Westmoreland County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,479 deer killed in Westmoreland County in the 2025-26 season: 553 antlered bucks, 170 button bucks and 756 does. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to January 2. 1.7% of the county is public land, the largest share state parks and natural areas (DCR) (1,328 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 ServiceOther state landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Westmoreland CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 256 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.7% (2,834 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,479 (553 antlered, 756 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 5.8 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Firearms deer season, private lands, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Earn a Buck | No |
How many deer are killed in Westmoreland County?
DWR counted 1,479 deer in Westmoreland County in 2025-26, up from 1,402. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 2,343 in 2008. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 553 | 170 | 756 | 1,479 |
| 2024-25 | 555 | 167 | 680 | 1,402 |
| 2023-24 | 535 | 148 | 626 | 1,309 |
| 2022-23 | 533 | 132 | 627 | 1,292 |
| 2021-22 | 441 | 109 | 497 | 1,047 |
| 2020-21 | 507 | 126 | 659 | 1,292 |
| 2019-20 | 544 | 123 | 755 | 1,422 |
| 2018-19 | 481 | 86 | 529 | 1,096 |
| 2017-18 | 465 | 86 | 580 | 1,131 |
| 2016-17 | 512 | 129 | 713 | 1,354 |
| 2015-16 | 582 | 165 | 851 | 1,598 |
| 2014-15 | 611 | 182 | 1,030 | 1,823 |
| 2013-14 | 759 | 240 | 1,294 | 2,294 |
| 2012-13 | 640 | 225 | 1,048 | 1,913 |
| 2011-12 | 801 | 258 | 1,277 | 2,336 |
| 2010-11 | 670 | 286 | 1,160 | 2,116 |
| 2009-10 | 764 | 307 | 1,181 | 2,252 |
| 2008-09 | 876 | 264 | 1,203 | 2,343 |
| 2007-08 | 616 | 219 | 943 | 1,778 |
| 2006-07 | 657 | 167 | 796 | 1,620 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Westmoreland. DWR's figure for the latest season is preliminary and leaves out the late urban archery and late antlerless-only seasons.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Westmoreland 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 30 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 Westmoreland County?
1.7% of Westmoreland County is public land: 2,834 of its 163,642 acres. The largest share is state parks and natural areas (DCR), 1,328 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Westmoreland County |
|---|---|---|
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 1,328 | 0.8% |
| Other state land | 652 | 0.4% |
| National Park Service | 556 | 0.3% |
| National wildlife refuge | 232 | 0.1% |
| DWR land (WMAs) | 66 | 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.
Which counties border Westmoreland County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 0.6% | 1,386 | 524 | 1 |
| King George County | 3.9% | 754 | 375 | 1 |
| Northumberland County | 0.4% | 1,318 | 469 | |
| Richmond County | 4.2% | 1,302 | 432 |
Highways crossing Westmoreland County: VA 3 (28 miles), VA 202 (14 miles), VA 205 (11 miles), VA 203 (9 miles), VA 347 (3 miles) and VA 204 (2 miles). Towns inside: Colonial Beach and Montross.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Westmoreland County?
DWR counted 1,479 deer in Westmoreland County in 2025-26, against 1,402 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,306 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 2,343 in 2008, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland 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 Westmoreland County?
In 2026-27: archery October 3 to November 13; muzzleloader November 7 to 13; firearms November 30 to January 2 (DWR Bear Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
How much public land is in Westmoreland County?
2,834 acres, 1.7% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1.
Is Westmoreland County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Westmoreland County as an Earn a Buck county.
Get a Virginia hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Virginia are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Virginia included.
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 Essex County King George County Northumberland County Richmond County