How many deer can you kill in your home state?

[Benfromalbuquerque]

North dakota

1 otc statewide archery buck or doe whitetail or mule deer. " they had restrictions years past on MD doe"

Lottery 1 rifle tag need to specify buck or doe and what species. Most mule deer buck tags take 5-8 years to draw. Whitetail bucks depending on unit 1-5 years.

Lottery 1 muzzleloader tag state wide for a whitetail buck or for a whitetail doe need to specify which. My buck tag took 15 years to draw.

32 years old, given the state of affairs I should get 3 maybe 4 mule deer tags 1 Maybe 2 if I'm lucky muzzleloader tags and don't even get me started on antelope by tye time I hit 50 :/ so I have been really focusing on bow hunting last several years. Yes I could change units and get whitetail tags more but I don't.

We should form a HT support group for Western resident deer hunters. We’ll have our annual rendezvous in ANY SOUTHEASTERN STATE and kill 25 deer a day.

 

[Jamen]

We should form a HT support group for Western resident deer hunters. We’ll have our annual rendezvous in ANY SOUTHEASTERN STATE and kill 25 deer a day.

I don't need 25 ID settle for 15 hahah

 

[Elkoholic]

Ohio limit:

Only one may be antlered. Statewide limit is six deer.

 

[Huntkook]

It’s almost silly in Maryland.

15 archery doe
10 muzzleloader doe
10 rifle doe

You can also shoot two bucks annually but not more than one in each season.

The same regs apply for you lousy NR wildlife takers . Licenses are $130. No draws to deal with.

Hunted Maryland in 2013 and 14 around Barnesville, seen close to 60 deer in the one day that I hunted each year. We hunted a pinch point, deer moved through there all day.

 

[Sytes]

My auto insurance carrier says I've killed too many...

 

[Boarmaster]

I live in Fl but call Alabama my hunting home. Season limits are 3 bucks. Does are 1 per day no season limit. Long season, Including archery , muzzleloader and rifle you can hunt deer from October 14th thru Feb 10.

 

[Nick87]

Illinois

Landowners can get free tags, 2 firearm (1 either sex, 1 antlerless) and 2 archery (1 either sex, 1 antlerless). Muzzleloader tags can be applied for in the draw. Landowners cannot apply for additional firearm tags until after the second draw.

Firearm tags are quota based on county. you can apply for those online and if any left over can be purchased over the counter.

Archery is unlimited.

2 Bucks max per season regardless of weapon.

I'll add there is no buck limit during cwd season in those counties.

 

[rebjfan]

A recent exchange on another thread has me curious how many deer the average hunter can kill in each state.

Please note that I am not asking how many deer the average hunter kills, I am asking how many they could legally kill if they maxed out the available opportunity. Although the number of deer the average hunter kills could be good additional info. I'm sure there is a lot of nuance and individual state regulations that makes an apples to apples comparison difficult but let's give it shot. I guess I could go to each state's game management website and try to figure it out but I bet I can get faster answers here.

Generally, I'm most interested in item 1 below, the number of tags a single resident hunter can have each season; or if your state allows multiple deer to be harvested per tag, the number of deer that can be harvested on OTC opportunities.

If you choose to respond I would ask that you separate your answers into the following categories. If your state has another category, by all means list it as well. Provide a short explanation as you feel is necessary or average success rates.

1. How many deer can the average hunter kill on OTC tags?
2. How many deer can be added to item 1 by drawing limited quota or controlled tags?
3. How many deer can be added to the total by utilizing landowner tags?

For Idaho:
1. 1 OTC tag per resident. 1 more if there are leftover NR tags and you pay the NR price tag. The tag can be used on a buck or doe depending on specific seasons and units. Success rates generally fall between 20-30%.
2. 1 extra antlerless tag in specific units. A resident who draws a tag for antlered deer cannot buy a OTC tag for deer in the same year.
3. Depends on acreage but these tags are also limited on a unit by unit basis and landowners must enter a separate Landowner drawing pool.

In Idaho if you draw a limited quota tag for antlered deer, you cannot buy an OTC tag; it is an either/or situation. You are limited to 1 deer tag per year unless you draw an extra-antlerless tag or buy a leftover NR tag at the NR price.

So in general, the average hunter in Idaho can kill 1 deer per year and only 30% of them are successful.

Mississippi
I think a total of 8, three bucks and 5 does total. The game and fish do not care how many a person kills as long as they have a license. No tagging or reporting system.

 

[Bux_N_Beards]

TN is divided into zones. Flat, mostly ag and river bottoms on the west end transitioning as you go eastward across the TN River into more hilly terrain then onward to the Cumberland Plateau then the Appalachian Mountains. Limits are high on the west end and lower as you go east.

On the west end in Unit CWD, where CWD was discovered in 2018, the limit is as follows on private lands or public that follow the same regulations:

Archery season typically opens the last Saturday in September, Rifle opens around the first of November depending on the year, and runs until Jan 31st.

- 3 does a day, no season limit (no, that’s not a typo)
- 3 bucks per season

In Unit CWD, the following “incentives” are available:

- For every antlerless deer harvested and submitted for CWD testing you earn an additional buck tag, no cap.
- For any buck that tests positive for CWD, you get a “replacement” buck tag.

It’s really pretty ridiculous. Fortunately, people who indulge in the limits are pretty rare. In fact, at the epicenter of where CWD was discovered, harvests are down to the lowest they’ve been in years. Combination of factors driving that, and won’t derail the purpose of the thread on that topic.

 

[stealthy_bowman]

I’ll keep it simple for NJ. It’s unlimited antlerless deer with some exceptions in certain zones. For bucks, it was 6 until this season and it goes to 7 next year. It’s stupid how many deer one can kill here.

For guys that just want to do a meat hunt, I doubt there is a better deal anywhere in the country. You can shoot endless deer for a ridiculously cheap non-resident license fee.

 

[Mtrimble]

As mentioned above, Ohio is a one buck State. I thought these harvest stats for the 2023-2024 season were interesting.

Ohio’s statewide deer harvest, by year:

• 2023-24: 213,928
• 2022-23: 210,973
• 3-year average (2020-2022): 201,890

Ohio’s 2023-24 statewide deer harvest, by individual season:

• Archery: 100,951 (first season to exceed 100,000)
• Weeklong and two-day gun seasons: 85,587
• Four-day muzzleloader season: 12,712
• Two-day youth season: 10,039
• Controlled firearm hunts: 4,639

Top 10 Counties for 2023-24 Harvest:

• Coshocton: 7,740. (Last season, Coshocton County also led the state with 7,590 deer checked.)
• Tuscarawas: 7,023
• Ashtabula: 5,887
• Muskingum: 5,789
• Knox: 5,625
• Licking: 5,429
• Holmes: 5,324
• Guernsey: 5,220
• Carroll: 5,038
• Trumbull: 4,703

Most popular hunting implements:

• Crossbow: 75,462 (35%)
• Straight-walled cartridge rifle: 60,333 (28%)
• Shotgun: 31,901 (15%)
• Vertical bow: 29,696 (14%)
• Muzzleloader: 16,010 (8%)
• Handgun: 526 (less than 1%)

Deer harvest:

• Does: 99,584 (46.5%)
• Antlered bucks: 92,051 (43%)
• Button bucks: 18,973 (9%)
• Bucks with shed antlers or antlers shorter than 3 inches: 3,320 (1.5%)

Permit sales:
Ohio hunters were issued 415,710 deer permits across all hunting seasons. Hunters from all 50 U.S. states purchased deer permits for use during the 2023-24 seasons.

 

[np307]

Haven't seen NC mentioned so I'll add ours in the mix. Buying your license gets you 6 deer tags, 2 bucks and 4 does. You can also get unlimited bonus antlerless tags for the urban archery season. Same license gives you 2 turkey tags and a bear tag (but you have to buy a stamp for the bear tag), as well as small game privileges.

And for the record, a nonresident purchasing a hunting license gets the same amount of tags.

 

[3855WIN]

I currently hunt a DMAP property in Louisiana with large ag fields on two sides. We get plenty of doe tags.
I used to hunt a similar situation in Mississippi.
Basically, shoot until you get tired of shooting.

 

[Caseknife]

Washington state:

1. One deer, must choose modern, archery or muzzle, usually 3pt min for mule deer rifle, some opportunity for doe on archery and muzzle or special permit for rifle.

2. Can draw permit for one additional doe deer, or some opportunity without draw for Master Hunter program maybe?

3. No transferable land owner tags, only damage control tags for some ag operators

We're stuck on OTC here, unfortunately APR is necessary for mule deer to keep any bucks around with so many unrestricted hunters.

Edit: NR are on equal ground as R; OTC, no split for tags or special permits, just about 10x the cost.

An aside to that, if you get drawn for the multi-season tag that allows you to hunt all weapon seasons and pay the additional $140, you can still only harvest 1 deer and the second doe if you get drawn. Then again, our game commission is made up of predator lovers, have to leave something for the wolves and cats.

 

[glass eye]

California 2

 

[rjthehunter]

My auto insurance carrier says I've killed too many...

I'm almost positive in MN the auto insurance companies have a say in the numbers...

 

[EastTNHunter]

TN is divided into zones. Flat, mostly ag and river bottoms on the west end transitioning as you go eastward across the TN River into more hilly terrain then onward to the Cumberland Plateau then the Appalachian Mountains. Limits are high on the west end and lower as you go east.

On the west end in Unit CWD, where CWD was discovered in 2018, the limit is as follows on private lands or public that follow the same regulations:

Archery season typically opens the last Saturday in September, Rifle opens around the first of November depending on the year, and runs until Jan 31st.

- 3 does a day, no season limit (no, that’s not a typo)
- 3 bucks per season

In Unit CWD, the following “incentives” are available:

- For every antlerless deer harvested and submitted for CWD testing you earn an additional buck tag, no cap.
- For any buck that tests positive for CWD, you get a “replacement” buck tag.

It’s really pretty ridiculous. Fortunately, people who indulge in the limits are pretty rare. In fact, at the epicenter of where CWD was discovered, harvests are down to the lowest they’ve been in years. Combination of factors driving that, and won’t derail the purpose of the thread on that topic.

I’ll expound on TN just a bit more:

2 bucks statewide with the exception noted above.

Second buck exception: draw hunt bonus bucks

Far East TN (lowest deer density, non-traveling scenario):
2 bucks
2 antlerless archery
1 antlerless ml
1 antlerless Gun (date restricted)
Total: 6

SE TN (mid deer density, non-travel scenario):
2 bucks
4 antlerless archery
2 antlerless ml
2 antlerless gun
Total: 10

Mid and West TN (high deer density Unit L, non-CWD, non-travel scenario):
2 bucks
294 does (assuming 98 day season)
Total: 296

CWD Zone:
I can’t keep up with the convoluted replacement tag scenarios. Apparently you can kill more than Unit L

Of course, hunters are allowed to travel across unit lines to increase their antlerless harvest. Draw hunts often do not count towards statewide bag limits, but not always

 

[Mallardsx2]

2 bucks - State Tag Limit
10 does - State Tag Limit
And if I really wanted to, I could kill a TON more than that if I went to the bonus hunts and everything else that is offered.
Anyone in GA who cannot fill their freezer on a yearly basis is lazy. It's not from a lack of opportunity.
I shot three bucks this year. 2 State Tags and 1 Bonus tag from a WMA hunt that took me a long time to draw. Wife didn't kill a deer all year. No need with an elk in the freezer.

We only shoot does on the last day of the season if we don't fill our buck tags. But watch out when I give my wife the greenlight...she will fill the freaking buggy. She blew the woods up that morning.

Me texting her at 8:30AM not seeing anything hearing about 4 gunshots 300 yards away: "WTF is going on down there?!"
Her: "We're gonna need a bigger buggy....."

 

[wvhunter304]

West Virginia
11
Two bucks, down from three last year.

 

[CMF]

Mississippi
I think a total of 8, three bucks and 5 does total. The game and fish do not care how many a person kills as long as they have a license. No tagging or reporting system.

Depends on which section of the state you're in and if it's private or public.

14 !

With CWD in the north central unit, you can now kill 4 bucks and 5 does on public, or 10 does on private.

Most of the state is 3 bucks, 5 does. The Southeast zone is only 2 does.

Daily bag limit on bucks is one. Bag limit on Does is one daily on public. No daily bag limit on does on private, you can kill all five or ten in one day.

A tagging system is pointless with this type of bag limit, but optional or mandatory harvest reporting would be nice to see the data.