Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026
Virginia deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, by season and zone, plus the public land in Virginia from our directory. Archery opens Oct. 3, 2026. Firearms: Nov. 14, 2026 (most counties) (General firearms, private lands).
Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in Virginia?
- Oct. 3, 2026, per Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Virginia?
- Nov. 14, 2026 (most counties) (General firearms, private lands).
- Where are the official rules?
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
Virginia deer season dates, 2026–27
Deer
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend | Statewide | Sept. 26–27, 2026 |
| Early archery | Statewide | Oct. 3 – Nov. 13, 2026 |
| Early muzzleloader | Statewide except Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) and Virginia Beach | Oct. 31 – Nov. 13, 2026 |
| General firearms | Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) and Virginia Beach | Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2026 |
| General firearms | Most counties (private lands and public lands not in DWR’s public-lands table) | Opens Nov. 14, 2026; closes Dec. 12, 2026 or Jan. 2, 2027 depending on county |
| Late muzzleloader | Where open, east and west of the Blue Ridge | Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 2, 2027 (some areas differ) |
| Late archery | Varies by county and land type | Starts Nov. 29, Dec. 1 or Dec. 13, depending on area; ends Jan. 2, 2027 |
- Public lands (national forests, DWR-owned WMAs, state forests and others) have their own firearms dates and either-sex days in DWR’s Public Lands table. Check it before you hunt public land.
- Either-sex days, Earn a Buck rules and local firearms ordinances differ by county.
Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Public land in Virginia that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 142 named public land units in Virginia (about 2.1M ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 74 state wildlife & game areas, 33 forests & grasslands, 17 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 1 BLM units, 3 lake & reservoir project lands, 14 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in Virginia
All 74 →- State wildlife / game area
Goshen and Little North Mountain Wildlife Management Area
33,307 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Rockbridge County, Augusta County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area
24,804 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Smyth County, Russell County + 2 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Highland Wildlife Management Area
13,911 acres
Not recorded · Highland County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Gathright Wildlife Management Area
13,193 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Bath County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Rapidan Wildlife Management Area
10,051 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Madison County, Greene County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Havens Wildlife Management Area
9,380 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Roanoke County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Mockhorn Wildlife Management Area
7,704 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Northampton County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
The Big Survey Wildlife Management Area
7,596 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Wythe County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Hidden Valley Wildlife Management Area
6,250 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Washington County
Open access
National & state forests and grasslands in Virginia
All 33 →- National Forest land
George Washington National Forest
961,016 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Augusta County, Bath County + 11 more
Open access - National Forest land
Jefferson National Forest
712,425 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Craig County, Bland County + 17 more
Open access - State forest
Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest
20,058 acres
State: department of natural resources · Appomattox County, Buckingham County
Open access - State forest
Cumberland State Forest
16,729 acres
State: department of natural resources · Cumberland County, Buckingham County
Open access - State forest
Dragon Run State Forest
9,546 acres
State: department of natural resources · King and Queen County
Open access - State forest
Prince Edward-Gallion State Forest
7,038 acres
State: department of natural resources · Prince Edward County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Virginia
All 17 →- National Wildlife Refuge
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
86,533 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Chesapeake city, Suffolk city
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
11,943 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Accomack County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
8,820 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Virginia Beach city
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge
7,680 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Richmond County, Essex County + 3 more
Restricted access
BLM land in Virginia
- BLM public land
BLM Southeastern States District Office Public Lands
802 acres
Bureau of Land Management · Fairfax County
Open access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Rockbridge County (8)
- Rockingham County (5)
- Nelson County (5)
- Carroll County (5)
- Accomack County (5)
- Suffolk City (5)
- Caroline County (5)
- New Kent County (5)
- Fauquier County (5)
- Augusta County (4)
- Highland County (4)
- Grayson County (4)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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