The Most Popular Hunting Destinations in America: All States Ranked

Once integral to rural economies, hunting now serves more recreational than practical purposes in the United States. Yet it remains a beloved pastime. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data shows over 15.9 million licensed hunters in 2021 – nearly 800,000 more than in 2018 – indicating rising public interest.

Most sportsmen and women utilize private or public lands close to home. Of over 38.7 million total hunting licenses and permits sold in 2021, 89% were for in-state hunting. Still, the vast ecological diversity across states offers travel incentives. Some destinations draw visiting hunters through advantageous regulations, abundant game populations, or unique and plentiful species.

Given vast swaths of protected public lands alongside an abundance of whitetail deer and other popular game, many recreational hunters need not venture far. Those willing to travel out-of-state, however, can experience exceptional hunting opportunities. Certain regulations, deer populations, and species varieties encourage tourism to specific hunting hotspots across the country.

24/7 Tempo identified the most popular hunting destinations in America using data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We then ranked all 50 states on the number of paid hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps they issued to out-of-state visitors in 2021.

A draw for many hunters on several of the top destination states on this list are big game animals – including moose, elk, and bear. The most commonly hunted game in America is whitetail deer, according to the latest National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Census Bureau. There are over 8 million deer hunters annually, more than four times the number who hunt wild turkey, the second most common game. (These are the states where hunters get the most deer.)

Methodology

To determine the most popular hunting destinations nationwide, we reviewed state-level data on paid hunting licenses issued to non-residents in 2021 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tracking out-of-state permits provides insight into broader hunting tourism appeal. Additional Fish and Wildlife figures on license revenues further indicate high-interest hunting markets.

We also included 2021 public land acreage data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Protected Areas Database. Public sites grant access for hunters during season. Finally, state whitetail deer harvest numbers for 2021 from the National Deer Association conservation group helped account for states with robust deer populations. Alaska, Hawaii, California, Nevada and Utah lacked comparable statistics, so they were excluded from deer-related calculations.

Here are American hunting destinations that are most popular:

50. Hawaii

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 1,253 (10.0% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $131,565 (the lowest)
• Public land area: 40.5% of state land (11th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: N/A

49. Connecticut

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 4,353 (4.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $358,555 (3rd lowest)
• Public land area: 15.8% of state land (25th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 8,799 (65.3% antlered buck)

48. Delaware

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 7,161 (12.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $578,951 (5th lowest)
• Public land area: 14.6% of state land (22nd lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 15,383 (44.8% antlered buck)

47. Rhode Island

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 7,505 (12.7% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $137,436 (2nd lowest)
• Public land area: 10.9% of state land (17th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 2,164 (56.1% antlered buck)

46. Washington

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 15,289 (1.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,298,049 (9th lowest)
• Public land area: 38.3% of state land (12th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 24,318 (89.1% antlered buck)

45. Vermont

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 17,406 (8.8% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,008,154 (6th lowest)
• Public land area: 16.5% of state land (23rd highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 15,858 (57.6% antlered buck)

44. Massachusetts

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 21,719 (7.8% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $552,371 (4th lowest)
• Public land area: 19.4% of state land (18th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 12,403 (64.8% antlered buck)

43. New Hampshire

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 23,335 (13.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,615,871 (11th lowest)
• Public land area: 24.9% of state land (15th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 12,551 (64.6% antlered buck)

42. Indiana

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 24,141 (5.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $2,782,471 (14th lowest)
• Public land area: 4.7% of state land (6th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 112,482 (47.8% antlered buck)

41. New Jersey

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 24,457 (7.6% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,260,711 (8th lowest)
• Public land area: 23.6% of state land (16th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 36,787 (43.2% antlered buck)

40. Florida

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 25,391 (7.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,547,881 (10th lowest)
• Public land area: 27.0% of state land (14th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 74,071 (70.5% antlered buck)

39. California

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 26,457 (2.6% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,246,471 (7th lowest)
• Public land area: 55.9% of state land (6th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 0

38. North Carolina

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 29,324 (8.8% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $2,852,672 (15th lowest)
• Public land area: 10.7% of state land (16th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 168,427 (53.0% antlered buck)

37. Maine

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 35,496 (14.5% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $3,255,392 (16th lowest)
• Public land area: 18.1% of state land (21st highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 38,947 (55.7% antlered buck)

36. Nevada

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 36,583 (25.0% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $4,006,161 (18th lowest)
• Public land area: 83.2% of state land (the highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 0

35. Virginia

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 48,382 (6.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $4,468,597 (20th lowest)
• Public land area: 16.0% of state land (24th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 191,731 (49.0% antlered buck)

34. Louisiana

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 49,667 (8.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $1,991,037 (12th lowest)
• Public land area: 10.1% of state land (14th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 233,400 (55.0% antlered buck)

33. Minnesota

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 51,635 (3.5% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $4,201,403 (19th lowest)
• Public land area: 18.9% of state land (19th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 184,698 (54.2% antlered buck)

32. Utah

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 53,883 (11.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $7,757,083 (19th highest)
• Public land area: 72.0% of state land (2nd highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 0

31. Pennsylvania

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 54,464 (5.7% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $7,365,668 (20th highest)
• Public land area: 18.7% of state land (20th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 376,810 (38.6% antlered buck)

30. Oklahoma

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 60,157 (16.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $6,852,283 (24th highest)
• Public land area: 11.7% of state land (18th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 117,629 (58.9% antlered buck)

29. Maryland

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 66,013 (20.5% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $3,294,085 (17th lowest)
• Public land area: 14.1% of state land (21st lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 67,445 (41.4% antlered buck)

28. Alabama

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 67,183 (7.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $8,605,656 (16th highest)
• Public land area: 5.9% of state land (7th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 301,122 (40.9% antlered buck)

27. Alaska

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 70,920 (12.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $2,133,238 (13th lowest)
• Public land area: 56.2% of state land (5th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: N/A

26. New York

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 70,991 (6.5% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $4,521,101 (21st lowest)
• Public land area: 15.3% of state land (25th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 211,269 (52.5% antlered buck)

25. Oregon

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 73,412 (6.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $6,800,898 (25th highest)
• Public land area: 56.8% of state land (4th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 39,588 (91.4% antlered buck)

24. Michigan

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 73,705 (3.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $4,851,976 (22nd lowest)
• Public land area: 15.3% of state land (24th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 395,059 (56.6% antlered buck)

23. Texas

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 76,599 (4.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $11,730,687 (10th highest)
• Public land area: 4.1% of state land (4th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 827,930 (54.1% antlered buck)

22. Iowa

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 79,161 (11.6% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $8,146,265 (17th highest)
• Public land area: 3.0% of state land (3rd lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 102,810 (43.9% antlered buck)

21. Wyoming

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 79,569 (28.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $23,483,498 (4th highest)
• Public land area: 54.2% of state land (8th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 35,061 (68.3% antlered buck)

20. Nebraska

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 83,775 (20.9% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $7,225,808 (21st highest)
• Public land area: 2.4% of state land (2nd lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 44,802 (60.4% antlered buck)

19. Ohio

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 85,336 (9.7% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $9,663,674 (14th highest)
• Public land area: 6.0% of state land (8th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 196,988 (45.2% antlered buck)

18. Illinois

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 90,663 (6.1% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $16,790,777 (5th highest)
• Public land area: 4.3% of state land (5th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 146,422 (47.3% antlered buck)

17. Missouri

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 98,132 (5.6% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $12,410,731 (9th highest)
• Public land area: 7.6% of state land (9th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 295,143 (48.7% antlered buck)

16. Mississippi

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 99,449 (23.6% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $8,926,508 (15th highest)
• Public land area: 9.8% of state land (12th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 269,901 (42.6% antlered buck)

15. Arizona

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 100,746 (16.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $6,890,378 (23rd highest)
• Public land area: 55.1% of state land (7th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 14,416 (99.3% antlered buck)

14. South Dakota

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 105,873 (29.4% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $12,822,125 (8th highest)
• Public land area: 16.9% of state land (22nd highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 55,141 (62.6% antlered buck)

13. South Carolina

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 111,639 (11.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $5,546,379 (24th lowest)
• Public land area: 9.4% of state land (11th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 182,880 (52.1% antlered buck)

12. Kentucky

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 112,806 (20.3% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $10,143,234 (13th highest)
• Public land area: 7.7% of state land (10th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 132,328 (51.4% antlered buck)

11. Arkansas

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 131,203 (25.7% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $11,056,366 (11th highest)
• Public land area: 13.6% of state land (20th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 181,379 (47.7% antlered buck)

10. North Dakota

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 139,005 (24.7% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $6,916,885 (22nd highest)
• Public land area: 21.6% of state land (17th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 32,417 (59.8% antlered buck)

9. New Mexico

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 144,624 (29.6% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $13,471,727 (7th highest)
• Public land area: 47.6% of state land (9th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 8,827 (98.4% antlered buck)

8. Kansas

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 148,657 (35.2% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $16,748,471 (6th highest)
• Public land area: 1.9% of state land (the lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 84,007 (53.8% antlered buck)

7. West Virginia

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 150,752 (22.0% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $5,045,931 (23rd lowest)
• Public land area: 12.1% of state land (19th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 105,274 (61.0% antlered buck)

6. Tennessee

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 159,023 (15.1% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $6,113,188 (25th lowest)
• Public land area: 10.2% of state land (15th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 132,214 (56.4% antlered buck)

5. Georgia

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 178,466 (11.4% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $10,602,061 (12th highest)
• Public land area: 9.9% of state land (13th lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 257,454 (37.7% antlered buck)

4. Montana

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 201,393 (18.5% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $27,449,806 (3rd highest)
• Public land area: 37.6% of state land (13th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 44,714 (62.5% antlered buck)

3. Colorado

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 234,856 (29.4% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $59,814,909 (the highest)
• Public land area: 44.7% of state land (10th highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 40,561 (76.8% antlered buck)

2. Wisconsin

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 262,100 (5.8% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $7,957,866 (18th highest)
• Public land area: 14.7% of state land (23rd lowest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 309,392 (49.5% antlered buck)

1. Idaho

• Non-resident hunting licenses, tags, permits, & stamps issued, 2021: 277,899 (20.4% of total)
• Non-resident hunting license, tag, permit, & stamp sales, 2021: $27,522,085 (2nd highest)
• Public land area: 68.0% of state land (3rd highest)
• Whitetail deer harvested, 2021: 47,502 (75.5% antlered buck)