City of Suffolk, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,738 deer killed in City of Suffolk in the 2025-26 season: 741 antlered bucks, 168 button bucks and 829 does, along with 35 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2 in part of the city. 14.2% of the city is public land, the largest share national wildlife refuge (35,666 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)National wildlife refugeOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)City of SuffolkNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 429 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 14.2% (38,947 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,738 (741 antlered, 829 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 4.1 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 35 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 (west of the Dismal Swamp line); October 1 to November 30 (east of the Dismal Swamp line) |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in City of Suffolk?
DWR counted 1,738 deer in City of Suffolk in 2025-26, down from 1,783. DWR's table for the city runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,684 in 2010. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 741 | 168 | 829 | 1,738 |
| 2024-25 | 741 | 146 | 896 | 1,783 |
| 2023-24 | 769 | 170 | 814 | 1,753 |
| 2022-23 | 674 | 159 | 792 | 1,625 |
| 2021-22 | 789 | 135 | 861 | 1,785 |
| 2020-21 | 849 | 193 | 952 | 1,994 |
| 2019-20 | 883 | 188 | 960 | 2,031 |
| 2018-19 | 838 | 181 | 991 | 2,010 |
| 2017-18 | 830 | 176 | 995 | 2,001 |
| 2016-17 | 699 | 155 | 916 | 1,770 |
| 2015-16 | 863 | 229 | 933 | 2,025 |
| 2014-15 | 863 | 243 | 1,087 | 2,193 |
| 2013-14 | 863 | 239 | 1,041 | 2,144 |
| 2012-13 | 784 | 180 | 914 | 1,878 |
| 2011-12 | 863 | 278 | 1,226 | 2,369 |
| 2010-11 | 1,027 | 313 | 1,344 | 2,684 |
| 2009-10 | 886 | 206 | 1,067 | 2,159 |
| 2008-09 | 926 | 223 | 1,022 | 2,171 |
| 2007-08 | 955 | 225 | 863 | 2,043 |
| 2006-07 | 901 | 219 | 897 | 2,017 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Suffolk. 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 City of Suffolk?
DWR counted 35 bears in City of Suffolk in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 |
| 2024 | 48 |
| 2023 | 30 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in City of Suffolk?
| 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 the Dismal Swamp line) | November 14 to January 2 |
| Deer, either-sex days (west of the Dismal Swamp line) | November 14 through January 2 (full season) |
| Deer, firearms, private lands (east of the Dismal Swamp line) | October 1 to November 30 |
| Deer, either-sex days (east of the Dismal Swamp line) | October 1 through November 30 (full season) |
| Bear, archery | October 3 to November 13 |
| Bear, firearms | October 1 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 City of Suffolk?
14.2% of City of Suffolk is public land: 38,947 of its 274,448 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 35,666 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of City of Suffolk |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 35,666 | 13% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 3,015 | 1.1% |
| State forest | 266 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the city 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 City of Suffolk?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Chesapeake | 25.8% | 470 | 258 | 15 |
| Isle of Wight County | 1.7% | 2,206 | 869 | 9 |
| Southampton County | 0.7% | 5,129 | 1,827 | 18 |
Highways crossing City of Suffolk: US 58 (55 miles), US 13 (45 miles), VA 32 (31 miles), US 460 (22 miles), VA 337 (15 miles) and VA 10 (14 miles). Towns inside: Suffolk.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in City of Suffolk?
DWR counted 1,738 deer in City of Suffolk in 2025-26, against 1,783 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,737 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,684 in 2010, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in City of Suffolk 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 City of Suffolk runs November 14 to January 2 (west of the Dismal Swamp line); October 1 to November 30 (east of the Dismal Swamp line), with either-sex days November 14 through January 2 (full season) (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in City of Suffolk?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; firearms October 1 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted 35 bears in City of Suffolk in 2025.
How much public land is in City of Suffolk?
38,947 acres, 14.2% of the city, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is City of Suffolk an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark City of Suffolk 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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