Which State Is the Best for Bow Hunters?

Why It Matters

Hunting is an increasingly popular pastime in the United States. According to the FWS, licensed hunters hit a 35-year high, topping 15.9 million for the first time since 1987. Hunting is also big business in the United States.

How Much Do Americans Spend on Hunting?

Americans spent $1.1 billion on hunting licenses, stamps, tags, and permits in 2022 alone. Deer are by far the most commonly hunted game in the U.S., and while most deer are harvested with a rifle or a shotgun, more than 1.5 million deer were taken with a bow in 2022.

Why Use a Bow?

Bow hunting offers a higher degree of challenge, which some hunters love. As such, it isn’t surprising that some hunters opt for the use of a bow or crossbow when hunting season comes along.

Benefits of Bow Hunting

One of the top benefits of using a bow is that it allows you to hunt for longer compared to a rifle. Additionally, you’ve got the added benefit of hunting on smaller properties, which isn’t a consideration for rifles or shotguns.

What’s the Maximum Range of a Bow?

For most hunters, the longest shots they’ll take are around 50 yards. Compare that to your average rifle shot, and you can see why bow hunting is more of a challenge. Hunting with a bow forces a hunter to concentrate on the environment around them.

43. Idaho

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 6% (approx. 2,566 deer)
• Total deer harvested in 2022: 42,770 (76.0% antlered buck, 24.0% antlerless deer)

42. Montana

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 6% (approx. 2,722 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 45,369 (58.8% antlered buck, 41.2% antlerless deer)

41. Wyoming

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 6% (approx. 1,759 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 29,315 (74.4% antlered buck, 25.6% antlerless deer)

40. South Carolina

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 8% (approx. 14,353 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 179,414 (50.2% antlered buck, 49.8% antlerless deer)

39. Texas

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 9% (approx. 61,260 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 680,671 (55.4% antlered buck, 44.6% antlerless deer)

38. Louisiana

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 9% (approx. 19,593 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 217,700 (55.5% antlered buck, 44.5% antlerless deer)

37. Utah

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 10% (approx. 2,754 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 27,536 (92.9% antlered buck, 7.1% antlerless deer)

36. Maine

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 11% (approx. 4,817 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 43,787 (54.4% antlered buck, 45.6% antlerless deer)

35. Nebraska

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 12% (approx. 4,835 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 40,289 (58.1% antlered buck, 41.9% antlerless deer)

34. North Carolina

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 13% (approx. 21,298 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 163,831 (52.6% antlered buck, 47.4% antlerless deer)

33. Tennessee

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 13% (approx. 21,222 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 163,244 (52.9% antlered buck, 47.1% antlerless deer)

32. Nevada

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 14% (approx. 770 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 5,500 (87.0% antlered buck, 13.0% antlerless deer)

31. Minnesota

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 14% (approx. 24,117 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 172,265 (51.2% antlered buck, 48.8% antlerless deer)

30. Arizona

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 15% (approx. 1,028 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 6,856 (99.3% antlered buck, 0.7% antlerless deer)

29. New Mexico

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 15% (approx. 1,390 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 9,266 (98.1% antlered buck, 1.9% antlerless deer)

28. Arkansas

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 15% (approx. 27,837 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 185,579 (48.4% antlered buck, 51.6% antlerless deer)

27. Virginia

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 16% (approx. 29,886 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 186,788 (49.0% antlered buck, 51.0% antlerless deer)

26. South Dakota

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 16% (approx. 8,861 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 55,380 (61.5% antlered buck, 38.5% antlerless deer)

25. Georgia

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 18% (approx. 48,818 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 271,211 (35.5% antlered buck, 64.5% antlerless deer)

24. Missouri

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 19% (approx. 56,947 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 299,719 (47.0% antlered buck, 53.0% antlerless deer)

23. Mississippi

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 19% (approx. 49,938 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 262,830 (45.3% antlered buck, 54.7% antlerless deer)

22. Delaware

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 20% (approx. 3,370 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 16,848 (25.9% antlered buck, 74.1% antlerless deer)

21. Kentucky

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 20% (approx. 28,899 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 144,493 (49.2% antlered buck, 50.8% antlerless deer)

20. North Dakota

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 21% (approx. 6,307 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 30,031 (58.3% antlered buck, 41.7% antlerless deer)

19. Alabama

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 22% (approx. 67,920 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 308,729 (44.6% antlered buck, 55.4% antlerless deer)

18. Florida

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 24% (approx. 22,436 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 93,484 (69.5% antlered buck, 30.5% antlerless deer)

17. New York

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 24% (approx. 55,671 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 231,961 (50.2% antlered buck, 49.8% antlerless deer)

16. Indiana

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 26% (approx. 31,682 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 121,854 (56.6% antlered buck, 43.4% antlerless deer)

15. West Virginia

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 28% (approx. 33,180 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 118,499 (60.4% antlered buck, 39.6% antlerless deer)

14. Wisconsin

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 29% (approx. 98,682 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 340,282 (48.1% antlered buck, 51.9% antlerless deer)

13. Michigan

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 31% (approx. 105,149 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 339,189 (60.1% antlered buck, 39.9% antlerless deer)

12. Oklahoma

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 31% (approx. 41,589 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 134,158 (54.5% antlered buck, 45.5% antlerless deer)

11. New Hampshire

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 33% (approx. 4,647 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 14,082 (59.2% antlered buck, 40.8% antlerless deer)

10. Vermont

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 34% (approx. 5,937 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 17,461 (55.1% antlered buck, 44.9% antlerless deer)

9. Pennsylvania

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 35% (approx. 148,036 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 422,960 (38.8% antlered buck, 61.2% antlerless deer)

8. Iowa

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 36% (approx. 39,456 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 109,600 (42.4% antlered buck, 57.6% antlerless deer)

7. Kansas

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 40% (approx. 32,326 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 80,815 (51.9% antlered buck, 48.1% antlerless deer)

6. Rhode Island

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 42% (approx. 1,136 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 2,705 (48.1% antlered buck, 51.9% antlerless deer)

5. Illinois

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 43% (approx. 67,877 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 157,854 (46.4% antlered buck, 53.6% antlerless deer)

4. Massachusetts

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 46% (approx. 7,292 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 15,853 (57.3% antlered buck, 42.7% antlerless deer)

3. Connecticut

• Deer Taken With Bow or Crossbow in 2022: 47% (approx. 4,909 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 10,445 (53.6% antlered buck, 46.4% antlerless deer)

2. Ohio

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 47% (approx. 99,157 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 210,973 (42.7% antlered buck, 57.3% antlerless deer)

1. New Jersey

• Share of deer harvested with a bow or crossbow, 2022: 65% (approx. 24,911 deer)
• Total deer harvested, 2022: 38,324 (42.0% antlered buck, 58.0% antlerless deer)