Rockingham County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 4,574 deer killed in Rockingham County in the 2025-26 season: 2,476 antlered bucks, 194 button bucks and 1,904 does, along with 22 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12 in part of the county. 32.9% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (140,381 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 forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)National Park ServiceOther state landRockingham CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 853 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 32.9% (179,977 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Lake Shenandoah WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 4,574 (2,476 antlered, 1,904 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 5.4 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 22 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 (west of Routes 613 and 731); November 14 to January 2 (east of Routes 613 and 731) |
| 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 Rockingham County?
DWR counted 4,574 deer in Rockingham County in 2025-26, up from 4,400. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 5,536 in 2002. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,476 | 194 | 1,904 | 4,574 |
| 2024-25 | 2,486 | 188 | 1,726 | 4,400 |
| 2023-24 | 2,490 | 202 | 1,689 | 4,381 |
| 2022-23 | 2,250 | 191 | 1,703 | 4,144 |
| 2021-22 | 2,340 | 195 | 1,685 | 4,220 |
| 2020-21 | 2,736 | 214 | 1,834 | 4,784 |
| 2019-20 | 2,480 | 241 | 1,731 | 4,452 |
| 2018-19 | 2,445 | 173 | 1,584 | 4,202 |
| 2017-18 | 2,268 | 180 | 1,371 | 3,819 |
| 2016-17 | 2,168 | 160 | 1,263 | 3,591 |
| 2015-16 | 2,530 | 199 | 1,617 | 4,346 |
| 2014-15 | 2,023 | 194 | 1,347 | 3,564 |
| 2013-14 | 2,129 | 207 | 1,629 | 3,965 |
| 2012-13 | 2,047 | 177 | 1,231 | 3,455 |
| 2011-12 | 1,846 | 179 | 1,264 | 3,290 |
| 2010-11 | 1,773 | 192 | 1,190 | 3,155 |
| 2009-10 | 2,141 | 263 | 1,746 | 4,150 |
| 2008-09 | 2,130 | 271 | 1,749 | 4,150 |
| 2007-08 | 2,115 | 268 | 1,683 | 4,066 |
| 2006-07 | 2,173 | 251 | 1,460 | 3,884 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Rockingham. 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 Rockingham County?
DWR counted 22 bears in Rockingham County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2024 | 49 |
| 2023 | 65 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Rockingham 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 (west of Routes 613 and 731) | November 14 to December 12 |
| Deer, either-sex days (west of Routes 613 and 731) | November 21, 27, and 28 |
| Deer, firearms, private lands (east of Routes 613 and 731) | November 14 to January 2 |
| Deer, either-sex days (east of Routes 613 and 731) | 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 17 to November 13 |
| Bear, muzzleloader | November 10 to 13 |
| Bear, firearms | November 27 to 29, and December 21 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 Rockingham County?
32.9% of Rockingham County is public land: 179,977 of its 546,400 acres. The largest share is national forest, 140,381 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Rockingham County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 140,381 | 25.7% |
| National Park Service | 37,857 | 6.9% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 906 | 0.2% |
| Other state land | 620 | 0.1% |
| State forest | 177 | under 0.1% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 36 | 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 Rockingham County
| WMA | Acres in Rockingham County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Shenandoah WMA | 78 | Follows the private land season |
Which counties border Rockingham County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle County | 3.5% | 4,739 | 2,054 | 13 |
| Augusta County | 35.8% | 6,207 | 2,964 | 25 |
| Greene County | 17.5% | 1,109 | 536 | 9 |
| Page County | 33.3% | 1,762 | 914 | 7 |
| Shenandoah County | 23.4% | 3,073 | 1,441 | 14 |
Highways crossing Rockingham County: US 33 (58 miles), I-81 (41 miles), VA 42 (36 miles), US 11 (22 miles), US 340 (21 miles) and VA 257 (20 miles). Towns inside: Elkton, Bridgewater, Broadway and Grottoes.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Rockingham County?
DWR counted 4,574 deer in Rockingham County in 2025-26, against 4,400 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 4,344 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 5,536 in 2002, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Rockingham 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 Rockingham County runs November 14 to December 12 (west of Routes 613 and 731); November 14 to January 2 (east of Routes 613 and 731), with either-sex days November 21, 27, and 28 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Rockingham County?
In 2026-27: archery October 17 to November 13; muzzleloader November 10 to 13; firearms November 27 to 29, and December 21 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 22 bears in Rockingham County in 2025.
How much public land is in Rockingham County?
179,977 acres, 32.9% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Lake Shenandoah (78 acres). National forest: 140,381 acres.
Is Rockingham County an Earn a Buck county?
Yes. DWR marks Rockingham 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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