Washington County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 2,888 deer killed in Washington County in the 2025-26 season: 1,769 antlered bucks, 108 button bucks and 1,011 does, along with 44 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 10.4% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (22,443 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.
National forestDWR land (WMAs)State forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)Washington CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 566 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 10.4% (37,642 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Hidden Valley WMA |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 2,888 (1,769 antlered, 1,011 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 5.1 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 44 |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to December 12 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
| National forest firearms season | November 14 to November 28 |
How many deer are killed in Washington County?
DWR counted 2,888 deer in Washington County in 2025-26, up from 2,229. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,888 in 2025. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,769 | 108 | 1,011 | 2,888 |
| 2024-25 | 1,531 | 42 | 656 | 2,229 |
| 2023-24 | 1,494 | 69 | 742 | 2,305 |
| 2022-23 | 1,471 | 69 | 711 | 2,251 |
| 2021-22 | 1,331 | 73 | 709 | 2,113 |
| 2020-21 | 1,459 | 89 | 682 | 2,230 |
| 2019-20 | 1,483 | 53 | 726 | 2,262 |
| 2018-19 | 1,266 | 87 | 645 | 1,998 |
| 2017-18 | 1,481 | 68 | 672 | 2,221 |
| 2016-17 | 1,315 | 99 | 598 | 2,012 |
| 2015-16 | 1,241 | 105 | 748 | 2,094 |
| 2014-15 | 1,195 | 80 | 605 | 1,880 |
| 2013-14 | 1,119 | 124 | 736 | 1,979 |
| 2012-13 | 1,164 | 91 | 538 | 1,793 |
| 2011-12 | 1,093 | 92 | 633 | 1,818 |
| 2010-11 | 982 | 61 | 495 | 1,538 |
| 2009-10 | 951 | 103 | 624 | 1,678 |
| 2008-09 | 1,100 | 77 | 663 | 1,840 |
| 2007-08 | 907 | 93 | 685 | 1,685 |
| 2006-07 | 1,101 | 81 | 482 | 1,664 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Washington. 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 Washington County?
DWR counted 44 bears in Washington County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 44 |
| 2024 | 54 |
| 2023 | 45 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Washington 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 December 12 |
| Deer, either-sex days | November 14 through December 12 (full season) |
| Deer, firearms, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest | November 14 to November 28 |
| Deer, either-sex days on the national forest | November 28 |
| Bear, early firearms | September 28 to September 30 (except on Clinch Mountain WMA) |
| 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 Washington County?
10.4% of Washington County is public land: 37,642 of its 362,458 acres. The largest share is national forest, 22,443 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 22,443 | 6.2% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 10,395 | 2.9% |
| State forest | 4,800 | 1.3% |
| National Park Service | 4 | 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 Washington County
| WMA | Acres in Washington County | Firearms deer season on the WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden Valley WMA | 6,237 | November 14 to November 28 |
Which counties border Washington County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayson County | 14.2% | 3,605 | 1,707 | 24 |
| Russell County | 2.8% | 2,174 | 1,366 | 43 |
| Scott County | 10.2% | 2,841 | 1,804 | 29 |
| Smyth County | 31.2% | 1,949 | 1,123 | 53 |
Highways crossing Washington County: US 58 (57 miles), I-81 (54 miles), US 11 (28 miles), US 19 (28 miles), VA 91 (23 miles) and VA 80 (15 miles). Towns inside: Abingdon, Glade Spring and Damascus.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Washington County?
DWR counted 2,888 deer in Washington County in 2025-26, against 2,229 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 2,357 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,888 in 2025, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Washington 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 Washington County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 14 through December 12 (full season) (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Washington County?
In 2026-27: early firearms September 28 to September 30 (except on Clinch Mountain WMA); 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 44 bears in Washington County in 2025.
How much public land is in Washington County?
37,642 acres, 10.4% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. DWR's wildlife management areas here: Hidden Valley (6,237 acres). National forest: 22,443 acres.
Is Washington County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Washington 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.
Virginia hunting Grayson County Russell County Scott County Smyth County