Mingo County, West Virginia: deer, bear and turkey hunting, harvest and public land
WVDNR counted 602 deer taken in Mingo County in 2025: 602 by bow and crossbow and 0 in the Mountaineer Heritage season, since the county is closed to firearms deer hunting. Hunters also took 69 bears and 121 spring gobblers here. Mingo County is one of four southern counties closed to firearms and muzzleloader deer hunting; archery and crossbow are open. 11.1% of the county is public land, the largest share WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) (26,510 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 landMingo CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 424 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 11.1% (30,221 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Laurel Lake WMA, Tomblin WMA, Big South WMA and R.D. Bailey Lake WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 602 (457 antlered, 133 does) |
| Bucks, buck firearms season 2025 | 0 |
| Deer taken per square mile of habitat, 2025 | 1.49 (WVDNR; 404 square miles of deer habitat) |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 69 |
| Spring gobblers, 2025 | 121 |
| Buck firearms season, 2026 | Closed to firearms deer hunting |
How many deer are taken in Mingo County?
WVDNR's bulletin gives Mingo 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 | 410 | 192 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 355 | 178 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 464 | 197 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 305 | 132 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 425 | 131 | 0 |
By type in 2025: 457 antlered deer, 6 with antlers under three inches, 4 button bucks, 133 does and 2 with antlers shed. That comes to 1.49 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 Mingo County?
WVDNR counted 69 bears in Mingo County in 2025. By season: 14 bow and crossbow, 42 September and October gun, 0 buck gun, 13 December firearms and 0 Mountaineer Heritage.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 69 |
| 2024 | 60 |
| 2023 | 42 |
| 2022 | 42 |
| 2021 | 52 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 1 and 3.
How many turkeys are taken in Mingo County?
| Year | Spring gobblers | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 121 | 10 |
| 2024 | 127 | 9 |
| 2023 | 146 | 14 |
| 2022 | 75 | 10 |
| 2021 | 119 | 7 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 7 and 9.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Mingo 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 Mingo County?
11.1% of Mingo County is public land: 30,221 of its 271,323 acres. The largest share is WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks), 26,510 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Mingo County |
|---|---|---|
| WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) | 26,510 | 9.8% |
| Army Corps of Engineers | 3,692 | 1.4% |
| Jointly managed land | 19 | 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 Mingo County
| WMA | Acres in Mingo County | Owner (WVDNR's record) |
|---|---|---|
| Laurel Lake WMA | 12,650 | WV Division of Natural Resources, Cotiga Development Corp. |
| Tomblin WMA | 8,953 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Big South WMA | 4,944 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| R.D. Bailey Lake WMA | 3,294 | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
Source: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT); acres in the county measured by FilledTag.
Which counties border Mingo County?
| County | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, buck season 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 2.6% | 1,419 | 582 | 6 |
| Logan County | 6.9% | 602 | 0 | 122 |
| McDowell County | 5.9% | 876 | 0 | 118 |
| Wayne County | 13.6% | 1,196 | 576 | 10 |
| Wyoming County | 6.1% | 1,227 | 0 | 87 |
Highways crossing Mingo County: WV 65 (25 miles), WV 49 (19 miles), US 52 (17 miles), WV 80 (11 miles) and US 119 (7 miles). Towns inside: Williamson, Delbarton, Gilbert and Matewan.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Mingo County?
WVDNR counted 602 deer in Mingo 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 Mingo County?
69 in 2025: 14 by bow and crossbow, 42 in the September and October gun seasons, 0 during buck gun season and 13 in December. The 2021 to 2025 counts were 52 (2021), 42 (2022), 42 (2023), 60 (2024) and 69 (2025) (WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin).
When is buck season in Mingo County in 2026?
Mingo 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 Mingo County?
30,221 acres, 11.1% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. WVDNR's wildlife management areas here: Laurel Lake (12,650 acres in the county), Tomblin (8,953 acres in the county), Big South (4,944 acres in the county) and R.D. Bailey Lake (3,294 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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