Deer Hunter Success Rates Vary By State
BY Herschel Smith
2 years, 9 months ago
Hunters successfully harvesting at least one deer, 22-23 season.
- 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
- North Carolina: 47 percent
- Arkansas: 46 percent
- Missouri: 44 percent
- Iowa: 42 percent
- South Dakota: 42 percent
- Wyoming: 42 percent
- Montana: 41 percent
- Ohio: 41 percent
- Utah: 41 percent
- Florida: 40 percent
- Indiana: 40 percent
- Nebraska: 40 percent
- Pennsylvania: 40 percent
- Arizona: 36 percent
- Idaho: 35 percent
- Minnesota: 32 percent
- Nevada: 31 percent
- New York: 30 percent
- Illinois: 29 percent
- New Mexico: 29 percent
- Kentucky: 28 percent
- New Jersey: 28 percent
- Wisconsin: 27 percent
- Massachusetts: 24 percent
- Washington: 23 percent
- Vermont: 21 percent
- Connecticut: 19 percent
- Maine: 19 percent
- New Hampshire: 18 percent
In case this helps you plan your next deer hunt.
Well golly gee, we have deer in Alaska. I guess we don’t rate. In Kodiak, I’d hunt blacktails and would always get my limit, six or seven deer, depending on the year.
That means anyone driving in upstate Pennsylvania or New York had better keep an eye out for deer this year. Harvest at that low level means problems for drivers!
Keep up with the multiple seasons, for all types of weapons, for all types of special groups, and killing off bucks before the rut (that thing essential to making more deer) and you too can work down to the success rate that is now Wisconsin.
Between archery and gun seasons we had more deer available than we had time to process them. We didn’t even hunt black powder season because we had a full freezer by then. We saw a couple of nice bucks several times late during the archery season. Out of range of course. :)
I can’t imagine NOT being able to harvest at least one in Indiana. Some folks just didn’t try hard in my opinion. The things are a plague around here. Our son moved out west (Elk !, Trout !) right after Christmas so I’ll being doing it alone next year and will probably limit it to one doe and hope for a buck in range of my bow.
Keep in mind this data is all dependent upon voluntary reporting. Not every state tracks detail the same, either.
Oregon, Oregon . . .
Lower numbers can mean several things. Harder to find deer, deer hang out in heavy brush, they can be spooky after heavy hunting. There are many reasons you might have a low success rate. We have a lot of deer and I hunt many seasons. It is not called going to the store for a reason.
For better results: the tall guy holds the light and the short guy shoots.
The season in South Carolina where I live can start mid August depending on the game zone you reside in, and lasts through December. Lots of opportunities. Sadly I was in the 29%.
I killed a BEAUTIFUL 8-pointer at Groton Plantation. Rack swept way in front, big, strong.
Lots of blood where I shot him. But he came into the feeder completely uninterested in corn, looking for does. Didn’t find any, so never stopped moving and turned to walk away.
It was a moving shot. I tried for high shoulder, but it ended up being a gut shot.
He would have laid off in the bush and died if we had waited to release the dogs, but they released the dogs within minutes. He got up, bolted, and probably died in the next county.
Heartbreaking loss. That one hurt. I want that shot back.
In some of those states the success rate is low because people hunt antlers and pass up does, small bucks, and button bucks. Personally, I hunt meat, and will kill anything that fills a tag.
Killed six this year… four with rifle, one with muzzleloader… and one with motorcycle.
THAT one hurt. Literally.
They are jumping out all over the place here, way too many.
I would like to see their math formula
Didn’t get to go on my mule deer or elk hunts this year. Wife fell and broke her hip and I had to take care of her.
Don’t know when I’ll get drawn for both in one year again.
Some of those low success rates really surprise me, but as was mentioned, not every state has the same reporting criteria. In my state, reporting is mandatory – even if you drew a tag but didn’t go. If you don’t submit a report, you can’t draw a tag for 2 years.
As PGF stated, these are data that are not reliable. Here in Wyoming it’s a voluntary reporting system, and I know many who don’t bother with the lengthy online survey.
We also don’t have to report a kill/use a check in facility when successful. You just kill it and go home.