Russell County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,174 deer killed in Russell County in the 2025-26 season: 1,366 antlered bucks, 78 button bucks and 730 does, along with 43 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 2.8% of the county is public land, the largest share DWR land (WMAs) (6,545 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)Army Corps of EngineersRussell CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 476 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 2.8% (8,420 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,174 (1,366 antlered, 730 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4.6 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 43 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Russell County?
DWR counted 2,174 deer in Russell County in 2025-26, up from 1,917. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,174 in 2025. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,366 | 78 | 730 | 2,174 |
| 2024-25 | 1,245 | 56 | 616 | 1,917 |
| 2023-24 | 1,238 | 64 | 652 | 1,954 |
| 2022-23 | 1,139 | 48 | 565 | 1,752 |
| 2021-22 | 1,092 | 59 | 629 | 1,780 |
| 2020-21 | 1,139 | 64 | 660 | 1,863 |
| 2019-20 | 1,041 | 54 | 519 | 1,614 |
| 2018-19 | 989 | 52 | 485 | 1,526 |
| 2017-18 | 1,026 | 49 | 453 | 1,528 |
| 2016-17 | 898 | 68 | 506 | 1,472 |
| 2015-16 | 993 | 73 | 542 | 1,608 |
| 2014-15 | 798 | 84 | 515 | 1,397 |
| 2013-14 | 844 | 97 | 615 | 1,556 |
| 2012-13 | 906 | 55 | 476 | 1,437 |
| 2011-12 | 809 | 59 | 514 | 1,382 |
| 2010-11 | 701 | 59 | 402 | 1,162 |
| 2009-10 | 684 | 97 | 465 | 1,246 |
| 2008-09 | 811 | 86 | 482 | 1,379 |
| 2007-08 | 822 | 110 | 631 | 1,563 |
| 2006-07 | 778 | 88 | 524 | 1,390 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Russell. 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 Russell County?
DWR counted 43 bears in Russell County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 43 |
| 2024 | 37 |
| 2023 | 34 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Russell 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 December 12 |
| Deer, either-sex days | November 21 through November 28 |
| Bear, early firearms | September 28 to September 30 (except on Clinch Mountain WMA) |
| 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 Russell County?
2.8% of Russell County is public land: 8,420 of its 304,937 acres. The largest share is DWR land (WMAs), 6,545 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Russell County |
|---|---|---|
| DWR land (WMAs) | 6,545 | 2.1% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,839 | 0.6% |
| State forest | 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.
Which counties border Russell County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 0% | 1,412 | 1,070 | 81 |
| Dickenson County | 9.2% | 1,317 | 914 | 42 |
| Scott County | 10.2% | 2,841 | 1,804 | 29 |
| Smyth County | 31.2% | 1,949 | 1,123 | 53 |
| Tazewell County | 4.3% | 2,472 | 1,561 | 52 |
| Washington County | 10.4% | 2,888 | 1,769 | 44 |
| Wise County | 14.3% | 1,463 | 976 | 69 |
Highways crossing Russell County: US 19 (57 miles), VA 80 (23 miles), VA 71 (20 miles), VA 67 (10 miles), VA 63 (9 miles) and VA 82 (7 miles). Towns inside: Lebanon, Honaker, St. Paul and Cleveland.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Russell County?
DWR counted 2,174 deer in Russell County in 2025-26, against 1,917 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,915 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,174 in 2025, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Russell 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 Russell County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 21 through November 28 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Russell County?
In 2026-27: early firearms September 28 to September 30 (except on Clinch Mountain WMA); 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 43 bears in Russell County in 2025.
How much public land is in Russell County?
8,420 acres, 2.8% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Russell County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Russell 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.
Virginia hunting Buchanan County Dickenson County Scott County Smyth County Tazewell County Washington County Wise County