Hampshire County, West Virginia: deer, bear and turkey hunting, harvest and public land
WVDNR counted 2,010 deer taken in Hampshire County in 2025: 926 bucks in the buck firearms season, 651 antlerless deer, 381 by bow and crossbow, 47 by muzzleloader and 5 in the Mountaineer Heritage season. Hunters also took 21 bears and 240 spring gobblers here. 5.8% of the county is public land, the largest share WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) (20,583 acres).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin. Seasons: WVDNR 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary. Land: PAD-US 4.1.
National forestWVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks)Military (closed unless the base allows)Hampshire CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 645 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 5.8% (23,996 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Nathaniel Mountain WMA, Short Mountain WMA, Wardensville WMA and White Horse Mountain WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 2,010 (1,176 antlered, 739 does) |
| Bucks, buck firearms season 2025 | 926 |
| Deer taken per square mile of habitat, 2025 | 3.19 (WVDNR; 631 square miles of deer habitat) |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 21 |
| Spring gobblers, 2025 | 240 |
| Buck firearms season, 2026 | November 23 to December 6 |
How many deer are taken in Hampshire County?
WVDNR's bulletin gives Hampshire County's deer by season for five years. In 2025 the buck firearms season produced 926 bucks, against 1,231 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks, buck firearms season | Antlerless season | Archery (bow) | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 926 | 651 | 133 | 248 | 47 |
| 2024 | 1,231 | 793 | 192 | 270 | 93 |
| 2023 | 1,121 | 739 | 147 | 216 | 84 |
| 2022 | 1,428 | 1,056 | 218 | 312 | 72 |
| 2021 | 1,475 | 1,031 | 215 | 278 | 99 |
By type in 2025: 1,176 antlered deer, 58 with antlers under three inches, 34 button bucks, 739 does and 3 with antlers shed. That comes to 3.19 deer for every square mile of deer habitat, by WVDNR's own measure (1.47 bucks and 1.03 antlerless deer per square mile).
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 15 to 22.
How many bears are taken in Hampshire County?
WVDNR counted 21 bears in Hampshire County in 2025. By season: 2 bow and crossbow, 1 September and October gun, 15 buck gun, 3 December firearms and 0 Mountaineer Heritage.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2023 | 19 |
| 2022 | 24 |
| 2021 | 20 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 1 and 3.
How many turkeys are taken in Hampshire County?
| Year | Spring gobblers | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 240 | 11 |
| 2024 | 232 | 30 |
| 2023 | 347 | 26 |
| 2022 | 210 | 29 |
| 2021 | 209 | 31 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 7 and 9.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Hampshire County?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery and crossbow | September 26 to December 31 |
| Deer, youth, Class Q and Class XS (antlerless) | October 17 to 18, and December 26 to 27 |
| Deer, antlerless (selected counties) | October 22 to 25, November 23 to December 6, December 10 to 13, and December 28 to 31 |
| Deer, buck firearms | November 23 to December 6 |
| Deer, muzzleloader | December 14 to 20 |
| Deer, bear and turkey, Mountaineer Heritage (private land in selected counties) | January 14 to 17, 2027 |
| Bear, archery and crossbow | September 26 to December 31 |
| Bear, firearms (selected counties) | August 29 to September 7; September 19 to 25; October 3 to 9; October 22 to 25; November 23 to December 6; December 7 to 31 |
| Turkey, fall | October 10 to 18, with split seasons in selected counties |
| Turkey, spring (bearded only) | April 19 to May 23, 2027 |
Source: WVDNR 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary. Antlerless deer, bear firearms and fall turkey seasons are open only in some counties or parts of counties; WVDNR's regulations map them.
How much public land is in Hampshire County?
5.8% of Hampshire County is public land: 23,996 of its 412,547 acres. The largest share is WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks), 20,583 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Hampshire County |
|---|---|---|
| WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) | 20,583 | 5% |
| National forest | 3,413 | 0.8% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US 4.1). Some WMAs are owned by others, such as the Forest Service, and managed by WVDNR.
Wildlife management areas in Hampshire County
| WMA | Acres in Hampshire County | Owner (WVDNR's record) |
|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel Mountain WMA | 9,680 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Short Mountain WMA | 8,086 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Wardensville WMA | 3,416 | U.S. Forest Service |
| White Horse Mountain WMA | 1,764 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Edwards Run WMA | 396 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Fort Mill Ridge WMA | 227 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| South Branch WMA | 208 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
Source: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT); acres in the county measured by FilledTag.
Which counties border Hampshire County?
| County | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, buck season 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 6.8% | 2,065 | 1,040 | 30 |
| Hardy County | 15.6% | 2,446 | 1,166 | 37 |
| Mineral County | 6.9% | 1,948 | 809 | 18 |
| Morgan County | 9.6% | 1,216 | 414 | 3 |
Highways crossing Hampshire County: WV 29 (36 miles), US 50 (34 miles), WV 28 (27 miles), WV 259 (12 miles), US 220 (10 miles) and WV 127 (8 miles). Towns inside: Romney and Capon Bridge.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Hampshire County?
WVDNR counted 2,010 deer in Hampshire County in 2025, 926 of them bucks in the buck firearms season. Over 2021 to 2025 the buck season take ran from 926 to 1,475, the most in 2021.
How many bears are taken in Hampshire County?
21 in 2025: 2 by bow and crossbow, 1 in the September and October gun seasons, 15 during buck gun season and 3 in December. The 2021 to 2025 counts were 20 (2021), 24 (2022), 19 (2023), 14 (2024) and 21 (2025) (WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin).
When is buck season in Hampshire County in 2026?
The buck firearms season runs November 23 to December 6, 2026, statewide except Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties. Archery and crossbow season runs September 26 to December 31, and muzzleloader December 14 to 20 (WVDNR 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary).
How much public land is in Hampshire County?
23,996 acres, 5.8% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. WVDNR's wildlife management areas here: Nathaniel Mountain (9,680 acres in the county), Short Mountain (8,086 acres in the county), Wardensville (3,416 acres in the county) and White Horse Mountain (1,764 acres in the county).
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer, bear and turkey harvest: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin.
- Seasons: WVDNR 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary.
- County boundary: West Virginia county boundaries (WVDOT). WMAs: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT). 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 West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from WVDNR and federal sources, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
West Virginia hunting Grant County Hardy County Mineral County Morgan County