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Tazewell County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land

DWR counted 2,472 deer killed in Tazewell County in the 2025-26 season: 1,561 antlered bucks, 83 button bucks and 828 does, along with 52 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 4.3% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (10,370 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.

Map of Tazewell County, Virginia: public land by manager, neighboring Bland County, Buchanan County, Russell County and Smyth County, highways US 460, US 19 and VA 16 and Bluefield, Tazewell and Richlands

National forestDWR land (WMAs)State parks and natural areas (DCR)Tazewell CountyNeighboring countiesHighway

Tazewell County at a glance
Size520 square miles
Public land4.3% (14,464 acres)
Deer killed, 2025-262,472 (1,561 antlered, 828 does)
Deer killed per square mile4.8 (worked out from DWR's count)
Bears killed, 202552
Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27November 14 to December 12
Earn a BuckNo
National forest firearms seasonNovember 14 to November 28

How many deer are killed in Tazewell County?

DWR counted 2,472 deer in Tazewell County in 2025-26, up from 1,852. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,896 in 2002. The last 20 seasons:

SeasonAntlered bucksButton bucksDoesTotal
2025-261,561838282,472
2024-251,210565861,852
2023-241,449727162,237
2022-231,367756252,067
2021-221,322746692,065
2020-211,407787382,223
2019-201,296605911,947
2018-191,192666281,886
2017-181,342876492,078
2016-171,158706571,885
2015-161,186937232,002
2014-151,018776941,789
2013-141,1511488592,159
2012-131,2021037822,087
2011-121,130937842,007
2010-11995845461,625
2009-101,2081179172,242
2008-091,1651178452,127
2007-081,1421671,0112,320
2006-071,1181498282,095

Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Tazewell. 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 Tazewell County?

DWR counted 52 bears in Tazewell County in 2025.

YearBears
202552
202477
202366

Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.

When are the 2026-27 seasons in Tazewell County?

SeasonDates, 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 landsNovember 14 to December 12
Deer, either-sex daysNovember 21 through November 28
Deer, firearms, George Washington and Jefferson National ForestNovember 14 to November 28
Deer, either-sex days on the national forestNovember 28
Bear, archeryOctober 3 to November 13
Bear, muzzleloaderNovember 7 to 13
Bear, firearmsNovember 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 Tazewell County?

4.3% of Tazewell County is public land: 14,464 of its 332,680 acres. The largest share is national forest, 10,370 acres.

ManagerAcresShare of Tazewell County
National forest10,3703.1%
DWR land (WMAs)4,0531.2%
National Park Service41under 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 Tazewell County?

County or cityPublic landDeer, 2025Antlered, 2025Bears, 2025
Bland County33.5%1,51993135
Buchanan County0%1,4121,07081
Russell County2.8%2,1741,36643
Smyth County31.2%1,9491,12353

Highways crossing Tazewell County: US 460 (91 miles), US 19 (72 miles), VA 16 (27 miles), VA 91 (18 miles), VA 61 (16 miles) and VA 67 (12 miles). Towns inside: Bluefield, Tazewell, Richlands and Cedar Bluff.

Questions hunters ask

How many deer are killed in Tazewell County?

DWR counted 2,472 deer in Tazewell County in 2025-26, against 1,852 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,139 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,896 in 2002, worked out from DWR's figures.

When is deer season in Tazewell 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 Tazewell 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 Tazewell 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 52 bears in Tazewell County in 2025.

How much public land is in Tazewell County?

14,464 acres, 4.3% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. National forest: 10,370 acres.

Is Tazewell County an Earn a Buck county?

No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Tazewell County as an Earn a Buck county.

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Where these numbers come from

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 Bland County Buchanan County Russell County Smyth County