elk zone · Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties)

Virginia, United States

The map opens on this unit. Turn on Hunting units in Layers to see its boundary with public land, your pins and the forecast.

About Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties)

Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties) is a elk zone in Virginia, United States, set by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. It covers about 3,219 km² (1,243 mi²). Towns inside it include Big Stone Gap and Wise.

HuntGrid draws its boundary from Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources's data for the 2026 season. The agency uses this unit system for Elk (wapiti).

Unit code: Lottery
Area: 3,219 km²
Area (miles): 1,243 mi²
Boundaries: 2026

Public and protected land mapped inside it

HuntGrid's public land layers map about 777 km² of public or protected land inside it, 24% of the unit. Some protected land is privately owned (a conservation group's, for one). By manager, as the source names it:

Manager	km²	Share
The Nature Conservancy	535	17%
Forest Service Region 08 Southern	183	6%
Huntington	44	1%
Other or unnamed managers	15	under 1%
Wise County	13	under 1%
Breaks Interstate Park	12	under 1%
VA Dept of Conservation and Recreation	1.9	under 1%
Town of Big Stone Gap	0.4	under 1%
Other or unnamed managers	0.2	under 1%

Boundaries are approximate and aren't legal descriptions. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there: check your local regulations and posted signs.

Public land: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1

Seasons and regulations

Season dates, bag limits and licences for Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties) are in Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources's official regulations. HuntGrid shows a season in the app only once a person has checked it against them.

Official regulations: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Units around it

Next to it in the same unit system

Outside the elk lottery area: any elk during open deer seasons

Other hunting units that cover part of it

What HuntGrid shows for Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties)

Its boundary on the map; tap inside it for the unit's card with the agency's regulations link.
Public land and the other hunting units in the same view, each with its source.
Season dates once a person has checked them, and legal shooting hours where the rule is checked.
Hourly wind with a scent cone for every stand, and official weather alerts.
Offline maps: download the area and use the map, your pins and the forecast with no signal.

Open in HuntGrid

Questions

How big is Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties) (elk zone)?

About 3,219 km² (1,243 mi²), as HuntGrid maps Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources's boundary.

How much public or protected land is in Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties)?

HuntGrid's public land layers map about 777 km² of public or protected land, 24% of the unit; the largest share is managed by The Nature Conservancy. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there.

Where are the season dates for Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties)?

In Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources's official regulations: https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/elk/hunting/

Which units are next to Elk lottery area (Buchanan, Dickenson, Wise counties)?

In the same unit system: Outside the elk lottery area: any elk during open deer seasons.

Sources

Unit boundary: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (area definitions); U.S. Census Bureau (county and city boundaries). Licence: Areas defined in the 2026-2027 Virginia hunting regulations; county and city boundaries public domain (U.S. Census Bureau). Boundaries for the 2026 season.

Official regulations

HuntGrid isn't affiliated with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. The official regulations and maps have the final word.