City of Virginia Beach, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 168 deer killed in City of Virginia Beach in the 2025-26 season: 82 antlered bucks, 6 button bucks and 80 does, along with no bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs October 1 to November 30. 7.6% of the city is public land, the largest share state parks and natural areas (DCR) (10,314 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 refugeOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)City of Virginia BeachNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 432 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 7.6% (22,540 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Princess Anne WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 168 (82 antlered, 80 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 0.4 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | None |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | October 1 to November 30 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in City of Virginia Beach?
DWR counted 168 deer in City of Virginia Beach in 2025-26, down from 201. DWR's table for the city runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 849 in 1993. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 82 | 6 | 80 | 168 |
| 2024-25 | 108 | 13 | 80 | 201 |
| 2023-24 | 83 | 14 | 98 | 195 |
| 2022-23 | 97 | 7 | 70 | 174 |
| 2021-22 | 108 | 9 | 75 | 192 |
| 2020-21 | 100 | 10 | 56 | 166 |
| 2019-20 | 87 | 10 | 65 | 162 |
| 2018-19 | 94 | 7 | 50 | 151 |
| 2017-18 | 84 | 6 | 62 | 152 |
| 2016-17 | 67 | 10 | 49 | 126 |
| 2015-16 | 67 | 9 | 72 | 148 |
| 2014-15 | 84 | 11 | 68 | 163 |
| 2013-14 | 104 | 17 | 114 | 235 |
| 2012-13 | 147 | 26 | 127 | 300 |
| 2011-12 | 154 | 39 | 189 | 382 |
| 2010-11 | 203 | 44 | 271 | 518 |
| 2009-10 | 232 | 55 | 292 | 579 |
| 2008-09 | 207 | 47 | 262 | 516 |
| 2007-08 | 237 | 50 | 233 | 520 |
| 2006-07 | 231 | 44 | 215 | 490 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Virginia Beach. 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 Virginia Beach?
DWR counted no bears in City of Virginia Beach in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in City of Virginia Beach?
| 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 | October 1 to November 30 |
| Deer, either-sex days | 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 Virginia Beach?
7.6% of City of Virginia Beach is public land: 22,540 of its 295,267 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 10,314 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of City of Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 10,896 | 3.7% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 10,314 | 3.5% |
| National wildlife refuge | 9,718 | 3.3% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 1,474 | 0.5% |
| Other state land | 1,034 | 0.4% |
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.
Wildlife management areas in City of Virginia Beach
| WMA | Acres in City of Virginia Beach | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Princess Anne WMA | 1,507 | Follows the private land season |
Which counties border City of Virginia Beach?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Chesapeake | 25.8% | 470 | 258 | 15 |
| Northampton County | 4% | 1,256 | 546 |
Highways crossing City of Virginia Beach: US 60 (28 miles), I-264 (23 miles), US 58 (23 miles), VA 165 (22 miles), VA 190 (16 miles) and US 13 (14 miles). Towns inside: Virginia Beach.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in City of Virginia Beach?
DWR counted 168 deer in City of Virginia Beach in 2025-26, against 201 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 186 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 849 in 1993, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in City of Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach runs October 1 to November 30, with either-sex days October 1 through November 30 (full season) (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in City of Virginia Beach?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; firearms October 1 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons). DWR counted no bears in City of Virginia Beach in 2025.
How much public land is in City of Virginia Beach?
22,540 acres, 7.6% of the city, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Princess Anne (1,507 acres).
Is City of Virginia Beach an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark City of Virginia Beach 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.