Virginia Deer Season 2026–27
Virginia's 2026–27 general firearms deer season opens Saturday, November 14, 2026. Early muzzleloader season comes first, October 31 – November 13, and early archery runs October 3 – November 13. Where gun season ends depends on which side of the Blue Ridge you hunt. Most counties east of the Blue Ridge stay open through January 2, 2027. Most counties west of the Blue Ridge close December 12, then reopen for late archery and late muzzleloader through January 2. Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and eastern Suffolk run on their own calendar, from October 1 through November 30. All dates and bag limits come from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) deer regulations.
Virginia Deer Season 2026–27 at a Glance
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| Youth and Apprentice Weekend | Sept. 26–27, 2026 |
| Early Archery (statewide, either sex) | Oct. 3 – Nov. 13, 2026 |
| Early Muzzleloader | Oct. 31 – Nov. 13, 2026 |
| General Firearms, most counties east of the Blue Ridge | Nov. 14, 2026 – Jan. 2, 2027 |
| General Firearms, most counties west of the Blue Ridge, plus Henry and Patrick | Nov. 14 – Dec. 12, 2026 |
| Firearms, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) | Oct. 1 – Nov. 30, 2026 |
| Late Archery and Late Muzzleloader (mostly west of the Blue Ridge) | Dec. 12 or 13, 2026 – Jan. 2, 2027 |
Some areas run late archery from Nov. 29 or Dec. 1 instead, and some counties have no late seasons at all. Check your county on the DWR deer page before you plan a late-season hunt.
Either-Sex Days: When Can You Shoot a Doe?
This is the rule that trips up the most Virginia hunters. Outside archery season, you can only take a doe on designated either-sex days, and those days change by county. Bucks are legal every day of the season. Here's how private land breaks down during general firearms season:
| Counties (private land) | Either-Sex Firearms Days |
|---|---|
| Most of central, northern and eastern Virginia, including Albemarle, Bedford, Campbell, Culpeper, Fauquier, Franklin, Halifax, Hanover, Louisa, Pittsylvania, Southampton, Spotsylvania and Stafford | Full season, Nov. 14 – Jan. 2 |
| Augusta, Botetourt, Craig, Giles, Grayson, Rockbridge, Smyth and Washington | Full season, Nov. 14 – Dec. 12 |
| Caroline, King and Queen, and King William | Nov. 21, Nov. 28, and Dec. 21 – Jan. 2 |
| Amelia, Cumberland, Gloucester and Nottoway | Nov. 21, Nov. 28, and Dec. 5 – Jan. 2 |
| Appomattox, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Dinwiddie, Essex, Lunenburg, Mathews, Mecklenburg, Middlesex and Prince Edward | Nov. 21, Nov. 28, and Dec. 28 – Jan. 2 |
| Henry and Patrick | Nov. 21, Nov. 28, and Nov. 30 – Dec. 12 |
| Bland, Russell, Scott and Tazewell | Nov. 21–28 |
| Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Lee and Rockingham (west of Routes 613 and 731) | Nov. 21, 27 and 28 |
| Dickenson and Wise | Nov. 28 only |
| Buchanan | None (bucks only) |
| Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Suffolk (east of the Dismal Swamp line) | Full season, Oct. 1 – Nov. 30 |
The full list of full-season counties is long, so confirm yours on the DWR private lands table. National forests, state forests, state parks and wildlife management areas (WMAs) each have their own either-sex days, which are usually far fewer. On most George Washington and Jefferson National Forest land, the season runs Nov. 14–28, and Nov. 28 is often the only doe day.
Early Muzzleloader Season
Muzzleloader season runs Oct. 31 – Nov. 13, 2026, everywhere muzzleloaders are allowed except Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and eastern Suffolk, where gun season is already open. East of the Blue Ridge, most private land is either sex the whole two weeks. West of the Blue Ridge, private land in Augusta, Botetourt, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Floyd, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Page, Pulaski, Roanoke, eastern Rockingham, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Warren and Wythe is either sex the full season. Most of the far western counties get only Nov. 7. National forest land is bucks only. West of the Blue Ridge, you can fill both of your buck tags during early muzzleloader season.
Bag Limits and Antler Rules
| Area | Daily | Season | Bucks |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of the Blue Ridge | 2 | 6 | No more than 3 (at least 3 of the 6 must be does) |
| West of the Blue Ridge, plus national forest land in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson | 2 | 5 | No more than 2 (at least 3 of the 5 must be does) |
- Public land: only one deer a day on national forest land and DWR-owned or DWR-managed land.
- Earn a Buck: in many counties, including Albemarle, Augusta, Bedford, Culpeper, Fauquier, Franklin, Hanover, Spotsylvania and Stafford, you have to take a doe on private land in that county before you can take a second buck there. You need two does before a third buck.
- Alleghany, Bath, Highland and Rockbridge: if you take two bucks in one of these counties, at least one must have four points, 1 inch or longer, on one side.
- Bonus deer permits let you take extra does beyond the season limit on private land, on either-sex days only.
Full details, including the Earn a Buck county list, are on the DWR deer page.
Blaze Orange or Pink and Harvest Reporting
- Blaze color: during firearms deer season, every hunter, and anyone with them, must wear a solid blaze orange or blaze pink hat, or solid blaze upper-body clothing visible from all sides. You can also display at least 100 square inches of solid blaze at shoulder level. Camo-pattern blaze hats don't count. If you hunt from an enclosed ground blind, you need another 100 square inches of blaze on or above the blind. Muzzleloader hunters must wear blaze during muzzleloader season, except while in a tree stand or other stationary spot, according to DWR's general regulations.
- Report every deer. Use the Go Outdoors Virginia app, GoOutdoorsVirginia.com, or 1-866-GOT-GAME (1-866-468-4263). If you don't have service, report before you transport the deer in a vehicle or at the end of legal hunting hours, whichever comes first, according to DWR's harvest reporting page.
- No natural urine lures. It's illegal to use or carry deer scents that contain natural deer urine or other body fluids anywhere in Virginia.
- Dogs: deer dogs aren't allowed west of the Blue Ridge, in several eastern counties, on Sundays, or during archery and muzzleloader seasons. Tracking dogs for wounded deer are allowed.
When Is the Rut in Virginia?
Virginia's rut is about as predictable as it gets. DWR deer biologist Justin Folks counts back about 200 days from Virginia's peak fawn drop in early June, which puts peak breeding around November 16, every year, according to DWR's fawning dates article. Another DWR piece adds that the peak runs a little earlier in the east and a little later in the west, and that buck sightings climb steadily through the first two weeks of November, according to DWR's November rut article.
That puts the end of muzzleloader season and opening weekend of gun season, Nov. 14–15, right on top of the peak. If you can only take a few days off this year, take them then. See how Virginia compares with the rest of the South in our Southeast deer rut dates 2026 guide.
Planning Around Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is Nov. 26, 2026, and the weekend after is one of the best of the year for doe hunters in Virginia. Nov. 28 is an either-sex day in almost every county with limited doe days, and on most national forest land. Nov. 27 is also either sex in Alleghany, Bath, Highland, Lee and western Rockingham, and on national forest land in Bland, Craig, Giles and Wythe. If you're heading south for the holiday, check our Tennessee deer season guide and Thanksgiving week hunting guide.
Virginia Deer Season FAQ
When does gun season start in Virginia in 2026?
General firearms season opens Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in most of the state. In Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Suffolk east of the Dismal Swamp line, it opened Oct. 1.
When does deer season end in Virginia?
Most counties east of the Blue Ridge close Jan. 2, 2027. Most counties west of the Blue Ridge close general firearms Dec. 12, with late archery and muzzleloader through Jan. 2. Some northern Virginia counties have antlerless-only seasons into March.
When is muzzleloader season in Virginia?
Early muzzleloader runs Oct. 31 – Nov. 13, 2026. Late muzzleloader runs Dec. 12, 2026 – Jan. 2, 2027, in most areas west of the Blue Ridge and a few eastern areas.
How many deer can you kill in Virginia?
East of the Blue Ridge: two a day and six a season, with no more than three bucks. West of the Blue Ridge: two a day and five a season, with no more than two bucks. Bonus permits allow extra does on private land.
Can I shoot a doe any day in Virginia?
No. Outside archery season, does are legal only on your county's either-sex days. Many eastern counties are either sex all season, but others have only a few doe days.
Can I wear pink instead of orange in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia allows solid blaze orange or solid blaze pink.
Gear Up for the Season
Every Hunt One More® design is built around faith, service and time in the field. Grab The Lord Is My Guide® tees and hoodies for those cold November sits, and put a Hunt One More decal on the truck before opening day.
Trust the process. Trust the hunt. And when the sun's going down, hunt one more.
Keep Reading on Camp Talk
- Tennessee Deer Season 2026–27
- Georgia Deer Season 2026–27
- Alabama Deer Season 2026–27
- Southeast Deer Rut Dates 2026
- Late-Season Whitetail Hunting
Season dates and bag limits come from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. This guide is for planning only. Always confirm current regulations, license requirements and bag limits with Virginia DWR before you hunt.
More from Camp Talk: Virginia duck season 2026–27