Deer Hunting Regulations and Seasons

Important Information About Chronic Wasting Disease

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neurological disease of deer, elk, and moose. DWR leads Virginia’s CWD surveillance and management efforts and relies on assistance from hunters and others to implement surveillance and management strategies.

Learn more about CWD and what hunters need to know, including carcass transportation restrictions and testing locations »

Die jüngsten Studien haben gezeigt, dass eine chronische Verschwendung (CWD) und die in Wäldern besprühten Reppelzen in Wildtieren in der Zeit, in der die Hirschjagd erlaubt ist, bei der Einreise auf das Grundwasser, Giftquellen von Lippenwasser, besprüht. Eines der Hauptsymptome einer Vergiftung ist eine plötzliche erektile Dysfunktion der Unterdrückung, die nur mit Hilfe des Arzneimittels Kamagra und anderen Medikamenten auf der Grundlage von Sildenafil Citrat möglich ist. Die Schriften wurden an den Orten von Brandausbrüchen in Deutschland im Bereich Lside in Hannover und Berlin durchgeführt. Kürzlich wurden Blitze in Virginia Wälder im Zusammenhang mit der Suche nach Sorgfalt angesehen. Diese Informationen sind ausführlicher.

General Information

Bag Limits

East of the Blue Ridge (except on National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties)

The bag limit for deer shall be two a day, six a license year. Of the six-deer limit, no more than three may be antlered deer and at least three must be antlerless deer (unless noted in the exceptions below).

Exceptions

The daily bag limit for deer shall be unlimited in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties and in all cities and towns east of the Blue Ridge except in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach. However, no more than three antlered deer may be killed in a license year.
Only one deer per day may be taken on National Forest lands and Department-owned and Department-managed lands east of the Blue Ridge.

West of the Blue Ridge and on National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties

The bag limit for deer shall be two a day and five a license year. Of the five-deer limit, no more than two may be antlered deer and at least three must be antlerless deer (unless noted in the exceptions below).

Exceptions

The daily bag limit for deer shall be unlimited in all cities and towns west of the Blue Ridge. However, no more than two antlered deer may be taken in a license year.
Only one deer per day may be taken on National Forest lands and Department-owned and Department-managed lands west of the Blue Ridge.
If a deer hunter kills two antlered bucks in a license year in Alleghany, Bath, Highland, or Rockbridge County, at least one of the bucks must have at least four antler points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers.
Only one elk per day may be taken statewide.

Bag Limit Exceptions

Deer hunters, including those exempt from purchasing a license, on private land and authorized public lands may take more than the license-year bag limit of antlerless deer by using bonus deer permits or special deer permits (DCAP, DMAP, and DPOP).
DCAP, DMAP, and DPOP deer tags do not count against the daily or season bag limit.

Bonus Deer Permits

Are valid for one year from date of purchase.
Are valid for antlerless deer only.
Are valid only on private lands and authorized public lands.
Are valid only on designated either-sex deer hunting days.
Are valid during all archery (including urban archery), all muzzleloader, and all firearms (including early and late antlerless-only) deer seasons.
Allow deer to be taken in addition to the license year bag limit.
Do not allow the daily bag limit to be exceeded.
Are not valid on National Forest and Department-owned lands.
Are not valid in Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise counties.
Come with no restriction on number that may be purchased and used.

Antlered and Antlerless Deer

Deer Tags

Either-sex deer tags (commonly called “buck” tags) may be used on antlered or antlerless deer.
Antlerless-only deer tags (commonly called “doe” tags) may only be used on antlerless deer.

Antlered Deer

Antlered deer must have antlers visible above the hairline.
An antlered deer must be tagged with an either-sex deer tag.

Antlerless Deer

Antlerless deer may only be taken during designated either-sex deer hunting days during the archery season(s), muzzleloading season(s), and firearms season(s). Youth and apprentice deer hunters, see exceptions.
Antlerless deer (does, button bucks, and shed-antlered bucks) may be tagged with an antlerless-only deer tag or an either-sex deer tag.
Button bucks, male fawns approximately six months old, are considered antlerless deer. The hair covered bumps on a button buck’s head are not antlers. They are the pedicels from which the antlers will grow the next year.
Antlered deer that have shed their antlers, usually in late December or early January, are also considered antlerless deer.

Antler Point Restrictions

Alleghany, Bath, Highland, and Rockbridge Counties

If a deer hunter kills two antlered bucks in a license year, at least one of the bucks must have at least four antler points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers (in each of the counties listed above).

Learn more today about hunting with hounds in Virginia.

Earn a Buck (EAB)

Deer taken in one EAB county, city, or town do not “carry over” to any other EAB county, city, or town. Each county, city, or town is its own separate management unit with regards to EAB. Deer taken on out-of-season kill permits do not count toward EAB.

Private lands in Accomack, Albemarle, Amherst (west of Rt. 29), Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Carroll, Chesterfield, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Hanover, Henrico, James City, Madison, Montgomery, Orange, Page, Prince George, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of Rts. 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren, Wythe, and York counties

Within a license year and within each individual county listed above, before you can take a second antlered deer on private lands in that county (your second buck), you must have taken at least one antlerless deer on private lands in that county. Furthermore, in those counties listed above east of the Blue Ridge Mountains where it is legal to harvest a third antlered deer, before you can take a third antlered deer on private lands in that county (your third buck), you must have taken at least two antlerless deer on private lands in that county.

Example – Within a license year, before you can take a second antlered deer on private lands in Albemarle County (your second buck), you must have taken at least one antlerless deer on private lands in Albemarle County. Furthermore, before you can take a third antlered deer on private lands in Albemarle County (your third buck), you must have taken at least two antlerless deer on private lands in Albemarle County.

Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William (except on Department of Defense lands) counties

Within a license year and within each individual county listed above, before you can take a second antlered deer in that county (your second buck), you must have taken at least one antlerless deer in that county. Furthermore, before you can take a third antlered deer in that county (your third buck), you must have taken at least two antlerless deer in that county.

Example – Within a license year, before you can take a second antlered deer in Fairfax County (your second buck), you must have taken at least one antlerless deer in Fairfax County. Furthermore, before you can take a third antlered deer in Fairfax County (your third buck), you must have taken at least two antlerless deer in Fairfax County.

Cities and Towns

EAB does not apply to the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.

Within a license year and within any city or town, before you can take a second antlered deer in that city or town (your second buck), you must have taken at least one antlerless deer in that city or town. Furthermore, in those cities and towns east of the Blue Ridge Mountains where it is legal to harvest a third antlered deer, before you can take a third antlered deer in that city or town (your third buck), you must have taken at least two antlerless deer in that city or town.

Example – Within a license year, before you can take a second antlered deer in the City of Lynchburg (your second buck), you must have taken at least one antlerless deer in the City of Lynchburg. Furthermore, before you can take a third antlered deer in the City of Lynchburg (your third buck), you must have taken at least two antlerless deer in the City of Lynchburg.

Earn a Buck questions and answers can be found on the DWR website.

Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend

September 27 and 28

Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend Questions and Answers

Statewide.
Resident and nonresident youth hunters 15 years of age and under or holders of a valid apprentice hunting license, when in compliance with all applicable laws and licenses, 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.
Deer of either sex may be taken.
Antlerless deer taken on the youth and apprentice deer hunting weekend are in addition to an antlerless deer taken under the youth and apprentice antlerless deer regulation and on either-sex deer hunting days.
Deer harvested by youth or apprentice hunters count against their daily and season bag limit.
Blaze colored requirements and exceptions for firearms deer season are in effect.
Deer hunting with dogs is prohibited, except that tracking dogs are allowed (see Hunting with Dogs).
Adult hunters accompanying youth or apprentice deer hunters:
- do not need a deer/turkey license on this weekend.
- shall not carry or discharge a weapon.
- shall maintain close visual and verbal contact with, provide adequate direction to, and can immediately assume control of the firearm.
Unless specified above, all other normal firearm deer regulations apply (e.g., daily and season bag limits, tagging and reporting, EAB, antler point restrictions, etc.).

Youth and Apprentice Antlerless Deer Regulation

Resident or nonresident deer hunters 15 years of age and under or holders of a valid apprentice hunting license may take one antlerless deer per license year on days other than designated either-sex deer hunting days during the muzzleloading season(s) or the firearms season(s) in all counties. This regulation applies to all private and public lands (National Forest, State Forests, WMAs, etc.) statewide. This regulation is in addition to either-sex deer hunting days. For example, if a youth or apprentice deer hunter killed one or more antlerless deer on designated either-sex deer hunting days, he or she could still take one antlerless deer on a day not designated an either-sex deer hunting day.

Archery Deer Seasons

Early Archery Season

October 4 through November 14:

Statewide.
Firearm season in Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), and Virginia Beach overlaps early archery season.

Late Archery Seasons

December 14 through January 3:

In Henry and Patrick counties.
In all areas west of the Blue Ridge unless noted below.
No late archery season in Clarke and Floyd counties and on private lands in Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of routes 613 and 731), Shenandoah, Warren, and Wythe counties.

November 30 through January 3:

In the counties (including the cities and towns within) of Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Highland, Lee, Rockingham (west of Rts 613 and 731), Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise.
On all National Forest and Departmentowned lands west of the Blue Ridge.
On the C. F. Phelps WMA.
On National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson counties.

December 1 through January 3:

In the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), and Virginia Beach.

Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunting

Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the early and late archery deer seasons, including the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), and Virginia Beach.

Urban Archery Deer Seasons

During these seasons only antlerless deer may be taken.

September 6 through October 3 and January 4, 2026 through March 29, 2026:

Within the incorporated limits of the cities of Charlottesville, Chesapeake (except on Department-owned lands), Colonial Heights, Danville, Emporia, Franklin, Fredericksburg, Galax, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Newport News, Poquoson, Radford, Richmond, Salem, Staunton, Suffolk, and Winchester; and in the towns of Altavista, Amherst, Bedford, Blacksburg, Blackstone, Boones Mill, Buchanan, Chatham, Christiansburg, Farmville, Front Royal, Halifax, Hillsville, Hurt, Independence, Irvington, Kenbridge, Lebanon, Pearisburg, Pulaski, Richlands, Rocky Mount, Saltville, Scottsville, Smithfield, Stuart, Tazewell, Victoria, West Point, and Wytheville; and in the counties of Chesterfield, Fairfax, James City, Prince William (except DOD land and DWR-owned land), Roanoke (except on National Forest and Department-owned lands), Stafford, and York.
Archery or crossbow deer hunters hunting during the early urban archery deer season are required to wear blaze color on the Youth and Apprentice Deer Hunting Weekend. See exceptions to the blaze color requirement.
Lists of properties available for hunting are not maintained by the Department or local governments.
See the Urban Archery Deer Season page for local restrictions and other urban archery information.
All other normal deer regulations apply (e.g., daily and season bag limits, tagging and reporting, DCAP, DMAP, EAB, antler point restrictions, etc.).

NOVA Late Archery Season

During this season only antlerless deer may be taken.

March 30, 2026 through April 26, 2026:

In Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William (except on Department-owned lands) counties (including the cities and towns within).

Legal Methods and Restrictions During Archery Deer Seasons

Special restrictions may apply during this season.

See Legal Use of Firearms and Archery Tackle and Local Firearms Ordinances for details.

Archery tackle.
Persons with a disability that prevents them from drawing a bow or crossbow may hunt with an arrowgun during the special archery season(s) provided they have in possession an authorization form provided by the Department that has been completed by their physician.
Broadhead widths must be at least 7/8-inch wide or expand upon impact to 7/8-inch.
It is unlawful to use explosive head arrows or arrows to which any drug, chemical, or toxic substance has been added.
It is unlawful to use dogs, except that dogs may be used to track wounded or dead deer (see Hunting with Dogs, page 17).
It shall be unlawful to use firearms to hunt any game species while hunting with archery equipment during the special archery seasons, except that a muzzleloading gun may be used by a properly licensed muzzleloading gun hunter to hunt for deer when and where a special archery deer season overlaps a special muzzleloading deer season.

Muzzleloader Deer Seasons

In all areas where hunting with a muzzleloading rifle is permitted.

Note: Deer hunters west of the Blue Ridge Mountains may take their season limit of two antlered deer during the early muzzleloading season. In designated areas, EAB regulations would apply.

Muzzleloader deer hunters and persons accompanying a muzzleloader deer hunter shall wear a blaze color, except when physically located in a tree stand or other stationary hunting location.

Early Muzzleloader Season

November 1 through November 14:

There is no early muzzleloader season in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), or Virginia Beach since it occurs during the general firearms season.

Antlered deer may be taken every day of the season. Antlerless deer may only be taken on the designated either-sex deer hunting days listed below.

Either-sex Deer Hunting Days East of the Blue Ridge:

November 1 through November 14 (full season):

In all areas (including Merrimac Farm WMA and Occoneechee State Park) unless otherwise noted below.

November 8: On State Forest lands, State Park lands (except Occoneechee State Park), Department-owned lands (except Merrimac Farm WMA), and Philpott Reservoir.

Antlered deer only–no either-sex deer hunting days: On National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties. Special Youth and Apprentice Antlerless Deer Regulation applies.

Either-sex Deer Hunting Days West of the Blue Ridge:

November 1 through November 14 (full season):

On private lands in Augusta, Botetourt, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Floyd, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockingham (east of Route 613 and 731), Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Warren and Wythe counties.

November 8:

On private lands in Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Highland, Lee, Rockbridge, Russell, Tazewell, Wise and Washington counties, and on the Highland WMA.

Antlered deer only–no either-sex deer hunting days:

On all National Forest and Department-owned lands in all counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountains (except the Highland WMA).
In Rockingham County (west of Routes 613 and 731).
On Channels State Forest, Grayson Highlands State Park, Hungry Mother State Park, and Flannagan Reservoir.
Special Youth and Apprentice Antlerless Deer Regulation applies.

Late Muzzleloader Season East of the Blue Ridge

December 13 through January 3:

In the counties of Henry and Patrick, on federal and department-owned lands in Franklin county, on national forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties, and in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), and Virginia Beach.

Either-sex Deer Hunting Days East of the Blue Ridge:

December 13 through January 3 (full season):

In the counties of Henry and Patrick.

December 29 through January 3:

In the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line), and Virginia Beach.

January 3:

On National Forest lands in Amherst, Bedford, and Nelson counties.

Late Muzzleloader Season West of the Blue Ridge

December 13 through January 3:

In all areas west of the Blue Ridge unless noted in the season exception below.

Season Exception:

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.

Either-sex Deer Hunting Days West of the Blue Ridge:

December 13 through January 3 (full season):

On private lands in Augusta, Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Grayson, Scott, and Smyth counties.

December 29 through January 3:

On private lands in Bland, Dickenson, Rockbridge, and Washington counties.

January 3:

In Alleghany, Bath, Buchanan, Highland, Lee, Rockingham (west of Routes 613 and 731), Russell, Tazewell, and Wise counties.
On all National Forest and Department-owned lands in all counties west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
On Channels State Forest, Grayson Highlands State Park, Hungry Mother State Park, and Flannagan Reservoir.

Legal Methods and Restrictions During Muzzleloading Deer Seasons

Special restrictions apply to specific firearms use during this season. See Legal Use of Firearms and Archery Tackle and Local Firearms Ordinances for details.

Muzzleloading firearms that can be used during these deer seasons include:
- Muzzleloading rifles (one or more barrels) .40 caliber or larger, firing a single projectile or sabot (with a .35 caliber or larger projectile) where the projectile is loaded from the muzzle;
- Muzzleloading shotguns (one or more barrels) not larger than 10 gauge where the projectiles are loaded from the muzzle;
- Muzzleloading pistols (one or more barrels) .45 caliber or larger, firing a single projectile or sabot (with a .35 caliber or larger projectile) per barrel where the propellant and projectile are loaded from the muzzle;
- Muzzleloading revolvers .44 caliber or larger, firing a single projectile or sabot (with a .35 caliber or larger projectile) per cylinder where the propellant and projectile are loaded from the forward end of the cylinder. Muzzleloading revolvers sold as .44 caliber and designed to shoot a .45 projectile are legal for use in the muzzleloading season.
Flintlock, percussion, or electronic ignitions are permitted.
It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with any firearm other than a muzzleloading gun during the special muzzleloading deer season.
Smokeless powder is allowed in muzzleloading firearms designed for it. Never use smokeless powder in a muzzleloading firearm that is not specifically designed for it.
Scopes are permitted.
For the purposes of transportation in a vehicle, muzzleloading firearms are considered “unloaded” when all powder has been removed from the flashpan, or the percussion cap, primer, or battery has been removed from the firearm.
Pneumatic arrowguns are allowed.
It is unlawful to hunt deer with dogs, except that dogs may be used to track wounded or dead deer (see Hunting with Dogs).
It is lawful to carry archery tackle when and where there is an overlap with a deer archery and deer muzzleloader season.

Muzzleloader Either-Sex Deer Hunting for Incorporated Cities and Towns

Deer of either sex may be taken full season during the muzzleloader seasons within the incorporated limits of any city or town in the Commonwealth that allows muzzleloading deer hunting (except in the cities of Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach) and only with the weapons (archery tackle and/or muzzleloaders) authorized by each individual city or town.
Earn a buck applies to all cities and towns except Chesapeake, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.

Firearms Deer Seasons

* Denotes Earn a Buck (EAB) County

For private lands and public lands unless otherwise noted in tables below.