State rankings

Whitetail Hunting by State

Wisconsin ranks 1st on Hunting Rank, followed by Illinois (2nd) and Iowa (3rd); rank 1 is the best. Texas ranks last (11th).

Sports11 states · 2 metricsUpdated Apr 6, 2023Original page
1 source
Hunting RankBetter directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →
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Hunting Rank

Green is better, red is worse (rank 1 is the best). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 11 ranked

Best first; rank 1 is the best and has the longest bar.

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

11 states · # = rank by Hunting Rank
#
1Wisconsin1stWisconsin is the #1 ranked state with 1,822 total entries and six counties in the top 20 U.S. counties with the most records produced.
2Illinois2ndIllinois is the #2 state overall with 1,445 total entries and has four counties in the top 20 U.S. counties
3Iowa3rdIowa continues to rank #3 for Boone and Crockett Club trophy whitetail with 1,330 total entries.
4Minnesota4thMinnesota comes in #4 in the overall state rankings with 1,194 total entries and four counties in the top 20 U.S. counties
5Ohio5thOhio moved up in rank to #5 with 1,049 total entries
6Kentucky6th#6 position is Kentucky with 1,048 total entries
7Missouri7thMissouri ranks #7 overall with 896 total entries and two of the state’s best whitetail bucks were honored in 2019 as part of the 30th Big Game Awards in Springfield.
8Kansas8thKansas moved up in rank to #8 with 867 total entries and Gerald E. Rightmyer’s 2006 non-typical buck from Morris County was part of the 21st Century Whitetails section.
9Arkansas9thArkansas rounds out the top of the special state stats thanks to William L. Loyd’s 2018 typical buck from Lee County that scored 200-1/8 points and ranks #17 All-time and #1 in the state, pending review by the Judges Panel for the 31st Big Game Awards in 2022.
10Tennessee10thStephen L. Tucker’s 2016 buck from Sumner County helped to land Tennessee into the top state stats as a bonus state. Tucker’s non-typical buck scored 315-1/8 inches and is the new state record as well as #4 on the All-time list.
11Texas11thThe Texas counties of Maverick, Webb, La Salle, and Dimmit are four of the top six deer-hunting counties in the nation.

What correlates with Hunting Rank?

Pearson r against 1,975 other state metrics sharing at least 10 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that rank better on Hunting Rank tend to score higher on these

  1. % ShelteredHomeless Population by State
    r = −0.95 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  2. Favorite Season is SummerAll Four Seasons States
    r = −0.93 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  3. Average Snowfall 2006-2020Average Snowfall By State
    r = −0.89 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  4. Best States for Living with a Disability - Total ScoreDisability Benefits by State
    r = −0.88 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  5. Average Afternoon HumidityMost Humid States
    r = −0.88 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  6. Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages)
    r = −0.87 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that rank better on Hunting Rank tend to score lower on these

  1. % of Homeless Who Are UnshelteredHomeless Population by State
    r = +0.95 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  2. Energy BillUtility Rates by State
    r = +0.93 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  3. Outdoor Allergy Grass Pollen ScoreAllergy-Friendly States
    r = +0.89 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  4. Indoor Allergy Home Age ScoreAllergy-Friendly States
    r = +0.89 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  5. Average High TemperatureAverage Temperatures by State
    r = +0.87 · very strong · n = 11
    Plot
  6. Cost-Prohibited CareHealth Care Costs by State
    r = +0.87 · very strong · n = 10
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state ranks first on Hunting Rank?
Wisconsin ranks first on Hunting Rank, at 1st, followed by Illinois (2nd) and Iowa (3rd). Rank 1 is the best state.
Which state ranks last on Hunting Rank?
Texas ranks last of the 11 US states with data, at 11th.
Where does this whitetail hunting by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Boone and Crockett Club.