Roanoke County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,631 deer killed in Roanoke County in the 2025-26 season: 789 antlered bucks, 70 button bucks and 772 does, along with 37 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 12.3% of the county is public land, the largest share DWR land (WMAs) (9,377 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)National Park ServiceOther state landRoanoke CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 251 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 12.3% (19,727 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Havens WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,631 (789 antlered, 772 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 6.5 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 37 |
| 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 Roanoke County?
DWR counted 1,631 deer in Roanoke County in 2025-26, up from 1,432. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 1,863 in 2008. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 789 | 70 | 772 | 1,631 |
| 2024-25 | 721 | 67 | 644 | 1,432 |
| 2023-24 | 786 | 56 | 643 | 1,485 |
| 2022-23 | 615 | 51 | 635 | 1,301 |
| 2021-22 | 701 | 43 | 607 | 1,351 |
| 2020-21 | 672 | 69 | 680 | 1,421 |
| 2019-20 | 615 | 63 | 610 | 1,288 |
| 2018-19 | 630 | 81 | 649 | 1,360 |
| 2017-18 | 647 | 71 | 678 | 1,396 |
| 2016-17 | 568 | 84 | 618 | 1,270 |
| 2015-16 | 695 | 100 | 821 | 1,616 |
| 2014-15 | 611 | 76 | 746 | 1,436 |
| 2013-14 | 721 | 123 | 960 | 1,804 |
| 2012-13 | 674 | 82 | 801 | 1,557 |
| 2011-12 | 635 | 102 | 828 | 1,566 |
| 2010-11 | 559 | 98 | 774 | 1,431 |
| 2009-10 | 729 | 135 | 987 | 1,851 |
| 2008-09 | 732 | 119 | 1,012 | 1,863 |
| 2007-08 | 754 | 112 | 707 | 1,573 |
| 2006-07 | 718 | 94 | 574 | 1,386 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Roanoke. 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 Roanoke County?
DWR counted 37 bears in Roanoke County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 |
| 2024 | 22 |
| 2023 | 29 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Roanoke 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 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 Roanoke County?
12.3% of Roanoke County is public land: 19,727 of its 160,830 acres. The largest share is DWR land (WMAs), 9,377 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Roanoke County |
|---|---|---|
| DWR land (WMAs) | 9,377 | 5.8% |
| National Park Service | 5,397 | 3.4% |
| National forest | 3,539 | 2.2% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,404 | 0.9% |
| Other state land | 10 | 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.
Wildlife management areas in Roanoke County
| WMA | Acres in Roanoke County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Havens WMA | 9,382 | November 14 to November 28 |
Which counties border Roanoke County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford County | 6% | 8,626 | 3,793 | 13 |
| Botetourt County | 25.9% | 3,609 | 1,757 | 32 |
| Craig County | 55.3% | 1,726 | 910 | 70 |
| Floyd County | 2.4% | 2,967 | 1,326 | 15 |
| Franklin County | 1.2% | 4,652 | 2,200 | 51 |
| Montgomery County | 8.7% | 2,765 | 1,323 | 29 |
Highways crossing Roanoke County: I-81 (31 miles), US 220 (22 miles), US 221 (19 miles), VA 419 (12 miles), VA 311 (11 miles) and US 11 (10 miles). Towns inside: Vinton.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Roanoke County?
DWR counted 1,631 deer in Roanoke County in 2025-26, against 1,432 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,440 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 1,863 in 2008, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Roanoke 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 Roanoke 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 Roanoke 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 37 bears in Roanoke County in 2025.
How much public land is in Roanoke County?
19,727 acres, 12.3% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Havens (9,382 acres). National forest: 3,539 acres.
Is Roanoke County an Earn a Buck county?
Yes. DWR marks Roanoke 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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