Deer hunters have two seasons - deer hunting season, and getting ready for deer hunting season. If you're not actually in the woods hunting, you're getting ready for an upcoming hunt and for many of us, that season starts the moment the hunt ends. There are two schools of thought when it comes to the top deer hunting states, too. Of course, we could look at big buck numbers - and we will, but we can also look at deer harvest numbers and hunter numbers because while shooting a big buck is satisfying, more of us tend to hunt for the delicious venison filling a tag provides. Let's take a look at the best deer hunting states and, of course, we will let you know if that state is suppressor legal.
What do deer hunting and real estate have in common? Location matters. When planning a deer hunt, determining a location is the first and most important decision that you’ll make, and the location you decide upon can make a drastic difference to how your hunt goes.
And why would a suppressor retailer have info on deer hunting? For one, you should use a suppressor for hunting. Seriously! It saves your hearing and it is really important. And two, we like to deer hunt and we like to talk about deer hunting. We like to talk about hunting all the time and why not talk to you - our favorite people.
There are plenty of different factors that go into picking the best states for hunters, and it all starts by looking at the deer population statistics. Read on to take a look at the data for yourself and use it to help you decide where to go for your next hunt!
The Overall Top 10 States for Deer Hunters
It is estimated that the total US deer population is somewhere around 35.5 million deer. However, that is not an evenly spread figure across all fifty states. It's kind of like the list of states that allow suppressor ownership - it's not even. There are several variables that can cause a boom or bust in the deer population of a state, including the state’s terrain, environment, and how many active hunters live there.
But what do the numbers tell us? Here’s a rundown of the top ten states for deer hunting based on the best whitetail B&C (Boone & Crockett), the typical deer ranking system) rankings in the past decade: This info comes courtesy of our friends at Game & Fish.
Was it ever a question which state would top the list? Far and away, Wisconsin is the highest producer of B&C-ranked whitetails. The deer reach massive sizes, and with an abundance of federal and state-owned land, any hunter who is willing to research, walk and put in the work has a chance to score a great deer. Look along the Southwestern counties for the biggest bucks on average, but there are big bucks all over the state.
With over 464 bucks logged to reach B&C’s record book minimum since 2010, Ohio has proven itself to be a great hunting ground for hunters looking for a big score. Bowhunters have an advantage in this state since their season starts well before the rut and lasts for months.
Indiana is what we often call a sleeper state for big bucks, and the secret is out. Lots of bruisers are coming from here every year. With over 55,000 acres of public land available to Indianans, there are plenty of opportunities for hunters all across the state. It’s home to three counties that consistently rank high on the B&C buck list (Fayette, Delaware, and Jasper Park) and the peak of the rut always proves fruitful for hunters across the state.
Despite the fact that Kentucky is a one-buck-per-year state, that hasn’t stopped hunters there from having success. Since 2010 alone, Kentucky hunters have killed over 345 bucks that have made the minimum for the B&C record book, and the state is also home to five of the top counties in the country for B&C entries.
It’s pretty well known that Iowa produces some monster bucks, and with over 300,000 acres of public land available to hunters, you have plenty of chances to hunt one down. The only reason that Iowa isn’t higher up on this list is because of the demand for buck tags — you have to enter a lottery for one of the state’s buck tags, and it takes three or four years for nonresident hunters to accrue preference points in order to secure a tag.
Although most of the public land in the state is located in the remote northern region, the majority of big B&C-ranked bucks are being killed in the southeast corner of the state. However, regardless of where you go within the state, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to track down a great deer.
Much has been made of the Illinois “Golden Triangle” of counties (Pike, Brown, and Adams) and the legendary deer that have been harvested there. Despite the attention the region gets on a national level, these counties continue to provide great deer — even later on in the year during rifle or muzzleloader seasons. However, those numbers that used to make this a serious big buck state have declined some in recent years.
In the past decade, over 239 whitetails have been killed in Kansas that made the B&C book. Like Iowa, there is a large demand for tags, and it can take a few years of adding up preference points for you to get the tag that you want. But, once you finally get the tag, you’ll have plenty of places to hunt via public land and acres open to hunters through landowner-access programs.
There are plenty of bucks to go around in Missouri. Thanks to the state’s lower hunter population, it’s a two-buck state (one of the two must be taken with archery gear), and although there are some antler restrictions in a few counties, that shouldn’t stop you from getting some solid deer. Nonresident hunters can also hunt here without going through a lottery or draw process for a tag.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the deer are no exception. Most of the trophy whitetail hunting happens on Texas ranches, which can be exclusive and pricey. But with that being said, there are still plenty of opportunities to track down a great deer on public land — you just have to do your research and hunt a little harder.
Trophy deer aside, what states have the highest percentage of hunter success when it comes to deer. That is an interesting thing to look at. I like to say that the trophy is in the eye of the deer holder, meaning that I have often taken into account what a deer means to the person who took it versus what someone else may think of said deer. I know I have filled doe tags that have taken way more work and energy than some of the buck tags I have filled.
Our friends at Outdoor Life have compiled those figures and they look pretty interesting. I have listed the states where the number is 50% or higher below:
South Carolina: 71 percent
Tennessee: 65 percent
Texas: 64 percent
Mississippi: 61 percent
Rhode Island: 61 percent
Kansas: 59 percent
Georgia: 57 percent
Virginia: 57 percent
Oklahoma: 56 percent
North Dakota: 53 percent
Louisiana: 51 percent
Michigan: 50 percent
West Virginia: 50 percent
States with the Highest Deer Density
The deer density of a state refers to the average amount of deer found per square mile. Obviously, there are a few factors to this metric, such as the size of the state, the amount of urban vs. rural land, etc.
Let’s get down to brass tacks here — which states are harvesting the most deer on a consistent basis? These numbers obviously draw on all of the metrics previously mentioned, but they still paint a good picture of which hunters are having the most success around the country throughout the past decade.
Let's start with a list of what states have the most deer. To get some of those numbers, since we're not going by harvest results, it is actually beneficial to look at sources that look at the deer numbers as a problem versus as a resource. Why is that? Because it is a totally different bias, and puts a different spin on getting a true answer. Click here for one such source.
By straight numbers, Texas leads with the most deer, followed by Michigan, Wisconsin and Mississippi. All of these states allow suppressor use for deer hunting. It makes sense that these states have big numbers of deer, especially Texas and Michigan which are big states in total land mass.
PLanning your upcoming deer hunting adventure
So now that I've bombarded you with facts and figures of deer densities across the U.S., what do you do with it? Whatever you want, of course, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chances at harvesting a deer this coming season.
Scout Heavily - do your research and get out in the field. See what's going on and if possible, get trail cameras going now to get a good look at the deer herd. I am a big fan of the cellular game cameras as I can scout in real time.
Food Plots - If you have access to the land and can plant food plots, it is a direct connection to the health and localization of deer to your hunting area. There is no better way to insure good nutrition for your deer.
Habitat Management - Invest in projects that improve the ground for deer. Cover crops like trees and forage brush make big improvements in the terrain and make it more hunt able. All the food plots in the world will not matter if the land doesn't hold deer.
Get To Know Your Neighbors - If you can get everyone around you on the same page for deer management goals, it helps a ton. This is by far the hardest part of deer management that no one wants to talk about. No one wants to be told what to do with their own land, but if you can get everyone seeing that if you all work together, you all win.
Take The Time - Be sure you take enough time to enjoy every step of this process and take the time to go hunting.
You will hear a lot about genetics and trophy potential, but when it comes down to finding a place to hunt whitetail deer, the first thing to find is land to hunt on. You have to have a place that has deer and land you can hunt.
No, deer move and move quite a bit. a whitetail buck, during the rut, can have a range that encompasses many miles of terrain. The best thing to look for is land that has deer habitat and food sources. This will draw deer into the area. During deer hunting season, you need to attract the does, because this will bring the bucks to you.
The short answer is no, even a few acres of land available to hunt can produce deer activity given the right circumstances. Be aware that you need to be mindful of what happens after you pull the trigger, as you may need to track a wounded deer and property rights trump your deer hunting.
Technically no, but hunting with a firearm is 100% better when using a suppressor as it protects your hearing and makes your shots more accurate.
While a deer might avoid a completely bare spot of land that was recently logged, the truth is, logging opens a lot of grown from the browse that deer eat and is a terrific management tool. If you can find public land that has been logged several months beforehand, you may see more deer than you expect.
Hunt smart - Hunt suppressed
Do all of these numbers and statistics have you pumped up and ready for deer hunting season to begin? Understanding the numbers is only half of the battle — the other half is preparation. That’s where Silencer Central can help you out. We offer a wide variety of silencers, accessories, and services that can have you and your gun ready for the fall. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you harvest the deer of your dreams this autumn!
While many suppressors can be used on several different caliber firearms, we have some specific models that can make your shooting more enjoyable. Pick the caliber that you have in mind. If you don’t see your caliber, pick one close to it to see our recommendations.
