This is Virginia's published 2026-27 season, the whole state at once. A pin reads its county or city off the map and cuts this to the seasons, arms and limits that apply there.
Virginia deer seasons
2026-27
3 antlered deer per licence year. Six deer a licence year east of the Blue Ridge, of which no more than three may be antlered and at least three must be antlerless. Five a licence year west of the Blue Ridge and on National Forest land in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson, of which no more than two may be antlered. Two a day, or unlimited in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William and in the cities and towns — but the antlered cap holds either way. Bonus deer permits and DCAP, DMAP and DPOP tags are outside the season limit. DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Bag Limits.
Early Archery
Bow, crossbow or arrowgun (arrowgun by disability authorisation only)Six weeks statewide, either sex every day, in all 133 counties and cities.
Statewide
Oct 3 – Nov 13Either sexSix a licence year east of the Blue Ridge and five west of it; two a day, or unlimited in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and the cities and towns.
- "October 3 through November 13: Statewide." Deer of either sex may be taken the full season. DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Archery Deer Seasons.
- The firearms season in Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) and Virginia Beach overlaps this season — blaze colour is required there.
- Broadheads must be at least 7/8 inch wide, or open to 7/8 inch on impact.
- A firearm may not be used to hunt any game while hunting with archery tackle during an archery season, except that a licensed muzzleloading hunter may use a muzzleloader where an archery season overlaps a muzzleloading season.
- Dogs may not be used, except to track a wounded or dead deer.
Late Archery
Bow, crossbow or arrowgun (arrowgun by disability authorisation only)Printed in 3 columns — check which covers your county or city.After the firearms season closes — and only in the west, in Henry and Patrick, and in the three tidewater cities.
The far southwest and the Alleghany highlands
Nov 29 – Jan 2Either sexFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
Henry, Patrick and the upper valley
Dec 13 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year in Henry and Patrick, five west of the Blue Ridge.
Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach
Dec 1 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
- There is no late archery season on private land in most of Virginia. East of the Blue Ridge only Henry and Patrick counties and the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach have one. DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Late Archery Seasons.
- There is no late archery season in Clarke or Floyd counties at all, nor on private lands in Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of Routes 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Warren and Wythe — but the National Forest and DWR-owned lands inside those same counties run 29 November to 2 January.
- Deer of either sex may be taken the full season wherever this season runs.
- National Forest and DWR-owned lands west of the Blue Ridge, the C.F. Phelps WMA, and National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson all run 29 November to 2 January regardless of the county they sit in. This app carries the private-land rule.
Urban Archery
Bow or crossbowPrinted in 1 column — check which covers your county or city.Antlerless deer only, in the towns and counties that asked for it — four weeks in autumn and twelve in spring.
Participating cities, towns and counties
Sep 5 – Oct 2Antlerless onlyJan 3 – Mar 28Antlerless onlyThe ordinary daily and season limits, and all the ordinary rules — tagging, reporting, DCAP, DMAP, Earn-A-Buck and the antler point restriction.
- "During these seasons only antlerless deer may be taken." DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Urban Archery Deer Seasons.
- The season is drawn on incorporated limits and on a named list of counties. This app resolves counties and independent cities; it cannot resolve a town inside a county, and the guide names about forty of those as well — Altavista, Blacksburg, Chatham, Front Royal, Rocky Mount, Wytheville and the rest. If you are hunting a town, check the printed list.
- An archery or crossbow hunter out during the early urban archery season must wear blaze colour on the Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend.
- DWR and the local governments do not maintain lists of properties open to hunting.
NOVA Late Archery
Bow or crossbowPrinted in 1 column — check which covers your county or city.Four more weeks of doe hunting in the northern Virginia suburbs, running to the end of April.
Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William
Mar 29 – Apr 25Antlerless onlyThe ordinary limits; Earn-A-Buck applies here on both private and public land.
- "March 29, 2027 through April 25, 2027: In Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William (except on Department-owned lands) counties (including the cities and towns within)." Only antlerless deer may be taken. DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, NOVA Late Archery Season.
- It is the last deer hunting of the Virginia year, and the only deer season in the state that runs in April.
- Not open on DWR-owned land in Prince William County.
Early Muzzleloader
Muzzleloading riflePrinted in 3 columns — check which covers your county or city.Two weeks before the firearms season. Antlered deer every day; antlerless deer only on the days the county allows.
West of the Blue Ridge — full-season either-sex counties
Oct 31 – Nov 13Either sexFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
West of the Blue Ridge — one either-sex day
Oct 31 – Nov 6Antlered onlyNov 7Either sexNov 8–13Antlered onlyFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
East of the Blue Ridge
Oct 31 – Nov 13Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
- "Antlered deer may be taken every day of the season. Antlerless deer may only be taken on the designated either-sex deer hunting days." DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Early Muzzleloader Season.
- A muzzleloader deer hunter, and anyone accompanying one, must wear blaze colour — except when physically in a tree stand or another stationary hunting position. A hunter out for something else during this season need not.
- West of the Blue Ridge a hunter may take their whole season limit of two antlered deer during this season. Earn-A-Buck still applies where it applies.
- There is no early muzzleloader season in Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) or Virginia Beach, because the firearms season is already open there.
- On National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson, and on all National Forest and DWR-owned land west of the Blue Ridge, this season is antlered deer only. This app carries the private-land rule.
Late Muzzleloader
Muzzleloading riflePrinted in 5 columns — check which covers your county or city.Three weeks in December, where the firearms season has already closed.
Henry and Patrick
Dec 12 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach
Dec 12–27Antlered onlyDec 28 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
West of the Blue Ridge — full-season either-sex counties
Dec 12 – Jan 2Either sexFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
West of the Blue Ridge — the last six days
Dec 12–27Antlered onlyDec 28 – Jan 2Either sexFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
West of the Blue Ridge — one either-sex day
Dec 12 – Jan 1Antlered onlyJan 2Either sexFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
- "There is no late muzzleloader season in Clarke County and on private lands in Carroll, Floyd, Franklin, Frederick, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of routes 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Warren, and Wythe counties since it occurs during the general firearms season." DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Late Muzzleloader Season West of the Blue Ridge.
- East of the Blue Ridge it runs only in Henry and Patrick, on federal and DWR-owned land in Franklin County, on National Forest land in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson, and in the three tidewater cities.
- A muzzleloader deer hunter, and anyone accompanying one, must wear blaze colour except when physically in a tree stand or another stationary position.
- On all National Forest and DWR-owned land west of the Blue Ridge the only either-sex day is 2 January. This app carries the private-land rule.
Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend
Any legal deer weaponOne weekend in late September, statewide, either sex.
Statewide
Sep 26–27Either sexAgainst the ordinary season limit.
- "Resident and nonresident youth hunters 15 years of age and under or holders of a valid apprentice hunting license... may hunt when accompanied and directly supervised by an adult over the age of 18 who has a valid Virginia hunting license or is exempt from purchasing a hunting license." Guide, printed p. 16.
- Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited on this weekend.
- Blaze colour is required of every hunter on this weekend, including an archery hunter out during the early urban archery season.
- Where the county runs an antlered-deer-only firearms season, the Special Youth and Apprentice Antlerless Deer Regulation still lets a young hunter take a doe.
Early and Late Antlerless-only Firearms
Any legal deer weapon the locality allowsPrinted in 2 columns — check which covers your county or city.Four weeks before the archery season and twelve after New Year, for does alone.
Northern Virginia, the northern valley and the eastern piedmont
Sep 5 – Oct 2Antlerless onlyJan 3 – Mar 28Antlerless onlyAntlerless deer only, against the licence-year limit unless taken on a bonus deer permit.
Bedford County
Sep 5 – Oct 2Antlerless onlyJan 3–31Antlerless onlyAntlerless deer only, on private land.
- "During these seasons only antlerless deer may be taken. Dogs may not be used to hunt deer during these seasons." Guide, printed p. 16.
- County-wide in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William (but not on DWR-owned land in Prince William); on private lands only in the other counties listed.
- Bonus deer permits are valid in this season and let a hunter exceed the licence-year limit of antlerless deer. They are not valid on National Forest or DWR-owned land, nor in Buchanan, Dickenson or Wise.
Firearms Deer Season
Rifle, shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader, bow or crossbow, as the locality allowsPrinted in 11 columns — check which covers your county or city.The general season — the same opening day almost everywhere, and eleven different sets of either-sex days inside it.
Buchanan County
Nov 14 – Dec 12Antlered onlyFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
Dickenson and Wise
Nov 14–27Antlered onlyNov 28Either sexNov 29 – Dec 12Antlered onlyFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
Alleghany, Bath, Highland and Lee
Nov 14–20Antlered onlyNov 21Either sexNov 22–26Antlered onlyNov 27–28Either sexNov 29 – Dec 12Antlered onlyFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
Bland, Russell, Scott and Tazewell
Nov 14–20Antlered onlyNov 21–28Either sexNov 29 – Dec 12Antlered onlyFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
Henry and Patrick
Nov 14–20Antlered onlyNov 21Either sexNov 22–27Antlered onlyNov 28Either sexNov 29Antlered onlyNov 30 – Dec 12Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
The upper valley
Nov 14 – Dec 12Either sexFive a licence year, no more than two antlered.
Caroline, King & Queen and King William
Nov 14–20Antlered onlyNov 21Either sexNov 22–27Antlered onlyNov 28Either sexNov 29 – Dec 20Antlered onlyDec 21 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
Amelia, Cumberland, Gloucester and Nottoway
Nov 14–20Antlered onlyNov 21Either sexNov 22–27Antlered onlyNov 28Either sexNov 29 – Dec 4Antlered onlyDec 5 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
The southside and the river counties
Nov 14–20Antlered onlyNov 21Either sexNov 22–27Antlered onlyNov 28Either sexNov 29 – Dec 27Antlered onlyDec 28 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
Full-season either-sex counties and the cities
Nov 14 – Jan 2Either sexSix a licence year east of the Blue Ridge and five west of it; unlimited a day in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and the cities and towns.
Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach
Oct 1 – Nov 30Either sexSix a licence year, no more than three antlered.
- These are the private-land seasons, and the seasons for public land that allows hunting and is not in the guide's public-land table. Guide, printed p. 16.
- Blaze orange or blaze pink is required of every hunter and every person accompanying one during a firearms deer season — a solid blaze hat, solid blaze upper body clothing visible from 360 degrees, or 100 square inches of solid blaze at shoulder level visible from 360 degrees. An enclosed ground blind needs another 100 square inches on or above it.
- An archery hunter is exempt where the discharge of firearms is prohibited by state law or local ordinance.
- On Sunday it is unlawful to hunt within 200 yards of a house of worship, and unlawful to kill a deer with a firearm using dogs.
- In Arlington County and the cities of Hampton and Richmond local ordinances prohibit the discharge of firearms, so deer hunting there is archery only. Lynchburg needs a permit from the Chief of Police. Newport News is archery only. Fairfax County restricts firearms hunting by location and parcel size.
Legal Arms
Virginia Hunting, Trapping, and Migratory Game Bird Seasons, July 2026 - June 2027 weapon specifications, as the digest prints them.
Archery
DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Legal Methods and Restrictions During Archery Deer Seasons
- Bow
- Crossbow
- Arrowgun, for a hunter with a disability that prevents drawing a bow, carrying a physician-completed DWR authorisation
- Explosive-propellant arrowguns
- Explosive head arrows, and arrows carrying a drug, chemical or toxic substance
- Broadheads narrower than 7/8 inch that do not open to 7/8 inch
- Any firearm carried while hunting with archery tackle in an archery season, except a muzzleloader where the seasons overlap
- Dogs, except to track a wounded or dead deer
Muzzleloader
Guide, printed p. 14
- Muzzleloading rifle
Firearms
Guide, printed p. 16
- Rifle, shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader, bow or crossbow — within a city or town, only the weapons that locality authorises
- A firearm on deer run or chased by dogs, on a Sunday
- Any weapon within 200 yards of a house of worship, on a Sunday
- A firearm in Arlington County or the cities of Hampton, Richmond or Newport News, where local ordinance prohibits discharge — archery only there
Hunting Hours and Orange
What the state defines as legal light, and what has to be worn in it.
Legal Shooting Hours
DWR, General Information & Hunting Regulations, Hunting Hours
"One half-hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset for nonmigratory birds and game animals except during spring turkey season." Deer keep the full window all year. Note that on a Sunday it is unlawful to hunt within 200 yards of a house of worship, and unlawful to kill a deer with a firearm using dogs.
Fluorescent Orange
DWR, General Information & Hunting Regulations, Blaze Color Requirements
A solid blaze orange or blaze pink hat, or solid blaze upper body clothing visible from 360 degrees, or at least 100 square inches of solid blaze material at shoulder level, within body reach and visible from 360 degrees. Required of every hunter and of anyone accompanying a hunter during a firearms deer season and on the Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend — whatever species they are after. An enclosed ground blind needs a further 100 square inches attached to it or immediately above it, on top of what the hunter wears. A hat may have a bill or brim of another colour and may carry a logo, but may not be camouflage. During a muzzleloader deer season only muzzleloader deer hunters and their companions need it, and not while they are physically in a tree stand or another stationary position. Waterfowl and dove hunters, field trial participants and mounted fox hunters without firearms are exempt, and so is an archery hunter where the discharge of firearms is prohibited by law or ordinance.
Sundays
DWR, General Information & Hunting Regulations, Sunday Hunting
Sunday hunting is legal in Virginia with two exceptions: not within 200 yards of a house of worship or any accessory structure of one, and not for deer or bear with a gun, firearm or other weapon using dogs. Those are the whole of it — there is no midday closure and no weapon restriction beyond the dogs.
Standing Rules
The parts of the digest that are true every day of the season.
Bag limits
DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Bag Limits
- East of the Blue Ridge: two a day and six a licence year, of which no more than three antlered and at least three antlerless.
- West of the Blue Ridge, and on National Forest land in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson: two a day and five a licence year, of which no more than two antlered and at least three antlerless.
- Unlimited a day in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties and in all cities and towns except Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach — but the antlered cap still holds.
- One deer a day only, on National Forest land and on DWR-owned or DWR-managed land, either side of the ridge.
- Bonus deer permits and DCAP, DMAP and DPOP tags let a hunter exceed the licence-year antlerless limit; DCAP, DMAP and DPOP tags do not count against the daily or season bag at all.
Earn-A-Buck
Guide, printed p. 13
Where Earn-A-Buck applies you must take at least one antlerless deer before taking a second antlered buck, and two before a third. It is counted within a licence year and within each individual county — a doe taken in Wythe does not earn a buck in Pulaski. It binds private land west of the Blue Ridge in Augusta, Botetourt, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Floyd, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of Routes 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Warren and Wythe; private land east of it in Accomack, Albemarle, Amherst (west of Rt. 29), Bedford, Chesterfield, Culpeper, Fauquier, Franklin, Greene, Hanover, Henrico, James City, Madison, Orange, Prince George, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford and York; both private and public land in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, except on Department of Defense land; and every city and town except Chesapeake, Suffolk and Virginia Beach.
Antler point restriction
Guide, printed p. 13
In Alleghany, Bath, Highland or Rockbridge counties, if a deer hunter kills two antlered bucks in a licence year, at least one of the deer must have at least four antler points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers.
What counts as antlerless
DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Antlered and Antlerless Deer
- An antlered deer must have antlers visible above the hairline, and must be tagged with an either-sex tag.
- A button buck — a male fawn of about six months — is an antlerless deer. The bumps on its head are pedicels, not antlers.
- A buck that has shed its antlers, usually in late December or early January, is also an antlerless deer.
- Antlerless deer may only be taken on designated either-sex days, in every season. The Special Youth and Apprentice Antlerless Deer Regulation is the exception.
Tagging and Reporting
The clock that starts the moment the deer is down.
Guide, printed p. 5 — Tag Validation & Harvest Reporting
Every deer must be reported tag at the harvest location, then report the harvest.
- Notch the tag at the location of the kill, before moving the deer
- Report online at gooutdoorsvirginia.com, by telephone, or through a licence agent
- A tag notched by mistake cannot be submitted or replaced
Chronic Wasting Disease
Background, and the rules that apply if you carry a carcass out of a management area.
DWR, Deer Hunting Regulations, Important Information About Chronic Wasting Disease
DWR runs CWD surveillance and management across Virginia and relies on hunters to bring deer in for testing. The disease management areas, the carcass transport restrictions and the testing locations change during the season and are published online rather than in the guide.
- Carcass transport out of a disease management area is restricted; check dwr.virginia.gov before moving a deer.
- Mandatory testing days are set by DWR and announced during the season.
- None of the CWD area boundaries are carried in this app — read DWR's own page.
Where This App Is Coarser Than the Digest
Said plainly, because an absence is easy to read as a permission.
- These are the private-land seasons. Virginia prints a second firearms table for public land, and it is a list of named wildlife management areas, National Forest counties and state parks with their own either-sex days — often far shorter than the county's. On a WMA or in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, read the guide's public-land table, not this app.
- Only one deer a day may be taken on National Forest land and on DWR-owned or DWR-managed land, and bonus deer permits are not valid there. The daily limits shown here are the private-land ones.
- Where DWR names a county "including the cities and towns within", this app gives that county's season to the independent cities enclaved in it — Staunton and Waynesboro follow Augusta, Martinsville follows Henry, Norton follows Wise, and so on. That mapping is a reading of the digest, not something the digest states city by city. Chesapeake, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and the urban archery list are named outright and are carried as named.
- Rockingham County is split by Routes 613 and 731 and Suffolk by the Dismal Swamp line, and the two sides run different seasons. The app carries the eastern rule for each. Both are flagged on the pin.
- Urban archery and the towns: the season is drawn on incorporated limits, and the guide names about forty towns inside counties — Blacksburg, Front Royal, Rocky Mount, Wytheville and the rest. The app resolves counties and independent cities only, so a town season will not show.
- Earn-A-Buck is counted county by county and the app cannot count for you. It is flagged on every county where it applies; the tally is yours.
- Virginia's 15 November comes from DWR's own numbers — a 3 June peak fawn drop back-dated by 200 days of gestation — and it is a statewide figure: the department notes the timing varies with geography, and this app carries no regional split for it.
- Virginia publishes no open statewide parcel service, so there are no property lines on the map here.
Useful Numbers
The agency, when the app cannot answer it.
- DWR
- 804-367-1000
- Licences and harvest reporting
- gooutdoorsvirginia.com
- Fairfax County firearms rules
- FCPD Wildlife Management Section, 8855 Lorton Rd, Lorton, VA 22079
- Urban archery enquiries
- dwr.virginia.gov
Transcribed from the published 2026-27 Virginia digest. Where this app and the digest disagree, the digest is the law. Read the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources digest.