Preston County, West Virginia: deer, bear and turkey hunting, harvest and public land
WVDNR counted 4,570 deer taken in Preston County in 2025: 1,349 bucks in the buck firearms season, 1,442 antlerless deer, 1,573 by bow and crossbow, 179 by muzzleloader and 27 in the Mountaineer Heritage season. Hunters also took 82 bears and 362 spring gobblers here. 3.5% of the county is public land, the largest share WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) (10,590 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)Jointly managed landMilitary (closed unless the base allows)Preston CountyNeighboring countiesHighway
| Size | 651 square miles |
|---|---|
| Public land | 3.5% (14,516 acres) |
| Wildlife management areas | Blackwater WMA, Cheat Canyon WMA, Snake Hill WMA and Fairfax Pond / Rehe WMA |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 4,570 (2,549 antlered, 1,846 does) |
| Bucks, buck firearms season 2025 | 1,349 |
| Deer taken per square mile of habitat, 2025 | 7.23 (WVDNR; 632 square miles of deer habitat) |
| Bears taken, 2025 | 82 |
| Spring gobblers, 2025 | 362 |
| Buck firearms season, 2026 | November 23 to December 6 |
How many deer are taken in Preston County?
WVDNR's bulletin gives Preston County's deer by season for five years. In 2025 the buck firearms season produced 1,349 bucks, against 1,565 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks, buck firearms season | Antlerless season | Archery (bow) | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,349 | 1,442 | 519 | 1,054 | 179 |
| 2024 | 1,565 | 1,657 | 534 | 969 | 171 |
| 2023 | 1,412 | 1,485 | 412 | 852 | 187 |
| 2022 | 1,726 | 1,516 | 500 | 1,033 | 202 |
| 2021 | 1,239 | 1,327 | 444 | 813 | 138 |
By type in 2025: 2,549 antlered deer, 80 with antlers under three inches, 92 button bucks, 1,846 does and 3 with antlers shed. That comes to 7.23 deer for every square mile of deer habitat, by WVDNR's own measure (2.13 bucks and 2.28 antlerless deer per square mile).
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 15 to 22.
How many bears are taken in Preston County?
WVDNR counted 82 bears in Preston County in 2025. By season: 26 bow and crossbow, 4 September and October gun, 1 buck gun, 51 December firearms and 0 Mountaineer Heritage.
| Year | Bears |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 82 |
| 2024 | 99 |
| 2023 | 59 |
| 2022 | 68 |
| 2021 | 76 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 1 and 3.
How many turkeys are taken in Preston County?
| Year | Spring gobblers | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 362 | 15 |
| 2024 | 441 | 34 |
| 2023 | 390 | 27 |
| 2022 | 357 | 33 |
| 2021 | 343 | 10 |
Source: WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin, Tables 7 and 9.
When are the 2026-27 seasons in Preston 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 Preston County?
3.5% of Preston County is public land: 14,516 of its 416,857 acres. The largest share is WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks), 10,590 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Preston County |
|---|---|---|
| WVDNR land (WMAs, state forests, parks) | 10,590 | 2.5% |
| Military (closed unless the base allows) | 8,510 | 2% |
| National forest | 3,926 | 0.9% |
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 Preston County
| WMA | Acres in Preston County | Owner (WVDNR's record) |
|---|---|---|
| Blackwater WMA | 3,913 | U.S. Forest Service |
| Cheat Canyon WMA | 3,806 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Snake Hill WMA | 799 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Fairfax Pond / Rehe WMA | 632 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
| Upper Deckers Creek WMA | 56 | WV Division of Natural Resources |
Source: WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas (served by WVDOT); acres in the county measured by FilledTag.
Which counties border Preston County?
| County | Public land | Deer, 2025 | Bucks, buck season 2025 | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour County | 0.8% | 1,952 | 614 | 37 |
| Grant County | 6.8% | 2,065 | 1,040 | 30 |
| Monongalia County | 5.1% | 2,050 | 603 | 6 |
| Taylor County | 5% | 1,035 | 323 | 12 |
| Tucker County | 48.2% | 1,447 | 607 | 71 |
Highways crossing Preston County: WV 26 (41 miles), I-68 (35 miles), WV 7 (27 miles), WV 72 (21 miles), WV 92 (19 miles) and WV 24 (6 miles). Towns inside: Kingwood, Terra Alta, Rowlesburg and Newburg.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are taken in Preston County?
WVDNR counted 4,570 deer in Preston County in 2025, 1,349 of them bucks in the buck firearms season. Over 2021 to 2025 the buck season take ran from 1,239 to 1,726, the most in 2022.
How many bears are taken in Preston County?
82 in 2025: 26 by bow and crossbow, 4 in the September and October gun seasons, 1 during buck gun season and 51 in December. The 2021 to 2025 counts were 76 (2021), 68 (2022), 59 (2023), 99 (2024) and 82 (2025) (WVDNR 2025 Big Game Bulletin).
When is buck season in Preston 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 Preston County?
14,516 acres, 3.5% of the county, by PAD-US 4.1. WVDNR's wildlife management areas here: Blackwater (3,913 acres in the county), Cheat Canyon (3,806 acres in the county), Snake Hill (799 acres in the county) and Fairfax Pond / Rehe (632 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 Barbour County Grant County Monongalia County Taylor County Tucker County