Jackson County, West Virginia: deer, bear and turkey hunting, harvest and public land
WVDNR counted 1,633 deer taken in Jackson County in 2025: 569 bucks in the buck firearms season, 606 antlerless deer, 405 by bow and crossbow, 49 by muzzleloader and 4 in the Mountaineer Heritage season. Hunters also took 1 bear and 366 spring gobblers here. 3.3% of the county is public land, the largest share WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) (9,780 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.
WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks)Army Corps of EngineersNational wildlife refugeMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Jackson CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 472 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 3.3% (10,027 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Frozen Camp WMA, Sandy Creek WMA, Woodrum Lake WMA and Elk Fork Lake WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 1,633 (849 antlered, 677 does) |
| Bucks, buck firearms season 2025 | 569 |
| Deer taken per square mile of habitat, 2025 | 3.65 (WVDNR; 447 square miles of deer habitat) |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 1 |
| Spring gobblers, 2025 | 366 |
| Buck firearms season, 2026 | November 23 to December 6 |
How many deer are taken in Jackson County?
WVDNR's bulletin gives Jackson County's deer by season for five years. In 2025 the buck firearms season produced 569 bucks, against 1,285 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks, buck firearms season | Antlerless season | Archery (bow) | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 569 | 606 | 202 | 203 | 49 |
| 2024 | 1,285 | 1,321 | 455 | 494 | 114 |
| 2023 | 992 | 890 | 340 | 294 | 114 |
| 2022 | 1,509 | 1,314 | 474 | 474 | 152 |
| 2021 | 1,336 | 1,092 | 416 | 386 | 140 |
By type in 2025: 849 antlered deer, 56 with antlers under three inches, 50 button bucks, 677 does and 1 with antlers shed. That comes to 3.65 deer for every square mile of deer habitat, by WVDNR's own measure (1.27 bucks and 1.36 antlerless deer per square mile).
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 15 to 22.
How many bears are taken in Jackson County?
WVDNR counted 1 bears in Jackson County in 2025. By season: 0 bow and crossbow, 0 September and October gun, 1 buck gun, 0 December firearms and 0 Mountaineer Heritage.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 1 and 3.
How many turkeys are taken in Jackson County?
| Year | Spring gobblers | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 366 | 8 |
| 2024 | 400 | 30 |
| 2023 | 416 | 14 |
| 2022 | 309 | 25 |
| 2021 | 323 | 12 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 7 and 9.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Jackson 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 Jackson County?
3.3% of Jackson County is public land: 10,027 of its 301,822 acres. The largest share is WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks), 9,780 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Jackson County |
|---|---|---|
| WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) | 9,780 | 3.2% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 361 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 247 | 0.1% |
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 Jackson County
| WMA | Acres in Jackson County | Owner (WVDNR's record) |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen Camp WMA | 3,055 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Sandy Creek WMA | 2,266 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Woodrum Lake WMA | 1,661 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Elk Fork Lake WMA | 1,419 | WV State Soil Conservation Committee |
| O'Brien Lake WMA | 1,090 | Jackson County Commission |
| Rollins Lake WMA | 75 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Turkey Run Lake WMA | 68 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
Source: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT); acres in the county measured by FilledTag.
Which counties border Jackson County?
| County | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, buck season 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 3.5% | 2,338 | 832 | 163 |
| Mason County | 5.8% | 2,193 | 701 | 3 |
| Putnam County | 3.5% | 1,390 | 453 | 1 |
| Roane County | 1.9% | 1,760 | 650 | 13 |
| Wirt County | 8.5% | 680 | 267 | 12 |
| Wood County | 1.9% | 619 | 218 | 0 |
Highways crossing Jackson County: I-77 (79 miles), WV 2 (39 miles), US 33 (28 miles), WV 68 (13 miles), WV 34 (6 miles) and WV 87 (6 miles). Towns inside: Ripley and Ravenswood.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Jackson County?
WVDNR counted 1,633 deer in Jackson County in 2025, 569 of them bucks in the buck firearms season. Over 2021 to 2025 the buck season take ran from 569 to 1,509, the most in 2022.
How many bears are taken in Jackson County?
1 in 2025: 0 by bow and crossbow, 0 in the September and October gun seasons, 1 during buck gun season and 0 in December. The 2021 to 2025 counts were 1 (2021), 2 (2022), 5 (2023), 2 (2024) and 1 (2025) (WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin).
When is buck season in Jackson 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 Jackson County?
10,027 acres, 3.3% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. WVDNR's wildlife management areas here: Frozen Camp (3,055 acres in the county), Sandy Creek (2,266 acres in the county), Woodrum Lake (1,661 acres in the county) and Elk Fork Lake (1,419 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 Kanawha County Mason County Putnam County Roane County Wirt County Wood County