Stafford County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,018 deer killed in Stafford County in the 2025-26 season: 477 antlered bucks, 62 button bucks and 479 does, along with 2 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 2.5% of the county is public land, the largest share state parks and natural areas (DCR) (3,975 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 parks and natural areas (DCR)National wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Stafford CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 279 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 2.5% (4,453 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,018 (477 antlered, 479 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.6 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 2 |
| 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) |
How many deer are killed in Stafford County?
DWR counted 1,018 deer in Stafford County in 2025-26, up from 972. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 1,614 in 2013. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 477 | 62 | 479 | 1,018 |
| 2024-25 | 441 | 61 | 470 | 972 |
| 2023-24 | 489 | 68 | 438 | 995 |
| 2022-23 | 465 | 85 | 487 | 1,037 |
| 2021-22 | 451 | 75 | 469 | 995 |
| 2020-21 | 493 | 84 | 440 | 1,017 |
| 2019-20 | 603 | 115 | 559 | 1,277 |
| 2018-19 | 492 | 67 | 429 | 988 |
| 2017-18 | 502 | 86 | 511 | 1,099 |
| 2016-17 | 460 | 98 | 416 | 974 |
| 2015-16 | 611 | 112 | 493 | 1,216 |
| 2014-15 | 513 | 87 | 481 | 1,081 |
| 2013-14 | 696 | 145 | 773 | 1,614 |
| 2012-13 | 536 | 101 | 517 | 1,154 |
| 2011-12 | 703 | 136 | 703 | 1,542 |
| 2010-11 | 659 | 95 | 541 | 1,295 |
| 2009-10 | 672 | 120 | 557 | 1,349 |
| 2008-09 | 763 | 148 | 622 | 1,533 |
| 2007-08 | 561 | 114 | 550 | 1,225 |
| 2006-07 | 546 | 119 | 525 | 1,190 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Stafford. 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 Stafford County?
DWR counted 2 bears in Stafford County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Stafford 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 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 Stafford County?
2.5% of Stafford County is public land: 4,453 of its 178,898 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 3,975 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Stafford County |
|---|---|---|
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 32,601 | 18.2% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 3,975 | 2.2% |
| National Park Service | 478 | 0.3% |
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 Stafford County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County | 1.6% | 2,851 | 1,259 | 3 |
| Culpeper County | 0.1% | 2,982 | 1,270 | 4 |
| Fauquier County | 2.9% | 4,464 | 1,963 | 4 |
| King George County | 3.9% | 754 | 375 | 1 |
| Prince William County | 9.1% | 1,026 | 496 | 3 |
| Spotsylvania County | 5.2% | 1,939 | 843 | 7 |
Highways crossing Stafford County: I-95 (31 miles), US 17 (22 miles), US 1 (20 miles), VA 3 (14 miles) and VA 218 (9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Stafford County?
DWR counted 1,018 deer in Stafford County in 2025-26, against 972 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,003 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 1,614 in 2013, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Stafford 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 Stafford 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 Stafford 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 2 bears in Stafford County in 2025.
How much public land is in Stafford County?
4,453 acres, 2.5% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Stafford County an Earn a Buck county?
Yes. DWR marks Stafford 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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