States Where the Most People Hunt

Hunting is no longer a practical necessity for most Americans. But, as a pastime, it is growing increasingly popular. In each of the last two years, the number of licensed hunters in the U.S. hit multi-decade highs of over 15.9 million. As recently as 2010, there were fewer than 14.5 million hunters in the United States, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

• Hunters in 2022: 227.0 per 1,000 people (132,185 hunters total)
• Total spending on hunting licenses in 2022: $34,542,006
• Deer harvested in 2022: 29,315 (74.0% buck; 26% antlerless)
• Deer harvest by weapon type: 6 % bow; 94 % rifle or shotgun; – 0 % muzzleloader