Mercer County, West Virginia: deer, bear and turkey hunting, harvest and public land
WVDNR counted 2,069 deer taken in Mercer County in 2025: 671 bucks in the buck firearms season, 414 antlerless deer, 892 by bow and crossbow, 80 by muzzleloader and 12 in the Mountaineer Heritage season. Hunters also took 25 bears and 179 spring gobblers here. 3.2% of the county is public land, the largest share WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) (8,302 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)Army Corps of EngineersJointly managed landMercer CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 421 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 3.2% (8,601 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Tate Lohr WMA and Bluestone Lake WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 2,069 (1,317 antlered, 673 does) |
| Bucks, buck firearms season 2025 | 671 |
| Deer taken per square mile of habitat, 2025 | 5.44 (WVDNR; 380 square miles of deer habitat) |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 25 |
| Spring gobblers, 2025 | 179 |
| Buck firearms season, 2026 | November 23 to December 6 |
How many deer are taken in Mercer County?
WVDNR's bulletin gives Mercer County's deer by season for five years. In 2025 the buck firearms season produced 671 bucks, against 531 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks, buck firearms season | Antlerless season | Archery (bow) | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 671 | 414 | 367 | 525 | 80 |
| 2024 | 531 | 393 | 251 | 378 | 55 |
| 2023 | 1,014 | 502 | 372 | 536 | 98 |
| 2022 | 697 | 381 | 291 | 405 | 72 |
| 2021 | 692 | 375 | 382 | 432 | 60 |
By type in 2025: 1,317 antlered deer, 39 with antlers under three inches, 35 button bucks, 673 does and 5 with antlers shed. That comes to 5.44 deer for every square mile of deer habitat, by WVDNR's own measure (1.77 bucks and 1.09 antlerless deer per square mile).
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 15 to 22.
How many bears are taken in Mercer County?
WVDNR counted 25 bears in Mercer County in 2025. By season: 11 bow and crossbow, 4 September and October gun, 8 buck gun, 2 December firearms and 0 Mountaineer Heritage.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 |
| 2024 | 39 |
| 2023 | 51 |
| 2022 | 19 |
| 2021 | 45 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 1 and 3.
How many turkeys are taken in Mercer County?
| Year | Spring gobblers | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 179 | 6 |
| 2024 | 239 | 14 |
| 2023 | 203 | 57 |
| 2022 | 248 | 8 |
| 2021 | 194 | 16 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 7 and 9.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Mercer 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 Mercer County?
3.2% of Mercer County is public land: 8,601 of its 269,250 acres. The largest share is WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks), 8,302 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Mercer County |
|---|---|---|
| WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) | 8,302 | 3.1% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 152 | 0.1% |
| National forest | 98 | under 0.1% |
| Jointly managed land | 49 | under 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 Mercer County
| WMA | Acres in Mercer County | Owner (WVDNR's record) |
|---|---|---|
| Tate Lohr WMA | 1,043 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Bluestone Lake WMA | 146 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
Source: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT); acres in the county measured by FilledTag.
Which counties border Mercer County?
| County | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, buck season 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell County | 5.9% | 876 | 0 | 118 |
| Monroe County | 8.4% | 2,677 | 1,059 | 52 |
| Raleigh County | 3.8% | 2,844 | 893 | 130 |
| Summers County | 12.7% | 1,709 | 635 | 33 |
| Wyoming County | 6.1% | 1,227 | 0 | 87 |
Highways crossing Mercer County: I-77 (54 miles), US 460 (54 miles), US 19 (42 miles), US 52 (29 miles), WV 20 (29 miles) and WV 112 (14 miles). Towns inside: Bluefield, Princeton, Bramwell and Oakvale.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Mercer County?
WVDNR counted 2,069 deer in Mercer County in 2025, 671 of them bucks in the buck firearms season. Over 2021 to 2025 the buck season take ran from 531 to 1,014, the most in 2023.
How many bears are taken in Mercer County?
25 in 2025: 11 by bow and crossbow, 4 in the September and October gun seasons, 8 during buck gun season and 2 in December. The 2021 to 2025 counts were 45 (2021), 19 (2022), 51 (2023), 39 (2024) and 25 (2025) (WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin).
When is buck season in Mercer 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 Mercer County?
8,601 acres, 3.2% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. WVDNR's wildlife management areas here: Tate Lohr (1,043 acres in the county) and Bluestone Lake (146 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.
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