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,302 (432 antlered, 702 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 6 (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 Richmond County?
DWR counted 1,302 deer in Richmond County in 2025-26, down from 1,329. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 1,973 in 2009. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 432 | 168 | 702 | 1,302 |
| 2024-25 | 473 | 160 | 696 | 1,329 |
| 2023-24 | 478 | 144 | 563 | 1,185 |
| 2022-23 | 433 | 95 | 495 | 1,023 |
| 2021-22 | 389 | 85 | 482 | 956 |
| 2020-21 | 493 | 109 | 524 | 1,126 |
| 2019-20 | 506 | 120 | 571 | 1,197 |
| 2018-19 | 542 | 79 | 451 | 1,072 |
| 2017-18 | 429 | 77 | 410 | 916 |
| 2016-17 | 471 | 125 | 688 | 1,284 |
| 2015-16 | 559 | 160 | 761 | 1,480 |
| 2014-15 | 532 | 164 | 852 | 1,548 |
| 2013-14 | 733 | 206 | 998 | 1,938 |
| 2012-13 | 699 | 232 | 939 | 1,870 |
| 2011-12 | 712 | 209 | 934 | 1,855 |
| 2010-11 | 617 | 248 | 1,069 | 1,934 |
| 2009-10 | 766 | 236 | 971 | 1,973 |
| 2008-09 | 784 | 229 | 922 | 1,935 |
| 2007-08 | 681 | 274 | 930 | 1,885 |
| 2006-07 | 629 | 239 | 892 | 1,760 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Richmond. 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 Richmond 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 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 Richmond County?
4.2% of Richmond County is public land: 5,880 of its 138,469 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 5,880 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Richmond County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 5,880 | 4.2% |
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 Richmond County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 0.6% | 1,386 | 524 | 1 |
| Lancaster County | 0.9% | 1,115 | 428 | |
| Middlesex County | 0% | 674 | 267 | |
| Northumberland County | 0.4% | 1,318 | 469 | |
| Westmoreland County | 1.7% | 1,479 | 553 |
Highways crossing Richmond County: US 360 (26 miles) and VA 3 (23 miles). Towns inside: Warsaw.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Richmond County?
DWR counted 1,302 deer in Richmond County in 2025-26, against 1,329 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,159 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 1,973 in 2009, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond County?
5,880 acres, 4.2% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Richmond County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Richmond 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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