Hunting is a wonderful activity that many people around the USA take part in. Mostly, people hunt for deer. There are various locations around the country where a person can find these ruminant mammals. In the USA, the most hunted deer are whitetails, followed by the mule deer. If you’re a hunter looking for the top states where you can hunt deer, then you have clicked on the right site. We’ve selected the best 12 states for deer hunting by considering factors like the population of deer in the area, hunter success rates, license cost, age structure of the bucks harvested, public land availability and the number of hunters in the area.

Summary of Contents

This is among the best deer hunting states in the US. It has a large number of deer but the state has a rule of one buck that has limited the number of deer one can hunt. This has worked well as there are deer to hunt every season. There are huge chunks of public land in Indiana and the non-resident license is available too. The state has various hunting seasons for archery, firearms, youth and special antlerless firearm. The best place to hunt in this state is along the Ohio River.

The Kentucky state is considered the best deer hunting state by many hunters. This is because of the large number of whitetail deer found in the region. Unlike other states where deer can just be found in certain areas, in Kentucky, deer can be found almost everywhere in the state. In addition, the state has a large chunk of public land measuring more than 1.5 million acres. The best places to consider hunting deer in Kentucky are Green River, Bluegrass, Fort Campbell, and Fort Knox areas.

In the entire west, the state of Idaho has one of the largest populations of whitetails. A good number of these deer are based on public grounds. The best areas to hunt deer in Idaho State are in the northern Panhandle and Clearwater. Also, the success of hunting deer in this state is projected to be close to or above 40%. Similar to other regions, there are hunting seasons for archery, muzzleloader, and rifle.  The good thing with hunting in this state is that hunters will find most of the whitetails on public land.

The state of Ohio is one of the best areas to go deer hunting. This is because it has lots of mature bucks, deer, low cost and vast public land to move around on. Furthermore, Ohio State has one of the longest deer seasons in the Midwest. The region also has a huge public area to hunt deer from. The challenge that deer hunters face in this state is rugged and mountainous terrain. This is a huge setback and hunters need to be prepared. The most sought after hunting places in Ohio State are counties near the Ohio River.

It would have been inappropriate if I left out Mississippi State. This is one of the most successful deer hunting States in the whole country. Typically, it has been noted to have lots of 3 ½ year old and older bucks in the harvest. Also, 74% of the harvest is beyond 3 ½ years old. Also, the state is subdivided into 5 hunting zones and season dates vary between zones and for different hunting techniques. Mississippi State has public land that measures 2 million. A huge chunk of this land is under the forest service. Some of the notable hunting places include: Delta, Batture, Blackland Prairie, Loess, Canemount, Great River Road, Black Prairie, Twin Oaks and Ray Nix.

Another State that is well known for hunting whitetail deer is the State of Texas. Hunters in this area usually hunt for bucks that are 3 ½ years old or older. Also, the State ranks second in antlerless harvest numbers. The region has a huge public area where hunters can hunt using various methods as per the different seasons. Public land is around 1.6 million acres. The best area to hunt whitetails from is the Ox Ranch.

This is one of the best States to hunt in the Midwestern. It has a large number of whitetail and public land is huge. If you want to hunt down a whitetail, Lowa is a great destination for you. But before you decide to hunt in Lowa, you have to know that it is very difficult to get a license and the fees are huge, too. In addition to this, the State has various places that it has restricted and you shouldn’t reach out to these areas.

In the past few years, Missouri has had various outdoor world activities. This includes various online and T.V. hunting shows that have placed the State as one of the best hunting areas for Archers. The Midwest State has lots of public lands where hunting of deer occurs. Also, the procedure of acquiring a license is not as difficult as it is in the State of Lowa. Most bucks harvested are 3 ½ years or older.

The State of Arizona offers hunters mule deer and whitetails. These deer can be found in the Central and Southeastern areas of the State. A great part of these areas is based on public land which makes hunting on them to be easy as long as you have a license. Actually, Arizona has the both the number 1 position of typical and non-typical bucks. These normally come from the Grand Canyon State. For a hunter looking to hunt a deer in the late-season hunt, this is a great State to target.

When it comes to the most bucks harvested per square miles, South Carolina leads. It is recorded that South Carolina has a successful hunting rate of 70%. This percentage is mainly made of buck as whitetails are not in large numbers. In order to hunt on public land in this State, you need to have a license and the chances of hunting down a deer are very high. Choose a season that you feel fits you and proceed to hunt a good buck.

The Kansas State is another amazing region where you can easily hunt down a whitetail. But just like some States, the portion of public land assigned for deer hunting is way smaller and makes it to be a huge challenge. About 0.8% of its vast land is open to public hunting which is a great setback. In addition, the license to hunt is costly.

There are various factors that make the State of Virginia to be an excellent hunting region. It has vast public land, a huge number of deer, a chance to hunt with dogs and several seasons. It has a success rate of yearling bucks at 40%, 3-year-old and older bucks at 30%. The best places to hunt are in the south central counties. The State has different seasons with different hunting methods. This is definitely a top state for deer hunting with its favorable factors.

Summary
If hunting is your hobby or you just love game meat, the above states should be your focus point so that you can have a high chance of killing deer.

Christopher Joseph
Christopher Joseph
Joseph is a 39 years old blogger from United State. He is an outdoor enthusiast and blogging from last 4 years. Read more about him

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