Wise County, Virginia: deer and bear hunting, harvest and public land
DWR counted 1,463 deer killed in Wise County in the 2025-26 season: 976 antlered bucks, 38 button bucks and 449 does, along with 69 bears. In 2026-27 the firearms deer season on private land runs November 14 to December 12. 14.3% of the county is public land, the largest share national forest (36,475 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 forestState parks and natural areas (DCR)Army Corps of EngineersWise CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 405 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 14.3% (37,135 acres) |
| Deer killed, 2025-26 | 1,463 (976 antlered, 449 does) |
| Deer killed per square mile | 3.6 (worked out from DWR's count) |
| Bears killed, 2025 | 69 |
| 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 Wise County?
DWR counted 1,463 deer in Wise County in 2025-26, up from 1,234. DWR's table for the county runs back to 1947; the most it shows is 1,463 in 2025. The last 20 seasons:
| Season | Antlered bucks | Button bucks | Does | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 976 | 38 | 449 | 1,463 |
| 2024-25 | 926 | 27 | 281 | 1,234 |
| 2023-24 | 803 | 19 | 257 | 1,079 |
| 2022-23 | 851 | 17 | 260 | 1,128 |
| 2021-22 | 744 | 21 | 211 | 976 |
| 2020-21 | 795 | 19 | 222 | 1,036 |
| 2019-20 | 703 | 21 | 240 | 964 |
| 2018-19 | 596 | 17 | 216 | 829 |
| 2017-18 | 574 | 19 | 160 | 753 |
| 2016-17 | 647 | 12 | 164 | 823 |
| 2015-16 | 628 | 23 | 208 | 859 |
| 2014-15 | 547 | 15 | 172 | 734 |
| 2013-14 | 501 | 25 | 213 | 739 |
| 2012-13 | 585 | 18 | 172 | 775 |
| 2011-12 | 457 | 25 | 173 | 655 |
| 2010-11 | 445 | 16 | 142 | 603 |
| 2009-10 | 437 | 18 | 165 | 620 |
| 2008-09 | 451 | 17 | 137 | 605 |
| 2007-08 | 400 | 34 | 147 | 581 |
| 2006-07 | 441 | 11 | 123 | 575 |
Source: DWR Deer Kill Data, Wise. 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 Wise County?
DWR counted 69 bears in Wise County in 2025.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 69 |
| 2024 | 54 |
| 2023 | 53 |
Source: DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Wise 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 28 |
| Deer, firearms, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest | November 14 to November 28 |
| Deer, either-sex days on the national forest | antlered deer only |
| 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 Wise County?
14.3% of Wise County is public land: 37,135 of its 259,474 acres. The largest share is national forest, 36,475 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Wise County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 36,475 | 14.1% |
| State parks and natural areas (DCR) | 465 | 0.2% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 195 | 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 Wise County?
| County or city | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Antlered, 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickenson County | 9.2% | 1,317 | 914 | 42 |
| Lee County | 7.7% | 1,424 | 985 | 22 |
| Russell County | 2.8% | 2,174 | 1,366 | 43 |
| Scott County | 10.2% | 2,841 | 1,804 | 29 |
Highways crossing Wise County: US 23 (57 miles), VA 72 (16 miles), VA 160 (8 miles), VA 68 (6 miles), VA 83 (4 miles) and VA 78 (3 miles). Towns inside: Big Stone Gap, Appalachia, Wise and Pound.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed in Wise County?
DWR counted 1,463 deer in Wise County in 2025-26, against 1,234 the season before. The five-season average to 2025 is 1,176 a year, and the most in DWR's table was 1,463 in 2025, worked out from DWR's figures.
When is deer season in Wise 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 Wise County runs November 14 to December 12, with either-sex days November 28 (DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons).
When is bear season in Wise 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 69 bears in Wise County in 2025.
How much public land is in Wise County?
37,135 acres, 14.3% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. National forest: 36,475 acres.
Is Wise County an Earn a Buck county?
No. DWR's 2026-27 regulations do not mark Wise 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.
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