Big Woods Wildlife Management Area: hunting, parking and access
Big Woods Wildlife Management Area is 2,213 acres of Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources land in Sussex County. DWR's maps show 17 parking areas, 22 gates and 0.5 mile of gated road. The 2026-27 firearms deer season on the WMA runs November 14 to January 2.
Data updated October 2026. Boundary, parking, gates and roads: DWR's WMA maps. Seasons: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons.
DWR land (WMAs)State forestBig Woods WMADWR parkingGated roadCounty lineHighway
| Size | 2,213 acres (DWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Sussex County |
| DWR region | Region 1 |
| Parking areas | 17 |
| Gates | 22 |
| Gated roads | 0.5 mile |
| Other facilities DWR maps | 3 kiosks and 1 viewing area |
| Firearms deer season, 2026-27 | November 14 to January 2 |
| Nearest towns | Wakefield (3 mi), Waverly (5 mi) and Ivor (8 mi) |
Where do you park on Big Woods WMA?
DWR maps 17 parking areas on Big Woods WMA, listed north to south.
| Lot | Latitude, longitude | Kind (DWR) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 36.96077, -77.05402 | Parking |
| 2 | 36.96043, -77.05895 | Parking |
| 3 | 36.95986, -77.06402 | Parking |
| 4 | 36.95827, -77.06448 | Parking |
| 5 | 36.95203, -77.04983 | Parking |
| 6 | 36.95191, -77.06436 | Parking |
| 7 | 36.94963, -77.05733 | Parking |
| 8 | 36.94500, -77.05703 | Parking |
| 9 | 36.94100, -77.05746 | Parking |
| 10 | 36.93953, -77.05414 | Parking |
| 11 | 36.93819, -77.04796 | Parking |
| 12 | 36.93661, -77.04906 | Parking |
| 13 | 36.93310, -77.03924 | Parking |
| 14 | 36.93300, -77.04941 | Parking |
| 15 | 36.93067, -77.05074 | Parking |
| 16 | 36.93040, -77.04290 | Parking |
| 17 | 36.92766, -77.05258 | Parking |
Source: DWR WMA facilities (parking, gates, boat ramps, ranges).
What roads and trails does Big Woods WMA have?
DWR maps 0.5 mile of gated road on the WMA. DWR's road layer counts 10 miles of open road through or along it. DWR records 22 gates.
Other facilities on DWR's map: 3 kiosks and 1 viewing area.
Sources: DWR WMA roads and trails; DWR WMA facilities (parking, gates, boat ramps, ranges). Miles measured by FilledTag from DWR's lines.
When can you hunt deer on Big Woods WMA in 2026-27?
DWR's public lands table gives Big Woods WMA its own firearms deer season: November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 14 through January 2 (full season). Early archery runs October 3 to November 13 statewide.
| County | WMA acres in it | Private land firearms season | Deer killed (whole county) | Bears (whole county) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sussex County | 2,208 | November 14 to January 2 | 3,577 (2025) | 20 (2025) |
Seasons: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons. Harvest: DWR Deer Kill Data; DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
How do you get to Big Woods WMA?
Highways within five miles: US 460, VA 40, VA 31 and VA 35. Nearest towns: Wakefield (3 miles), Waverly (5 miles), Ivor (8 miles) and Dendron (8 miles).
DWR's page for the area: DWR, Big Woods WMA.
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season on Big Woods WMA?
DWR sets the 2026-27 firearms deer season on Big Woods WMA at November 14 to January 2, with either-sex days November 14 through January 2 (full season). Early archery runs October 3 to November 13 statewide.
Where do you park on Big Woods WMA?
DWR maps 17 parking areas on Big Woods WMA. The coordinates of each are in the table on this page; the first is at 36.9583, -77.0645.
How big is Big Woods WMA?
2,213 acres by DWR's records, in Sussex County.
How many deer are killed in Sussex County, where Big Woods WMA is?
DWR counted 3,577 deer in Sussex County in 2025-26: 1,357 antlered bucks and 1,774 does. DWR does not publish a separate count for the WMA.
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 facts come from
- Boundary and acres: DWR Wildlife Management Areas. Parking, gates and facilities: DWR WMA facilities (parking, gates, boat ramps, ranges). Roads: DWR WMA roads and trails.
- Seasons: DWR Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons. County harvest: DWR Deer Kill Data; DWR Black Bear Harvest by County.
- Public land around it: 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.