To all members from USA and others also,

In our part of world, some people consider that hunting in USA is very restricted and controlled i.e., firearm seasons, bag limits, tags, draws etc.

I was arguing an old man as he was of opinion that,

"very few american hunters regularly hunt big game because most of the areas are closed to hunting, tag prices are very high and very few tags are drawn every year. And most of the American hunters shoot varmints".

My opinion was/is that it is that control and restrictions are all about game management, which is a good thing. There are vast wilderness areas and number of wildlife is very high. Some species like elk and big horn sheep are expensive to hunt but rest are not. Is it so?

If we take whitetail deer as the most common big game animal in USA, could someone please enlighten us about the number of deer shot every year and total number of deer population in USA. I am talking generally of public hunting lands.

It is my perception that EVERY hunter in USA who wish to hunt whitetail deer, can buy a tag at very nominal price. And, quite a good number of local deer population is available in majority of states to fulfil the hunting pressure. And, an average hunter succeeds to bag a deer (or a doe) every year.

Your opinion please.

Saad

[ 10-09-2002, 13:45: Message edited by: Saad ]

Saad,
I live in West Virginia and for $45.00 U.S.Dollars you can kill 7 deer.WV has over 1.5 million acres of public hunting.We killaround 250000 deer in my state alone and WV is a small state.
Oppertunitys abound here in the U.S. for hunting all kinds of Big Game,some are pricey some are not.

Saad,
Here in Ohio, a relativly populated small state our license costs for residents is as follows
15 dollars for the general hunting license Non-residents pay 91 dollars for the general license.

20 dollars for a special deer tag(required to hunt whitetail

20 for a second special deer tag for a second anterless deer(IF desired and usable in over half the state)

10 for an Urban deer permit up to 4 allowed(also anterless and restriced to 5 areas in the state close to major cities)

So right now I have paid 65 dollars and can hunt all the small game I want and take 3 deer with the option of up to 4 more. for another 50 dollars.

As for statistics last year in Ohio 438,744 deer tags were sold and 150,432 deer were checked in.

Check out Table 4 as this lists deer permits sold and deer harvested since 1900 in Ohio

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/hunting/pub304.pdf

I personally know of 1 deer that was poached and from the looks of it only the antlers were taken. I found the skull. so the harvest numbers are higher. The above numbers do not take into account the animals that are killed and never tagged.(poached)

I remember running across a listing of all the states Departments of Natural Resources links but I could not find it for you.
Hope this helps!

I live in Ohio and only hunt private land. Too many stupid people in my neck of the woods hunt public land. However, down in southeastern part of the state has millions of acres of public hunting land. A deer tag cost under $25 I think. I have never bought one because I use a land owners permit, which costs me nothing. I think an out of state resident can get a tag for $80. Depending on which zone in the state you hunt you can take up to three deer. We only have one week in which to use slug guns, but we also have archery all hunting seasons and a week or two for muzzle loading.

Saad,

Wisconsin has led the United States the last couple of years in total whitetail kill and is third in the number of hunters.

WI

2001 Gun Licensed hunters 688,261
Total kill 361,264

Archery Licensed hunters 257,571
Total kill 83,120

I personally shot 4, 3 archery 1 rifle

I also deer & bear hunt in minnesota.
I spend about 400 dollars each year on licenses & permits. A small amount considering the amount of small and big game I pursue in two states. I hunt almost exclusively on public land.

Thanks,
Ribs

Well, I live in Idaho, one of the more "rural" states, and this year I spent about $90 on tags and licenses. That includes tags for Elk, deer, black bear, cougar, and validations for grouse and migrating birds.

We have a bit over 100,000 elk, about 250,000 deer, and who knows how many turkeys, bears, cougars, moose, sheep and goats. Aside from big game, I spend about 30 days a year in the field hunting birds, including five species of grouse, two species of partridge, pheasants, and some quail (available, but I don't hunt them). Three quarters of our state is public land.

Seasons are restricted, if you call bear season from Aug 1 to October 31 and from April 1 to June 30, restrictive. Elk and deer seasons are much shorter. Some animals, like coyotes and other varmints, don't have seasons, and are hunted year-round.

All in all, I get about 75 days of hunting in. Not a bad deal for $90...... FWIW, Dutch.

New York State is more than just NYC too. Did you know the largest National Park in the country is in NY? The 6 million acre Adirondack Park is a vast wilderness with large tracks of unroaded mountains. The state deer herd is well over 1 million and still expanding and a big game tag with a Deer Management Permit and a bear tag costs about 20 bucks. Oh, we take over 200,ooo whitetails a year and about 1000 bear.

[ 10-09-2002, 17:37: Message edited by: KevinNY ]

Saad: North Dakota usually leads the nation in % of tags filled. It usually runs over 70%. That does not mean 70% of the people bag a deer because many of the people have more than one tag. Some states allow you to take a deer every day of the season because they are so overrun with whitetail deer. I never use an outfitter, in the USA so I can hunt fairly cheaply in the mountain states. I can usually hunt deer, antelope, and elk for less than $1000. Moose, Caribou, and Sheep are more expensive for out of state hunts, with trips to Alaska or Canada usually called for.

Saad, what others have said about their states is really quite representative of the entire US.

You are quite correct when you state:

quote:

---

My opinion was/is that it is that control and restrictions are all about game management, which is a good thing. There are vast wilderness areas and number of wildlife is very high. Some species like elk and big horn sheep are expensive to hunt but rest are not. Is it so?

It is my perception that EVERY hunter in USA who wish to hunt whitetail deer, can buy a tag at very nominal price. And, quite a good number of local deer population is available in majority of states to fulfil the hunting pressure. And, an average hunter succeeds to bag a deer (or a doe) every year.

---

The older gentleman that you spoke with is badly misinformed.

Saad,

I'm in Michigan, my state is number 1 or 2 for registered hunters. We have a deer herd of 2.5 to 3 million animals. My tags for this year cost just under $30 for the ability to tag 5 deer, 2 bucks and 3 does. Our deer season runs from October 1 to January 1 with restrictions during time periods within those dates for archery and firearm hunting.

We have black bear, elk and turkey seasons which are all by draw. With turkey it's pretty easy to get a tag, both spring and fall. Bear hunters average one tag every 7 years. You'll get hit by lightning before you get an elk tag in this state.

My state also has MILLIONS of acres of public hunting land.

The issue is going out of state to hunt. It's expensive. If I want to hunt elk roaming on Federal land in Montana, land my taxes go towards, I will have to shell out $1000 for a tag. Is that fair? No way, but the price goes up every year. Another reason I go to Africa. All states vary on license fees and seasons. I could not tell you what the fees would be for a hunter from another country. Our game is pretty managed but for the most part it runs free of game fences. I can hunt all I want (within the designated seasons and within bag limits) on my measily 5 acres and I kill deer every year.

not so easy in arizona. all rifle hunting is draw only for deer, javelina, elk, bear, etc. I did not draw tags for anything this year (again). very limited chances of hunting where and when you want, although if you are willing to go where the tags are, archery is almost a sure bet to get to go somewhere.

probably draws tags every second or third year on average, if not too picky about wanting a trophy or bull-only tag.

of course, who would prefer to shoot a cow elk every year?

Percent success is probably one in five for elk and a bit higher for deer.

Then there is javelina. also draw only, but much better odds and chances to fill tags.

Oh, license and all of hte various tags cost less than a hundred for locals, except for bison and sheep which are a different deal altogether, like one draw in a lifetime for a lucky hunter.

Thats why I am off to Idaho tomorrow for a week ni a wilderness hunt. cost 1000 for my elk tag and my sons deer tag. Out of state isthe only way to know you can hunt if you live in Arizona.

Cheers and shoot straight.

I live in New York state, and for $38 I get a License combonation that allows small game, fishing, 1 whitetail buck, 2 whitetail does( this is only 1 in some areas), 1 black bear. There is a prettyy good amount of state owned land( free public access), and most of the local farmers will still let you hunt for free if ask nicely.

I live in California, the most populated state. We have perhaps 300-400,000 deer, and small herds of Elk (all 3 NA varieties), Desert Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn Antelope, Black Bear, and Wild Pig. The statewide average for deer is from 3-100% depending on what hunts you get a tag for. There are always tags available for deer to those that want them. I've never missed a season because I couldn't get a tag.
We have lots of bird hunting. Which is more popular in terms of time spent in the field. Our duck hunting, for instance, is as good as anyone's anywhere in terms of birds bagged.
Small varmits, like ground squirrels, are popular, but not like the game species. Hunting for large varmits, like coyotes, bobcat and fox really isn't done much. E

I've from Pennsylania originally and as I recall the deer herd is so large that more deer are hit by cars in Pennsy than are killed bu hunters in most other states. Hunting is good in Pennsy but the "trophy" potential is small because of so many hunters.

in texas, a simple hunting license (with deer tags) runs $19. i buy a "super combo" license (hunting/fishing license, with the special stamps - waterfowl, turkey, whitewing dove, archery, muzzleloader, freshwater trout, & saltwater fish) for $49. i also buy a "public lands permit" for an additional $40.

unlike many states, Texas has very little public land, so our state has implemented a "public lands" program where the state negotiates hunting access to private landholdings (like timber industry land) and the management rights to some national forest land.

my deer lease this year was $4500 for an ~1300 acre pasture . . . we divided this between my dad, my wife, myself, and a friend.

my license has 2 mule deer tags (1 either sex, 1 antlerless only), 5 whitetailed deer tags (3 either sex, 2 antlerless only), 4 turkey tags, and 1 red drum tag. pronghorn antelope tags are only available to landowners from the state (if i want to hunt pronghorn in Texas, i have to find a landowner willing to let me hunt one of his landowner tags - usually for about $1500 or so).

Texas has a tremendous number of deer, and we kill a lot each year - in the upper hundreds of thousands. see http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/ for numbers.

I live in Alabama and for a $16 license you can deer hunt from Oct. 15 to Jan. 31. In some parts of the state you can take 3 deer per day, 1 buck and 2 Does or 3 Does.

Finding a place to hunt is a little harder. I'm paying $1200 a year to lease hunting property. One lease I'm in is $400 per year, to hunt 3800ac with 29 other guys. The other lease, I run, is $800 per year to hunt 650ac with 3 other members. Last year my wife and I took 10 deer, and we gave away half the meat to people who needed it.

Actually the West Virginia bag limits for deer are higher than 7.

Bow ... 1 on original license, two more on RB tags. Of the three one must be a doe

Firearms ... 1 on main license, 1 on RG, three does on N stamps ... 5 total

Muzzleloader ... one on main license (can also take one on unused RG stamp)

Counts to 9 I believe.

Last year the freezer was full at 5, so I stopped hunting.

In my local area, there are so many deer that more are killed on the roads than are harvested by hunters. Several communities have organized bow hunts within their city limits to reduce the deer population some.

Alaska has something like 330,000 sq miles of public lands available to hunters (though some may only be available by drawing). Addition to that are approx 44 million acres of lands owned by Native Corporations, some of which are closed and some are open for a nominal fee.

Game animals available are Sitka Blacktail Deer, Dall Sheep, Mountain Goat, Caribou, Moose, Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, Brown Bear (coastal grizzly), Glacier Bear (Black bear), Elk, Bison, Musk Ox, Wolf, Wolverine, etc... Oh yeah, plenty of bird hunting and waterfowl and some small game.

Brown Bear, Grizzly Bear, Dall Sheep and Mountain Goat require a Professional Guide if you are not an Alaskan Resident or relative (1st removed) of an Alaskan resident. Different game management units have different bag limits and season lengths. Check Alaska's Dept of Fish and Game Website for more info. http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/wildlife/geninfo/regs/regshome.htm

A Virginia big game tag costs $12.50 (plus another $12.50 for the license itself) and lets you shoot 4 deer, 3 turkeys and a black bear.

Transplanted elk cross the border from Kentucky into SW Virginia, where they can be and are shot on a deer tag.

I live and hunt in North Dakota. I also travel out of state to Colorado where I hunt Mule Deer and Elk. I drew 3 doe tags here in North Dakota for the coming season and a Mule Deer and Bull Elk in Colorado. I had a lucky streak when it comes to Colorado. In Colorado, my buddies and I hunt public land. In the last few years the number of hunters on this land has decreased dramatically because the state put all game on a draw basis. Here in North Dakota, all private land is open to public hunting, unless the owner posts the land as closed. It's still good to get permission from the owner, but that's been hard to in recent years because many land owners no longer live in proximity to their land. I grew up in the area where I hunt here in North Dakota, so much of the land belongs to fiends and relatives. I've hunted North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and California. Land is plentiful and available, and cost are as reasonable or as expensive as a man wants to make them. Nobody is left out; if a man wants to hunt, there are places and tag available.

Deer tags in my home state of Indiana run $24 each, and I can shoot five deer with various weapons & seasons. Could also shoot a couple more if I applied and was drawn for some special hunts or did some urban zone hunting.

Although this state is mostly private ground, there are quite a number of good public areas for hunting. Probably one or more good public area(s) no more than an hour drive from anywhere in the state. It is also not all that difficult to gain access on private land.

In addition, I deer hunt Wyoming nearly every fall. This state as well as most other western states have literally millions of acres of public land that is open to all of us. You need to do your homework, figure out the rules, learn how their licensing programs works, etc.

Generally, there is ample opportunity for anyone willing to put forth a little effort.

In the eastern US, much of the game lives around agricultural land, privately owned. Living in North Carolina awhile back, I found that much of this land is posted and leased to hunting clubs. There is hunting on public land, but it's limited in comparison.

I mostly hunt western states when I can draw tags, much more public land available. Nontheless, anywhere in the west where there is water, there is private property, so the situation is not altogether foreign to an eastern hunter. It seems easier to get permission to hunt private property in the west, though.

Tom

Although I now live in Colorado I grew up hunting deer in Alabama and Georgia. When I first started hunting deer in Georgia it was 2 bucks and 1 does. The next year it was 2 bucks and 3 does. Now, I understand, it's a total of 12 deer (not sure of the breakdown).

I'm hunting elk/mule deer for the first time this year and it's cost me less than $100 for two elk tags (cow and bull) and a mule deer buck. I spent $60 on a non-resident doe antelope tag in Wyoming. For less than $150 total I hunt as a non-resident in three surrounding states for grouse, pheasant and quail. I spend 25 - 35 days hunting birds each year.

I live in Tennessee and purchase an all encompassing Sportsman's License for $100.00 each year. This covers all hunting and fishing fees except the Federal Duck Stamp. In addition to the normal quota of deer I can take twelve non-antlered. We are covered up with deer here in Tennessee. We will probably kill 250,000 deer in the state this year. You can tell your friend that the average American hunter is a deer hunter. I also think that those who can successfully hunt Whitetail bucks can hunt just about any animal out there.

I live in the midwest. In north missourri deer are plentiful but most of the land is private. I haven't had a whole lot of trouble aquiring permission on some great hunting land. Out of state tags are under 200 I think. But I'm writing to let a few of you guys in a something I've kept to myself for some time. I wanted to go west to hunt other species, antelope, mule deer and elk, I can't afford an expensive outfitter but I took a chance and called conservation agents in areas that wen't to far for me to drive and have gotten some really great tips even name of land owners that will let you hunt if you drop the name of the agent who refered you. Just an idea for those of you who like to hunt but have no where to go.

I use to live in Connecticut, but as of a week ago alaska, In CT you could if you took avantage of all the seasons, shoot 8 deer, 2 turkeys, and 40 squirrels, not counting grouse, ducks geese etc. hunting lic will set you back 20 bucks, tags for deer and turkeys 10 bucks. free if you own 10 acre's of land or better, I have 90 so it was never much of a problem. Plenty of deer in CT over 50000 head. I think I will like hunting In Alaska better. In America you can spend as much or as little as you want on hunting. Now fishing, thats a give away.

Wow..! Lot of replies. I was off for few days.

Thanks to all Ladies and Gentlemen who replied.

Yours is a great country. Lots of oppurtunities and enormous wildlife in number and variety. You people are fortunate.

It is very pleasing to hear that you can hunt that much by spending quite low amounts. Especially when we look at our ever devastating state of wildlife and habitats.

With such large number of deer herds and a good percentage harvested and killed by car accidents, I cant understand how & why these PETA guys are making fools of themselves and other people.

Thanks again.

Saad

Saad,

They are fanatics. As with all fanatics, logic or rational thought has nothing to do with it.

Like tcencore260 said, our general hunting license in Texas is $19. We harvest over 400,000 whitetail deer each season. With that license we may hunt whitetail deer, mule deer, axis deer, fallow deer, blackbuck antelope, pronghorn antelope(with landowner tag), Aoudad(Barbary Sheep), javelina, wild boar, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, red fox, grey fox, ring tailed cats, racoon, badgers, squirrels, rabbits, and prairie dogs. All of these are free-ranging in Texas(not behind high fences). You may hunt Public Lands, but usually need to get landowner permission in the form of a day, season, or annual hunting lease ranging from a few hundred dollars to many thousand dollars, or use an outfitter.

Good Hunting,

Bob