McDowell County, West Virginia: deer, bear and turkey hunting, harvest and public land
WVDNR counted 876 deer taken in McDowell County in 2025: 876 by bow and crossbow and 0 in the Mountaineer Heritage season, since the county is closed to firearms deer hunting. Hunters also took 118 bears and 129 spring gobblers here. McDowell County is one of four southern counties closed to firearms and muzzleloader deer hunting; archery and crossbow are open. 5.9% of the county is public land, the largest share WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) (20,215 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 EngineersJointly managed landMcDowell CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 535 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 5.9% (20,215 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Panther WMA, Tug Fork WMA, Anawalt Lake WMA and Berwind Lake WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 876 (655 antlered, 198 does) |
| Bucks, buck firearms season 2025 | 0 |
| Deer taken per square mile of habitat, 2025 | 1.7 (WVDNR; 515 square miles of deer habitat) |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 118 |
| Spring gobblers, 2025 | 129 |
| Buck firearms season, 2026 | Closed to firearms deer hunting |
How many deer are taken in McDowell County?
WVDNR's bulletin gives McDowell County's deer by season for five years. In 2025 the buck firearms season produced 0 bucks.
| Year | Bucks, buck firearms season | Antlerless season | Archery (bow) | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 655 | 221 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 490 | 176 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 586 | 223 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 478 | 187 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 551 | 173 | 0 |
By type in 2025: 655 antlered deer, 11 with antlers under three inches, 10 button bucks, 198 does and 2 with antlers shed. That comes to 1.7 deer for every square mile of deer habitat, by WVDNR's own measure (0 bucks and 0 antlerless deer per square mile).
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 15 to 22.
How many bears are taken in McDowell County?
WVDNR counted 118 bears in McDowell County in 2025. By season: 25 bow and crossbow, 40 September and October gun, 1 buck gun, 52 December firearms and 0 Mountaineer Heritage.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 118 |
| 2024 | 118 |
| 2023 | 151 |
| 2022 | 72 |
| 2021 | 119 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 1 and 3.
How many turkeys are taken in McDowell County?
| Year | Spring gobblers | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 129 | 4 |
| 2024 | 143 | 5 |
| 2023 | 124 | 11 |
| 2022 | 65 | 3 |
| 2021 | 118 | 7 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 7 and 9.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in McDowell County?
| Season | Dates, 2026-27 |
|---|---|
| Deer, archery and crossbow | September 26 to December 31 |
| Deer, youth, Class Q and Class XS (antlerless) | Closed in this county |
| Deer, antlerless (selected counties) | Closed in this county |
| Deer, buck firearms | Closed in this county |
| Deer, muzzleloader | Closed in this county |
| 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 McDowell County?
5.9% of McDowell County is public land: 20,215 of its 342,336 acres. The largest share is WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks), 20,215 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of McDowell County |
|---|---|---|
| WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) | 20,215 | 5.9% |
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 McDowell County
| WMA | Acres in McDowell County | Owner (WVDNR's record) |
|---|---|---|
| Panther WMA | 11,446 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Tug Fork WMA | 6,552 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Anawalt Lake WMA | 1,796 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Berwind Lake WMA | 91 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
Source: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT); acres in the county measured by FilledTag.
Which counties border McDowell County?
| County | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, buck season 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 3.2% | 2,069 | 671 | 25 |
| Mingo County | 11.1% | 602 | 0 | 69 |
| Wyoming County | 6.1% | 1,227 | 0 | 87 |
Highways crossing McDowell County: US 52 (42 miles), WV 16 (36 miles), WV 161 (21 miles), WV 83 (18 miles), WV 80 (16 miles) and WV 103 (11 miles). Towns inside: Welch, Davy, Northfork and Iaeger.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in McDowell County?
WVDNR counted 876 deer in McDowell County in 2025, 0 of them bucks in the buck firearms season. Over 2021 to 2025 the buck season take ran from 0 to 0, the most in 2021.
How many bears are taken in McDowell County?
118 in 2025: 25 by bow and crossbow, 40 in the September and October gun seasons, 1 during buck gun season and 52 in December. The 2021 to 2025 counts were 119 (2021), 72 (2022), 151 (2023), 118 (2024) and 118 (2025) (WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin).
When is buck season in McDowell County in 2026?
McDowell County is closed to firearms and muzzleloader deer hunting; archery and crossbow season runs September 26 to December 31, 2026 (WVDNR 2026-2027 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary).
How much public land is in McDowell County?
20,215 acres, 5.9% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. WVDNR's wildlife management areas here: Panther (11,446 acres in the county), Tug Fork (6,552 acres in the county), Anawalt Lake (1,796 acres in the county) and Berwind Lake (91 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 Mercer County Mingo County Wyoming County