Southampton County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 5,129 deer killed in Southampton County in the 2025-26 season: 1,827 antlered bucks, 558 button bucks and 2,744 does, along with 18 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 0.7% of the county is public land, the largest share other state land (1,310 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)Other state landSouthampton CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 602 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 0.7% (2,757 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Nottoway River WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 5,129 (1,827 antlered, 2,744 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 8.5 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 18 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Southampton County?
DWR counted 5,129 deer in Southampton County in 2025-26, up from 5,023. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 7,194 in 2010. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,827 | 558 | 2,744 | 5,129 |
| 2024-25 | 1,858 | 583 | 2,582 | 5,023 |
| 2023-24 | 1,802 | 498 | 2,458 | 4,758 |
| 2022-23 | 1,649 | 515 | 2,430 | 4,594 |
| 2021-22 | 1,651 | 477 | 2,204 | 4,332 |
| 2020-21 | 1,791 | 522 | 2,372 | 4,685 |
| 2019-20 | 1,897 | 612 | 2,649 | 5,158 |
| 2018-19 | 1,884 | 560 | 2,545 | 4,989 |
| 2017-18 | 1,763 | 538 | 2,308 | 4,609 |
| 2016-17 | 1,697 | 562 | 2,369 | 4,628 |
| 2015-16 | 1,979 | 500 | 2,471 | 4,950 |
| 2014-15 | 1,814 | 607 | 2,402 | 4,823 |
| 2013-14 | 2,140 | 659 | 2,856 | 5,656 |
| 2012-13 | 1,911 | 616 | 2,630 | 5,158 |
| 2011-12 | 2,210 | 841 | 3,551 | 6,607 |
| 2010-11 | 2,502 | 875 | 3,817 | 7,194 |
| 2009-10 | 2,220 | 833 | 3,228 | 6,281 |
| 2008-09 | 2,563 | 892 | 3,685 | 7,140 |
| 2007-08 | 2,412 | 906 | 3,502 | 6,820 |
| 2006-07 | 2,338 | 792 | 3,249 | 6,379 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Southampton. 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 Southampton County?
DWR counted 18 bears in Southampton County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2024 | 20 |
| 2023 | 9 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Southampton 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 Southampton County?
0.7% of Southampton County is public land: 2,757 of its 385,515 acres. The largest share is other state land, 1,310 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Southampton County |
|---|---|---|
| Other state land | 1,310 | 0.3% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,281 | 0.3% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 166 | 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 Southampton County
| WMA | Acres in Southampton County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Nottoway River WMA | 169 | Follows the private land season |
Which counties border Southampton County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensville County | 0.2% | 2,297 | 771 | 8 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1.7% | 2,206 | 869 | 9 |
| City of Suffolk | 14.2% | 1,738 | 741 | 35 |
| Surry County | 2.2% | 2,295 | 926 | 13 |
| Sussex County | 2% | 3,577 | 1,357 | 20 |
Highways crossing Southampton County: US 58 (68 miles), VA 35 (26 miles), US 258 (15 miles), US 460 (8 miles), VA 186 (6 miles) and VA 308 (4 miles). Towns inside: Ivor, Courtland, Boykins and Newsoms.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Southampton County?
DWR counted 5,129 deer in Southampton County in 2025-26, against 5,023 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 4,767 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 7,194 in 2010, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Southampton 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 Southampton 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 Southampton 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). DWR counted 18 bears in Southampton County in 2025.
How much public land is in Southampton County?
2,757 acres, 0.7% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Nottoway River (169 acres).
Is Southampton County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Southampton 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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