How Many Registered Hunters In Unites States

Hunters bought over 15.6 million hunting licenses in 2018, according to U.Southward. Fish and Wildlife Service national hunting license data. The F&WS collects this information annually from every state and U.S. territory.

Texas sold the most licenses, over 1 one thousand thousand; and Rhode Isle sold the fewest, around viii,000. Those numbers represent private hunters in each country, merely many hunters buy licenses in several states. The numbers don't include hunters who go free licenses, such as landowners, youths or seniors. License requirements vary. Some states require anglers or boat registrants to buy a hunting license as part of their buy, so specifying the number of agile hunters isn't e'er possible.

Deer are the most popular big game to hunt. Photo Credit: John Hafner

Of the nation'southward many hunters, 80 percent hunt big game, co-ordinate to the 2016 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wild fauna-Associated Recreation. Deer are the almost pop game animate being, co-ordinate to the survey, which found that over 8.ane meg people hunt deer annually. Wild turkeys were the side by side almost pop game, with 2 meg hunters; followed by elk and conduct.

Harvest reports and license sales provide each country'southward data. This data helps wildlife agencies track trends and set management policies. States often collect the data differently, merely information technology's done near commonly with surveys, check stations, and voluntary or mandatory reporting. Even states with mandatory reporting use scientific estimates to determine or double-check harvest data.

Harvest rates tin can too help customers plan their hunts. Publicly attainable data varies by country, but provides insight into hunting areas, success rates, animal maturity, hunting pressure and tag-describe odds. Some states likewise compile archery-specific information.

Let's review state-by-state harvest statistics and links to more hunting data. This includes the latest information available every bit of March 2019. We rounded numbers to the nearest hundred or one thousand.

Alabama

Hunters bought 548,000 licenses in 2018. Alabama's deer and turkey hunters must report their harvests within 48 hours of each kill.

Deer-harvest statistics for 2018/2019, as of March, show 84,000 deer, of which 49,000 were bucks. Turkey-harvest statistics for 2018/2019, as of March, prove 1,300 birds, of which 120 were jakes. These data bear witness the canton results.

Alaska

Hunters bought 109,000 licenses. Moose are the land's most sought big-game animate being. Alaska requires hunters to report all big game harvests. In 2017, 21,000 hunters had full general moose tags, and their success charge per unit was 23%. Meanwhile, 2,500 people hunted caribou with a full general tag, and 44% were successful.

Arizona

Hunters bought 305,000 licenses. You can view survey information hither for 2017.

Arkansas

Hunters bought 327,000 licenses in 2018, and harvested 120,000 deer. The harvest data are detailed by zone, engagement and county. Arkansas hunters killed 8,300 turkeys final year. Online and telephone reporting provide daily harvest data during the flavour.

California

Hunters bought 281,000 licenses in 2018. California issued 175,000 deer tags in 2017, and hunters harvested an estimated 29,000 deer. Hunters must report whether they harvest a deer. California'due south data break down deer harvests past sex activity, zone, cadet size and more.

Elk are also pop big game in mountainous areas. Photograph Credit: John Hafner

Colorado

The country's Parks & Wildlife agency sold almost 342,000 elk, deer and pronghorn licenses in 2017. CWP collects hunters' voluntary harvest reports, and estimated 84,000 hunters killed 38,000 deer. That number includes about 12,000 bowhunters who registered three,000 deer.

Roughly 223,000 Colorado hunters harvested 39,000 elk in 2017, a 17% success rate. Of the elk harvested, 21,000 were bulls. About 48,000 of the hunters were archers, who took five,500 elk.

Colorado estimated that over sixteen,000 hunters pursued turkeys in Spring 2017, an increase of virtually 250% since 1999. They harvested 5,600 turkeys.

Connecticut

Hunters bought 37,000 license permits in 2018. The Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection reports 11,000 deer killed in 2018, including 5,000 by bowhunters. Connecticut's 2017 spring turkey harvest was i,600, and 56 more fell during the 26-day fall hunt. Connecticut hunters must written report turkey and deer harvests within 24 hours.

Delaware

Hunters set a harvest-charge per unit tape during 2016-2017 with15,000 deer; of which 51% were antlerless and 49% were antlered bucks. Hunters must report deer harvests within 24 hours.

Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission provides a detailed breakup of harvest numbers on its website. You tin can search by flavor, region, chase identification number and more than. The data are bachelor for deer, hogs and turkeys.

Georgia

Georgia had the nation's sixth highest number of license holders in 2018 with 652,000. The Department of Natural Resource has an interactive map with deer harvest numbers reported through mandatory check-ins. For 2018-2019, hunters checked in 89,000 bucks and 86,00 antlerless deer. The DNR estimated the state'south deer harvest at 381,629 for the 2017-2018 season. Resident turkey hunters bought 45,000 licenses in 2018, and harvested 17,000 turkeys.

Hawaii

Almost xi,000 people bought Hawaiian hunting licenses last year. All the major islands accept huntable big game, including centrality deer, feral pigs ad mouflon sheep. Hawaii'south Division of Forestry and Wildlife maintains detailed lists of species on each island.

Idaho

Hunters took more mule deer and fewer white-tailed deer in 2018 than in 2017, while the elk harvest was boilerplate, according to harvest data from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. All hunters who buy large-game tags must report their hunt'due south results, whether they hunted or harvested an animal.

Hunters harvested 22,000 elk, a 24% success charge per unit. They as well harvested 27,000 mule deer, with a 31% success rate; and 25,000 whitetails, a 42% success charge per unit. IDFG'southward website provides detailed information well-nigh archery success rates and unit of measurement information.

Illinois

Hunters bought 552,000 deer permits for the 2017/2018 flavour, and enjoyed 106 hunting days in which they took 148,000 deer. The Illinois DNR issued 209,000 archery-deer permits to hunters, of which ten% were nonresidents.

Roughly 69% of bowhunters used chemical compound bows, while 30% used crossbows and 1% used traditional bows. Crossbow employ rose dramatically after legislation removed restrictions. The DNR treats crossbows as but another bow during archery season. Illinois hunters as well harvested sixteen,000 turkeys in Leap 2017.

Indiana

Hunters took 114,000 whitetails during the 2017 flavour and 111,000 during the 2018 flavour. Hunters must report their kills inside 48 hours.

Iowa

The Iowa DNR sold 340,000 white-tailed deer licenses for 2017. Of those licenses, 89,000 were for bowhunting. Iowa's 2017 Trends Logbook shows hunters harvested 106,000 whitetails. Iowa'southward hunters likewise registered 12,000 turkeys during the Spring 2017 season, and bought 49,000. Hunters must report deer and turkey harvests.

Kansas

The Kansas Section of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism sold 183,000 deer permits for the 2017-2018 deer season, which marked its third direct year of declining sales. Hunters took 80,000 deer, which was besides down a third consecutive year. The DWPT besides includes hunters' comments in its season reviews.

Kentucky

Hunters harvested146,000 deer during 2018 seasons, 54 percent bucks and 46 percent antlerless, co-ordinate to the Section of Fish & Wildlife Resources. Kentucky requires hunters to report their harvests. The agency also reported 18,000 of its deer harvest was taken with regular archery equipment and 4,700 with crossbows.

Hunters likewise took 27,000 turkeys during the 2018 bound flavor. Archers took about 260 of the birds, and crossbow hunters took 100. The 2018 fall harvest produced 2,400 turkeys.

Louisiana

The Department of Wild fauna and Fisheries issued 279,000 deer tags for the 2017-2018 season, and hunters took an estimated 135,000 whitetails. Hunters must written report their harvests within 72 hours. Archers tallied 6,300 of the harvest, and crossbow hunters three,100.

Maine

Hunters took 32,000 deer during the 2018-hunting season, the state's highest harvest since 2002. That's an 18% increase from 2017. The harvest included 18,000 bucks, almost of which cruel to firearms hunters. Archers took ii,100 deer, and residents accounted for 93% of the harvest.

Maine also reported harvests of ane,900 moose and 2,900 bears for the 2017 seasons. The state issued ii,500 moose permits. Hunters must register their harvests.

Turkeys concur the number two spot for most hunted animate being. Photo credit: John Hafner

Maryland

The Maryland DNR reported 87,000 deer taken during the 2017-2018 season, which included 30,000 antlered and 53,00 antlerless whitetails, and ane,400 antlered and ane,700 antlerless sika deer. Of the xi,000-plus hunters pursuing turkeys in the Leap 2018 season, three,800 bagged a bird. Hunters must register deer and turkeys within 24 hours.

Massachusetts

The F&WS reported 58,000 paid hunting-license holders in 2018, and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife reported a tape 15,000 deer harvested during 2018 seasons. Archers harvested 5,200 of the deer. Hunters must report their harvests within 48 hours. Hunters registered 3,000 turkeys during Spring 2018.

Michigan

The DNR estimated 574,000 hunters spent eight.vii 1000000 days afield during the 2017 deer flavour, and harvested 376,000 deer for a about 50% success rate. Well-nigh 206,00 hunters used a crossbow and harvested 93,000 deer. Most 74,000 hunters participated in the state's 2017 spring turkey season, and killed 33,000 birds.

Minnesota

The DNR sold 368,00 resident deer licenses for the 2017 gun season and 13,000 nonresident licenses. For archery hunting, Minnesota sold 92,000 resident and 2,000 nonresident licenses. Hunters harvested 198,000 deer in 2017, including 21,000 with archery equipment. Hunters must register their deer kills. The DNR besides surveys bowhunters near their experiences.

The DNR issued 39,000 permits for the 2017 bound turkey season, and hunters registered about 12,000 birds.

Mississippi

The state had 300,000 hunting-license holders in 2018, according to F&WS records. The Mississippi Wild animals, Fisheries & Parks bureau estimated the 2017-18 deer harvest to be 195,000, one of its lowest. Mississippi requires hunters to study their harvests.

Missouri

Hunters killed well-nigh 290,000 deer in 2018, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation, of which 137,00 were bucks. Bowhunters registered 53,000 deer during their 2018 season. Click here for the archery season'south acme counties.

Hunters also took 36,000 turkeys during the 2018 spring season. Deer and turkey kills must be telechecked by 10 p.m. the day they're killed.

Montana

Montana was home to 253,000 paid hunting-license holders in 2018, according to the F&WS. The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Section reports152,000 hunters chased mule deer in 2017 and killed about 56,000, of which 43,000 were bucks and ane,600 were bow-kills. Farther, 152,000 hunters harvested 49,000 whitetails in 2017 season, of which 30,000 were bucks and three,5000 were bow-kills.

Montana had 114,000 elk hunters in 2017, and they harvested 30,000 elk, including three,700 with a bow. The MFWP uses almanac telephone surveys to gather harvest information.

Nebraska

Hunters took 48,000 deer in 2018, about ii,000 fewer than in 2017, co-ordinate to the Nebraska Game and Parks agency. The harvest included 8,600 mule deer bucks, the second highest on tape; and 27,000 white-tailed bucks.

Nevada

The Department of Wildlife's website provides harvest data for all 2018 big-game seasons. The data is available on a PDF file, and in an Excel spreadsheet searchable by residency, chase area, depict odds, success rates and more.

New Hampshire

Hunters harvested 14,000 deer in 2018, a xiv% increase from 2017 and 26% in a higher place the 20-yr average, according to the Fish and Game Department. That's the state'south highest harvest the past nine years and second highest on tape (since 1922).

The agency also estimated four,500 turkeys were shot during the 2017 spring flavor; and 587 bears killed during the 2017 season, a 23% decrease from the previous five-year average.

New Jersey

Hunters killed 49,000 white-tailed deer during the 2017-2018 season, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wild fauna reported. About 14,000 were taken past archers.

New Mexico

The New Mexico Game and Fish Department sold 37,000 elk licenses, according to its 2017-2018 Elk Harvest Written report. Hunters killed viii,300 bull elk and vi,000 cows. The summary reported a 26% success rate for archers.

Hunters bought 36,000 deer licenses, according to the 2017-2018 Deer Harvest Report, and killed 11,000 bucks. Meanwhile, the 2017 Turkey Harvest Report estimates viii,700 hunters participated in the spring hunt and shot 3,300 birds.

New York

Hunters bought 579,000 licenses in 2018, co-ordinate to the F&WS. New York'southward Department of Environmental Conservation reports hunters harvested 203,000 whitetails in 2017, including 44,000 with a bow. Hunters also killed 1,300 black bears, including 350 with a bow, co-ordinate to the 2018 Black Bear Harvest Summary. Hunters killed 19,000 turkeys during the 2018 leap season. Hunters must written report deer and turkey harvests inside seven days.

North Carolina

The Northward Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission reported the state had 665,000 license holdersduring the 2017-2018 hunting flavour. The country had 235,000 deer hunters, and they harvested 190,000 deer. The state also had 69,000 turkey hunters, of which 27,000 were successful. The land provides harvest estimates in real time throughout hunting flavor. Hunters must report their deer, bear and turkey harvests.

North Dakota

Hunter took 49,000 deer during the land'south 2017 flavor, according to the Due north Dakota Game and Fish Department. The success rate was 66% on white-tailed deer bucks and 83% for mule deer bucks. The bureau sold a record 26,000 resident and two,300 nonresident archery licenses in 2017, and bowhunters had a 39% success charge per unit.

Ohio

Ohio had 390,000 paid hunting-license holders in 2018, according to the F&WS. Ohio landowners who chase their ain lands do non demand hunting licenses or permits. The Ohio DNR reported 172,000 deer kills during the 2018-2019 season, with bowhunters arrowing 38,000 bucks and 42,000 antlerless deer. Hunters must report deer and turkey harvests. Ohio issued 64,000 permits for the 2018 jump season, and hunters killed 23,000 birds, the state's 3rd highest spring harvest.

Oklahoma

The Department of Wildlife Conservation reports the 2017-2018 archery season was the best in state history for trophies and harvest numbers. Bowhunters harvested a record 29,000 deer during the 16-week flavor, and enjoyed a xxx% success rate. Roughly 98,000 hunters took 108,000 deer during the 2017-2018 season. Hunters must written report their harvests.

Oregon

The Department of Fish & Wild animals estimates 32,0000 bowhunters participated in 2017's deer hunting season. They arrowed four,000 bucks and 400 antlerless deer. The agency estimates 30,000 bowhunters harvested 3,000 balderdash elk, and about i,000 spikes and antlerless elk in 2017. Every hunter who bought a deer, elk or turkey tag must file a report.

Pennsylvania

The state had 976,000 paid license-buying hunters in 2018, according to the F&WS, making it No. two in the nation for licensed hunters. They harvested 375,000 deer during the 2018-19 hunting season, according to the Pennsylvania Game Committee. That's the best harvest in near 15 years. Bowhunters generated a third of the state'south deer harvest. For the 2017 spring and fall turkey seasons hunters harvested 47,000 birds. Hunters must report deer and turkey harvests.

Rhode Island

The country's eight,200 paid hunting-license holders in 2018 constitute the nation's smallest state contingent, co-ordinate to the F&WS. These hunters took i,900 deer in 2017-2018,with residents harvesting 1,700 and nonresidents 200. Archers took about 400 of the deer. Hunters besides took 120 turkeys during the 2016 leap season. Hunters must report their harvests.

South Carolina

Hunters harvested 185,000 deer during the state's 2017 flavour, according to the DNR. Deer hunters' success rates were 69% for residents and seventy% for nonresidents, probably because many nonresidents use guides. Archers produced 7 percentage of the deer impale. Hunters also harvested 18,000 turkeys during the 2018 bound flavor.

South Dakota

The Game, Fish & Parks Department issued 95,000 resident deer licenses and eight,000 nonresident deer licenses in 2017. The agency projected a harvest of 52,000, including 28,000 white-tailed bucks and 6,000 mule deer bucks. It besides estimated that bowhunters took 4,800 white-tailed bucks and one,000 mule deer bucks. The agency surveys hunters afterwards the season to calculate big-game harvests, and besides encourages online feedback.

Bears are also popular game in some areas. Photo Credit: John Hafner

Tennessee

The Wildlife Resources Agency compiles information that'south searchable online past engagement for deer, bear, turkeys and sandhill cranes. Y'all can narrow your searches by county, weapon, season and more.

Texas

Texas had over i one thousand thousand paid hunting-license holders during 2018, according to the F&WS, a total that's No. 1 in the nation. The Texas Parks & Wild animals Department estimates hunters harvest 430,000 to 500,000 whitetails annually, which is also No. ane in the state.

TPW estimates hunters killed 838,000 whitetails during the 2017-2018 flavor. The agency too reports hunters killed about 44,000 mule deer and 51,000 javelina.

Utah

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resource provides harvest data by hunt number and unit number, along with details nigh permits, hunters afield, success rates and hunter satisfaction. You can view information for all big-game species hither.

Vermont

The Fish & WildlifeDepartment reports hunters harvested 16,000 deer during the land's four 2017 seasons. That harvest was thirteen% higher than the previous three-year average, and the buck kill was 8% higher. Bowhunters arrowed 3,600 deer during the split 37-day season. Vermont hunters must bring their deer, bear or turkeys to a reporting station within 48 hours.

Virginia

The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries reports hunters harvested 191,000 deer during 2018-2019 seasons, of which 96,000 were antlered bucks. Archers took 27,000 deer, with crossbow hunters taking more than deer than did recurve and compound shooters for the first time since crossbows became legal in 2005. All hunters must annals their deer.

The state estimates hunters took 16,000 turkeys during the 2018 spring season, and two,400 more during autumn's 2018-2019 season. Hunters must report all turkey harvests.

Washington

The Department of Fish & Wild animals estimates hunters killed 27,000 deer, with 4,400 taken by bowhunters, according to its 2017 Game Harvest Report. The written report estimates hunters killed v,500 elk, of which 1,800 were taken by archers. Washington requires hunters to written report their big-game harvests.

W Virginia

The Sectionalisation of Natural Resources estimates hunters bagged 108,000 whitetails in 2017, which was 4% beneath 2016'due south totals. Archers arrowed roughly 26,000 deer with bows and crossbows. Hunters also killed nigh 12,000 gobblers in Spring 2017, a 15-yr high.

Wisconsin

The DNR reported a deer kill of at to the lowest degree 336,000 in 2018. Bowhunters using regular archery gear killed over 45,000 deer, and crossbow hunters registered over 47,000. Hunters registered nearly 39,000 turkeys during the 2018 leap hunt. Hunters must written report deer and turkey kills.

Wyoming

The Game & Fish Department's 2017 harvest reports bear witness 45,000 hunters chased pronghorns and bagged 42,000, a 94% success rate. In improver, fifty,000 licensed mule-deer hunters harvested 27,000 deer; 29,000 whitetail hunters killed 18,000; and 57,000 elk hunters harvested 25,000.