In This Article
In This Article
Best Hunting State in Each Region of the U.S. - Our Ranking
Before we jump into this ranking of the best hunting states in each region, we know not everyone is going to agree with our picks.
Also, we need to make it clear that we have not personally hunted all 50 states or even some of the states we chose. We are basing these rankings of the best hunting states on the opportunities for all hunters within the state in terms of public land access, variety of game, as well as other aspects of hunting in that particular state.
We also understand the difficulties of non-resident draws and how some states are very hard to hunt in as a non-resident but that will be ranking for another day…Ok…here we go….
*We will not be including Alaska or Hawaii in these rankings. We would consider Alaska to be the best hunting state overall but it’s somewhat in a league of its own when it comes to the opportunities and game. For this list, we will be ranking the best hunting states within the lower 48.
West - Montana
Western big game hunting’s popularity has continued to grow in recent years. You can credit that popularity growth to Joe Rogan, Steve Rinella, and Cameron Hanes, or you can credit it to the fact that western hunting is fu*king awesome. There are very few thrills like spotting a giant bull, beginning your stalk and putting a bullet or arrow in the breadbasket.
It’s the hunt of a lifetime for many. With that being said, which state out west is the best for hunters looking to partake in this adventure? With plenty of amazing western states for hunting such as Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, the Dakota’s, and more, there is one that stands out. Montana is somewhat of a Western hunter’s paradise.
With more than 33 million acres of public hunting land and an amazing variety of game, Montana is arguably one of the best hunting states in the lower 48. Whether you’re going after deer, elk, bear, antelope, or a once-in-a-lifetime sheep hunt, that’s just a glimpse into the opportunities in Montana. For more information on hunting in Montana, visit Montana’s Fish, Wildlife, and Parks website.
Midwest - Wisconsin
The Midwest is the land of whitetail deer. It doesn’t matter what state you’re in, residents will say they have the biggest whitetails around. And they may be right, many states in the Midwest have had some amazing B&C records come out of their counties.
With that being said, there is one state that has been home to some of the biggest whitetails the country has ever seen. Wisconsin is home to some monster bucks, and that’s not all. With 7 million acres of public land, there are plenty of opportunities for the public land hunter.
Not only can hunters expect to find some monster bucks, but there are also great opportunities for black bear, turkey, and migratory birds in Wisconsin. Iowa and Michigan were close runners-up as the best hunting states in the Midwest. For more information on hunting in Wisconsin, visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
South - Texas
The south offers some unique hunting opportunities. With seasons for alligator and wild hog, or the heavenly waterfowl opportunities of Louisiana, the south should have a special place in every American hunter’s heart. But there is one southern state that rules them all.
Texas offers by far the most unique hunting opportunities of any state in the country and has a deep love and tradition for hunting. Many people may disagree with this because of the struggles of public land access and that is a fair point. About 95% of the land in Texas is privately owned.
With that being said, the 1.5 million acres of public land that Texas does have, has some great opportunities for hunters and the deep-rooted love and tradition of hunting in Texas is unlike any other state. For more information on hunting in Texas, visit Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Northeast - Pennsylvania
I don’t know about you, but when I think of the northeast, I think of Ivy League schools and New York City. Hunting doesn’t come to mind, but a Boston accent does…that being said, there is one state in that part of the country that has some of the best hunting traditions easy of the Mississippi (almost as good as Texas).
Pennsylvania is our pick as one of the best hunting states in the northeast. With one of the highest hunter population densities in the country, it seems like many others have already figured this out. There were nearly 900,000 hunting licenses purchased in 2020 in the state of Pennsylvania and those hunters are going after anything from deer and turkey to bear and small game.
Pennsylvania has 2.2 million acres of public land and 97 out of their 121 state parks are open for hunting during the season. For more information on hunting in Pennsylvania, visit the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
We strongly believe that the traditions of hunting are just as important as the adventures. Because of this, the best hunting states are the ones you have the opportunity to hunt in. Whether you’re going after elk in Colorado or deer in North Carolina, hunting is best enjoyed wherever you can do it and when you can do it with family and friends.
