Counties
112 results
- Counties · Harvest historyUnion led Louisiana's 2024-25 reported deer harvestLDWF prints only a top 20 of reported deer. Statewide reported harvest rose from 88,256 in 2020-21 to 143,527 in 2024-25. The 2024-25 hunter survey is a separate 239,000.
- Counties · Harvest historyWMU 9H led the 2025 deer harvest and WMU 8R led densityDEC calculated 8,177 deer in WMU 9H and 17.1 deer per square mile in WMU 8R. Both are 2025 estimates from reports and checks, not a raw count or your odds.
- Counties · Harvest historyCedar Creek led 2025-26 WMA check-ins with 795 deerCedar Creek WMA had 795 of the 2025-26 WMA check-in deer. Hunter totals are hunt-row counts, and the success percent is deer divided by hunters on one hunt.
- Counties · Harvest historyZone 4B led Connecticut's 2025 deer harvest per square milePrivate-land shotgun and rifle success was 46% in zone 4B, with 1.7 deer per square mile. Zone 5 had the largest harvest in that season at 584 deer.
- Counties · Harvest historyCamp Blanding led 2025-2026 WMA deer checksFWC check-station and sign-out rows put Camp Blanding at 193 recorded deer in 2025-2026. The rank is a station count, not a herd score or a personal odds sheet.
- Counties · Population trendsFewer winter hens drove Iowa's 17 percent pheasant dropIowa's August routes fell to 22.6 birds while brood sizes held steady, which points at winter hen loss. Compare hens with brood size before you pick a region, and know South Dakota quit its brood count in 2020.
- Counties · Population trendsIn audit simulations a changed buck harvest rate flipped the deer trendWisconsin and Pennsylvania expand the buck kill into a herd figure using harvest rates and sex and fawn ratios. Pennsylvania says its output tracks trend and was never meant as a headcount.
- Counties · Population trendsRemoving one doe group held deer down 5 years in an unhunted herdA 1991 model said removing a doe family could hold deer down for as many as 10 to 15 years. The one field test we found saw 5 years in an unhunted Adirondack herd and work on young hunted herds suggests faster refill.
- Counties · Population trendsNorthern grouse still cycle while Pennsylvania stays 25 percent downMinnesota and Wisconsin drumming still rises and falls about every 10 years. Pennsylvania flush rates since West Nile virus spread statewide in 2002 average 25 percent below the years before it.
- Counties · Harvest historyMaine Bear Hunting Methods: What the 2025 Harvest Report ShowsChoosing among bear hunting methods using reported harvest and guide shares.
- Counties · Harvest historyPennsylvania Bear Hunting in 2024: How the Harvest Split Across SeasonsComparing season segments, opening-day harvest and Wildlife Management Units.
- Counties · Harvest historyIdaho Bear Harvest in 2024: Spring, Fall and Method by UnitComparing spring and fall bear harvest in named general-hunt units.
- Counties · Harvest historyWisconsin Bear Hunting: What the 2025 Zone Results ShowComparing state-authorized harvest across six bear zones, with separate totals for other harvest categories.
- Counties · RankingsMichigan Deer Counties Ranked: Arenac and Hillsdale Lead the FDR IndexArenac and Hillsdale share a displayed score of 65.9. Clinton leads Michigan's separate Trophy Index. Search every county and see why those rankings disagree.65.9shared top score, provisional FDR Index
- Counties · RankingsIndiana Deer Counties Ranked: Ohio, Putnam and Franklin Take the LeadOhio County leads the provisional FDR Index at 78.7. Steuben led the 2024 reported harvest. Find your county and compare the different leaders.78.7Ohio County, provisional FDR Index
- Counties · RankingsWisconsin Deer Counties Ranked: Adams Leads, Buffalo Is Forty-FifthAdams leads the provisional FDR Index at 72.4. Buffalo scores 99 on the separate Trophy Index but ranks forty-fifth in the composite. Compare all 72 counties.72.4Adams County, provisional FDR Index
- Counties · RankingsMinnesota Deer Counties Ranked: Four Counties Score 100, Houston Follows at 97Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka and Washington lead the Trophy Index. Houston, Wabasha and Winona also place high. Find your county in the full Minnesota ranking.100four counties share the top Trophy Index score
- Counties · RankingsOhio Deer Counties Ranked: Jefferson Leads the FDR IndexJefferson scores 87.3, ahead of Belmont and Hocking. Coshocton leads the official 2025-26 harvest instead. Search all 88 counties and compare the evidence.87.3Jefferson County, provisional FDR Index
- Counties · RankingsIowa Deer Counties Ranked: Appanoose Leads the Composite, Warren Leads the Trophy IndexAppanoose scores 71.8 and Louisa 71.5. Clayton led reported harvest, while Warren leads the Trophy Index. Compare the three views of Iowa deer country.71.8Appanoose County, provisional composite
- Counties · RankingsKansas Deer Counties Ranked: Wyandotte and Johnson Lead the Trophy IndexWyandotte scores 100, Johnson 96 and Riley 92. The county ranking highlights trophy concentration while leaving permits and property access as separate decisions.100Wyandotte County, Trophy Index
- Counties · RankingsMissouri Deer Counties Ranked: Henry Leads, Worth Stands OutHenry leads the provisional FDR Index at 69.4. Worth places fifth and carries a Trophy Index of 87. Search every Missouri county and St. Louis city.69.4Henry County, provisional FDR Index
- Counties · RankingsKentucky Deer Counties Ranked: Kenton Leads the Trophy IndexKenton leads at 99, but 36 Kentucky counties score at least 90. See the full Trophy Index ranking and how it differs from the harvest-density report.99Kenton County, Trophy Index
- Counties · RankingsOklahoma Deer Counties Ranked: Osage Leads Total Harvest, Pittsburg Leads ArcheryOsage led private-land deer harvest at 5,062 in 2025-26. Pittsburg led the private-land archery count at 1,364. Search all 77 counties with public harvest kept separate.5,062Osage private-land deer harvest, 2025 to 2026
- Counties · RankingsTexas Deer Counties Ranked: Collin Leads the Trophy IndexCollin, Tarrant and Grayson lead this acreage-adjusted comparison. Maverick and Kleberg also place near the top. Search all 254 counties and see what the score measures.
- Counties · RankingsNorth Carolina Deer Counties Ranked: Randolph Leads the 2025-26 HarvestRandolph led total deer harvest at 5,349. Watauga ranked forty-second by total but first in the printed antlered-buck rate. See both columns for all 100 counties.5,349Randolph County total deer harvest
- Counties · RankingsSouth Carolina Deer Counties Ranked: Orangeburg Leads, Anderson Has the Higher RateOrangeburg led the 2024 adjusted county harvest estimate at 10,976. Anderson led harvest per square mile of deer habitat at 22.7. Compare all 46 counties.10,976Orangeburg adjusted harvest estimate, 2024
- Counties · RankingsPennsylvania Deer Counties Ranked: Allegheny Leads, Potter Ranks Fifty-SeventhAllegheny scores 100 on the Trophy Index. Beaver and Delaware follow at 98, while Potter scores 50. Search every county and compare the full range.100Allegheny County, Trophy Index
- Counties · County pagesIllinois county pagesOne page per Illinois county with its harvest history and the FDR Index.102County pages
- Counties · County pagesMissouri county pagesOne page per Missouri county with its harvest history and the FDR Index.114County pages
- Counties · County pagesWisconsin county pagesPages for the Wisconsin counties Fully Drawn Research ranks, with harvest history and the FDR Index.61County pages
- Counties · County pagesOhio county pagesOne page per Ohio county with the provisional FDR Deer Herd Index.88County pages
- 99County pages
- Counties · County pagesIndiana county pagesOne page per Indiana county with the provisional FDR Index.92County pages
- Counties · County pagesMichigan county pagesOne page per Michigan county with the provisional FDR Index.83County pages
- Counties · Public land and accessIllinois public landPublic hunting land in Illinois, with a page for each tract.
- Counties · RankingsHow the FDR Index scores a countyThe index Fully Drawn Research uses to score counties, and what goes into it.
- Counties · Harvest historyMinnesota's 2025 Archery Deer Harvest Was 50.2% Crossbow; Kentucky Reported 46.3%For 2025, Minnesota's deer registrations totaled 14,939 taken by crossbow versus 14,838 by vertical bow. Crossbow shares in the preceding seasons were 43.8% and 48.2%. Kentucky has stayed around 46% beginning in 2021. A two-year assessment by the Minnesota DNR detected no herd impact to date.50.2%of Minnesota's 2025 archery deer were taken with crossbows
- Counties · Public land and accessNovember Buck Ranges in Pennsylvania Average Almost 1,920 Acres; Public Hunting Units Across Four States Mostly Fall Below 640For collared bucks occupying broad stretches of forest, Penn State reports a September average of nearly 400 acres and a November average of nearly 1,920. Median public hunting units measure 83 to 168 acres across Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio.1,920acres, the average November buck range in Pennsylvania
- Counties · Harvest historyButton Bucks for Each 100 Does: A Rough Harvest Clue to Fawn ProductionThe Iowa harvest reported by hunters yielded 16.6 button bucks for each 100 does in 2024, below the 20.7 average for 2007 to 2016. Learn to calculate your county's ratio and judge the role of chance.16.4button bucks per 100 does in Iowa, 2022 to 2024, down from 20.7
- Counties · Public land and accessWalk-In Properties: Acreage, Hunting Rules, and Parking ChoicesAcross four state layers, walk-in properties have median sizes of 104 to 195 acres. Many restrict hunting to turkeys or small game. Among the three states with measurable parking distances, most mapped lots lie farther than 400 meters from the property.28.4%of Kansas walk-in tract records list exactly 160 acres
- Counties · Public land and accessState Walk-In Access or a Paid Lease? Where Owner Liability ChangesFederal grants fund some state walk-in programs, while hunters pay for private leases. Four state laws handle those payments differently; Kansas accounts for 94.6% of the walk-in acreage mapped across four states.$2,000recreational-use receipts that trigger Wisconsin's payment test
- Counties · Public land and accessDo Montana Elk Escape onto Private Land? The Answer Differs Between Two HerdsFor both herds, the fraction of archery-season fixes on closed land exceeded that land's fraction of the range. Still, public hunters could access the ground containing most fixes in three of four herd-seasons. The clearest differences between the two herds concern how much ground was closed and where it lay.32%of archery-season elk fixes were on closed land covering 3% of the range
- Counties · Population trendsDeer Ages from Teeth: Agreement, Accuracy and Missed YearsSouthern Texas trials with deer of documented age gave adult jawbone estimates 43 to 51% exact-year accuracy. Among 1,292 Iowa bucks, jawbone and cementum estimates matched the yearling-or-adult category roughly 90% of the time.90%match between jawbone and cementum yearling or adult calls, Iowa bucks
- Counties · Harvest historyIs the Deer Decline Real? A Seven-State County LookTwo states saw steep harvest drops, two changed little, and a third gained. “The deer decline” can mislead: harvest can reflect herd size, antlerless permit rules, weather or disease shocks.−32.8%Iowa reported harvest, 2006 to 2024
- Counties · Harvest historyIowa, County by County: Two Decades of the Most Coveted DrawNon-residents prize Iowa for its limited draw and big-buck reputation. Yet reported harvest dropped 32.8% between 2006, Iowa DNR's earliest comparable year, and 2024. The county map shows nearly universal but sharply unequal declines.−32.8%Iowa reported harvest, 2006 to 2024
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Buck-to-Doe Fingerprint: Reading Management Intent from the HarvestA state's antlered/antlerless harvest ratio tracks shifts in the kill over its own history. It alone cannot prove intentional herd reduction. Interpretation stays within that state; comparisons across state borders are invalid.0.60Iowa buck-to-doe harvest ratio in 2005, down from 1.10 in 2001
- Counties · Harvest historyBuying Deer Ground: An Independent Read on County QualityLand ads use trophy prospects to support their asking price per acre. Buyers can test the pitch against an independent source of evidence: county harvest and trophy-tier data from FDR.#68Will County's approximate rank on the FDR Index, despite its big-buck reputation
- Counties · Public land and accessHow Crowded Is That Public Land? The Variable Nobody MapsMap apps mark public ground but seldom list annual hunter-trips. Of twelve states we track, we found site-level trip totals only in Illinois: use runs from packed lots to near solitude, and some of the quietest tracts still yield deer.13×gap in use per acre between the busiest and quietest Illinois public sites
- Counties · Harvest historySpring 2026 Turkey Harvest Rose in All Seven Southeast States We TrackEach of the seven states we track reported an increase in spring turkey harvest. Their combined count climbed from 136,121 birds in 2025 to 158,927 in 2026, a gain of 16.8%. Kentucky, North Carolina and Arkansas each recorded their largest total for the years covered by our data.158,927spring turkey reports across seven Southeast states in 2026
- Counties · RankingsThe Best Spring Turkey Counties in Kentucky, 2000 to 2026Spring turkey reports for 2026 put Graves County ahead (778), followed by Muhlenberg (746) and Breckinridge (662). Kentucky's harvest of 36,448 rose 18.9%, barely passing the 2010 total of 36,097.778birds reported in Graves County in 2026, the most in Kentucky
- Counties · Harvest historyOklahoma's Fall Turkey Estimate Is Down 76.8% Since 1986Oklahoma hunter surveys estimate 2,490 fall turkeys for 2024, a 76.8% decrease from 10,755 for 1986. Spring harvest is down 76.5% since its 2006 high. Most of fall's decline had happened by 1988.−76.8%Oklahoma fall turkey estimate since 1986
- Counties · Harvest historyForest, Not Corn: Deer Harvest per Square Mile in Five Midwest StatesDuring 2020 to 2024, Iowa's top county quarter by forest share had 7.0x the deer registrations for each square mile of its bottom quarter. Wisconsin's gap was 1.3x: a strong forest-share filter in Iowa, a weak one in Wisconsin.7.0×Iowa harvest density, most-forested quarter of counties against least
- Counties · RankingsThe County That Kills the Most Deer Isn't Always Top per Square MileClayton topped Iowa's county harvest for 24 straight seasons, spanning 2001 to 2024. Its per-square-mile rank is 3 among 99 counties. Marathon topped Wisconsin in 21 out of 66 seasons; its per-square-mile rank is 26 among 60.5.28registered deer per square mile in Van Buren County, the Iowa leader
- Counties · Harvest historyOhio's Bow Counties: Where Archery Takes Most of the DeerDuring 2024, 95.4% of Cuyahoga County's registered deer were taken with crossbow or longbow, compared with 23.6% in Wyandot. Ohio's statewide share was 45.8%; 26 counties out of 88 exceeded half.95.4%of Cuyahoga County's 2024 deer came by archery
- Counties · Harvest historyMinnesota's 2025 Gun Season: 44.9% of Firearm Deer Came in Two DaysMinnesota's 146,341 firearm deer registrations for 2025 list Nov. 8 or 9 as the kill date for 44.9%. Permit-area adult-male shares range between 41.2% and 86.2% of registered deer, describing harvest rather than herd sex ratios.44.9%of Minnesota's 2025 firearm deer came in two days
- Counties · Harvest historyMontana Elk Harvest Is Up 17.2% While Mule Deer Harvest Is Down 43.4%Statewide Montana estimates put elk harvest 17.2% higher and mule deer harvest 43.4% lower from 2004 to 2025. Per elk taken, hunters killed 2.79 mule deer in 2004 versus 1.35 in 2025.+17.2%Montana elk harvest, 2004 to 2025
- Counties · RankingsDuck Country and Goose Country Are Different MapsOnly 5 states place in both the duck top 10 and goose top 10. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey estimates put Maryland at duck rank 31st and goose rank 4th. Choose the bird before choosing the state.5 statesshare a top 10 spot on both the duck and goose lists
- Counties · RankingsBest Spring Turkey Counties in Tennessee: Maury Leads by a Wide MarginIn 2026, Maury County's reported spring turkey tally was 1,441, about 1.7 times runner-up Hickman's. Tennessee's reported harvest rose from 29,060 in 2025 to 35,061, still below the 40,129 recorded in 2020.1,441birds reported in Maury County in 2026, the state's top
- Counties · RankingsBest Spring Turkey Counties in North Carolina After 50 Years of ReportsWith 853 reported turkeys, Duplin County topped North Carolina's spring 2026 harvest. The statewide count reached 25,034 from 144 in 1977, setting the high across 50 springs.25,034North Carolina spring turkey reports in 2026, a 50 season peak
- Counties · RankingsBest Spring Turkey Counties in Georgia: 159 Counties, No Runaway LeaderWith 372 spring turkeys reported in 2026, Floyd County topped Georgia. The ten leaders account for just 19.6% of 12,629 statewide; 2026 remains below the 14,716 reported in 2020.19.6%of Georgia's reported birds came from the ten leading counties
- Counties · RankingsBest Spring Turkey Counties in Virginia: Southampton and Bedford Nearly TieSouthampton County logged 679 spring turkeys in 2026, topping Bedford County by 16 (663). Virginia hunters reported 24,103 birds, a 17.2% increase that left the total 344 below the 2023 peak of 24,447.679birds reported in Southampton County in 2026, the state's top
- Counties · RankingsThe Best Turkey Counties in Missouri: Franklin Led All 10 SpringsAcross Missouri, Franklin County topped the reported turkey harvest for each regular spring season of 2016 to 2025, totaling 8,728 birds. Seven counties appear in both the regular and youth top tens.8,728birds reported in Franklin County across ten springs, the most
- Counties · RankingsBest Deer Counties in Ohio: Coshocton Leads Per Square Mile at 13.20Coshocton County led Ohio with a seasonal average of 13.20 registered deer per square mile during 2020 to 2024, a rate 13.1 times Fayette's, the state's lowest. No season changed which eight counties led.13.20registered deer per square mile in Coshocton County, the Ohio leader
- Counties · RankingsIowa's Best Deer Counties per Square Mile: Van Buren by a HairFor 2020 to 2024, Iowa’s highest county registration rate was Van Buren County’s 5.28 deer per square mile. Next came Allamakee at 5.22, then Clayton at 5.21. The county median was 1.65; Calhoun placed last with 0.24.5.28registered deer per square mile in Van Buren County, the Iowa leader
- Counties · RankingsMichigan's Deer-Crash Hotspots: Eight Counties Never Left the Top QuarterFrom 1997 to 2024, Huron, Sanilac, Alcona and five additional counties placed among the highest quarter for deer collisions relative to miles driven each year, even as the median county rate dropped 33.0%.3,393.7crashes per billion vehicle miles in Huron County, 2024
- Counties · RankingsLaramie Peak Led Wyoming's 2025 Elk Bull Harvest With an Estimated 783Among Wyoming's 103 hunt areas, Laramie Peak (area 7) led the 2025 bull harvest at an estimated 783. Six kept top-10 ranks annually, 2021 to 2025, including the Non-herd unit, the state's catch-all.783estimated bull elk taken in Laramie Peak in 2025, the top area
- Counties · Harvest historySix Wyoming Mule Deer Areas Have Stayed in the Buck Harvest Top 10 Since 2021An estimated 651 mule deer bucks put Southeast Wyoming (area 15) first in 2025. Six of 126 areas held top 10 ranks each season from 2021 to 2025. Totals reflect deer, hunter counts and licenses.651estimated bucks taken in Wyoming area 15 in 2025, the top area
- Counties · RankingsBest Spring Turkey Counties in Arkansas: Sharp Led 2026, Fulton Finished First Most OftenArkansas's leading county in 2026 was Sharp County, where hunters checked 511 spring birds. The state logged 13,646, its largest count since 2013. Fulton County won most often: 5 times across 14 seasons.13,646Arkansas spring turkey reports in 2026, up 19.7% on 2025
- Counties · Harvest historyWest Virginia's Best Spring Turkey Counties: Mason Has Led 8 of 11 YearsIn 2026, Mason County again topped West Virginia with 523 spring turkey checks, leading in 8 out of 11 seasons. The statewide 12,006 is a 12.3% rise, still 281 shy of 2018's 12,287.8 of 11seasons Mason County finished first in West Virginia
- Counties · RankingsMichigan's Best Spring Turkey Counties: Saginaw in 2024, Allegan Over TimeMichigan's spring turkey survey put Saginaw County on top in 2024 with 1,297 birds. Allegan County led in 8 out of 23 seasons; survey margins cannot distinguish the pair.1,297estimated spring turkey take in Saginaw County in 2024
- Counties · Harvest historyIowa Turkey Counties: Spring and Fall Are Two Different HuntsIowa's reported turkey harvest declined 69.4% in fall from 2007 to 2025 and increased 33.2% in spring. Clayton County tops each season, with six counties shared by the top-ten lists.−69.4%Iowa fall turkey take, 2007 to 2025
- Counties · RankingsBest Missouri Deer Counties per Square Mile: Jefferson Leads at 7.91With 7.91 deer registered per square mile as its seasonal average for 2021-22 to 2025-26, Jefferson County led Missouri's 114 counties. Eight of the ten highest counties are 100 miles or less from St. Louis.7.91registered deer per square mile in Jefferson County, the Missouri leader
- Counties · Harvest historyIowa's Deer Harvest Is Two Series, and the 2005 Peak Can't Be ComparedIowa DNR warns that estimates through 2005 cannot be compared with later harvest. Reported totals begin in 2006: a 32.3% decline to 101,919 by 2025, with harvest staying within 99,414 to 109,600 from 2013 onward.−32.3%Iowa reported harvest, 2006 to 2025
- Counties · RankingsBest Duck Hunting States by Ducks per Hunter: California Leads at 27Hunters in California take an average of 27 ducks each season, compared with 25 in Louisiana and 22 in Arkansas. Louisiana leads the states in duck hunter count at 73,800. Texas and Minnesota both have large numbers of hunters, with seasonal averages of 16 and 9 ducks per hunter, respectively.27ducks per hunter in California, the highest of 49 states
- Counties · Public land and accessKansas Walk-In Hunting Land, 2026-27: 952,641 Acres, Densest in Wallace CountyKDWP's 2026-27 map lists 952,641 walk-in acres across 3,554 tracts, covering 98 of 105 counties. Wallace County leads by enrolled land share (7.53%); 22.3% of the acreage has a window beginning November 1.952,641walk-in acres in Kansas for 2026 to 27
- Counties · RankingsEight Utah Elk Units Never Left the Top 10 for Bulls, 2015 to 2024Eight Utah elk units stayed among the top 10 for bulls harvested annually from 2015 to 2024. They supplied between 50.5% and 56.5% of Utah's yearly bull harvest. Manti (16B) has been first since 2021, with 1,030 bulls taken in 2024.EightUtah elk units stayed in the bull harvest top 10 every year, 2015 to 2024
- Counties · RankingsBest Kentucky Deer Counties per Square Mile: Spencer Leads at 9.69Across 2021-22 to 2025-26, Spencer County averaged 9.69 checked deer per land square mile each season, leading Kentucky's 120 counties. Fourteen counties in KDFWR's Bluegrass region make the top 20.9.69checked deer per square mile in Spencer County, the Kentucky leader
- Counties · Harvest historyKentucky's Deer Harvest, 1999 to 2025: Up 52.8% to 145,483The 2025 Kentucky deer season produced 145,483 check-ins, compared with 95,227 in 1999, a 52.8% increase. Southeast harvest exceeded twice its earlier total (+111.4%); Northeast harvest rose 6.2%.+52.8%Kentucky deer check-ins, 1999 to 2025
- Counties · Harvest historyKentucky's Crossbow Deer Harvest Reached 14,363 in 2025, 9.9% of the TotalNo crossbow deer were recorded before 2004; the 2025 season total reached 14,363. The longer season first applied in 2019, when 9,783 roughly doubled the 2018 count of 4,705.14,363crossbow deer checked in Kentucky in 2025
- Counties · RankingsThe Illinois Whitetail County ReportEach of the 102 counties receives an A to E tier using two decades of harvest data, herd-condition measures, and trophy signal. Edgar holds the top spot statewide. Western counties along the rivers no longer command the lead their reputation implies.A to Ea tier for every Illinois county
- Counties · Harvest historyTwenty Years of Illinois HarvestThe statewide deer take dropped 15% after its 2005 high, bottomed out sharply in 2013 and regained some ground as chronic wasting disease reached 28 counties.−15%Illinois harvest, 2005 to 2024
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Rise and Fall of the Golden TriangleThe Triangle earned its reputation for mature bucks rather than high deer numbers. Since 2005, Pike's total harvest has dropped 48%, while its mature-buck harvest has declined 39%. Bucks 2.5 years and older still represent 77% of its buck harvest. Adams has fared better, with mature-buck harvest down only 6%.−48%Pike County total harvest since 2005
- Counties · RankingsBig-Buck Geography: Does Trophy Production Follow the Rivers?Illinois's largest bucks are said to favor the Mississippi and Illinois bottoms. County Trophy Index comparisons reject that belief: within 20 miles, counties average 49.9; beyond 50 miles, they average 50.4.49.9mean Trophy Index near the big rivers, 50.4 beyond 50 miles
- Counties · Public land and accessPublic vs. Private: Where Illinois Deer Are Actually KilledAcross the country, private land supplies 88% of harvested whitetails. Illinois's reporting public areas yield about 3% (2024: 5,248 deer out of 171,320), leaving about 97% elsewhere. Which tracts lead in deer killed per acre?3.1%of the 2024 Illinois harvest came from reporting public grounds
- Counties · RankingsThe Quiet Champion: Why Indiana Punches Above Its SizeSince 2016, Indiana has topped the country for trophy-buck records by square mile, despite being a fraction as large as its famous neighbors. Its one-buck limit can let bucks live longer, when they can produce bigger antlers.Since 2016Indiana leads in trophy-buck records per square mile
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Whiplash Season: Why Missouri's Harvest SwingsMissouri reached its highest recorded harvest in 2023 to 24, dropped 15% a year later, then recovered. Acorn crops, weather and season dates help explain shifts in the harvest total.326,026Missouri's all-time harvest high, 2023 to 24
- Counties · RankingsOhio: The Open GiantOhio delivers Kansas-quality bucks without Kansas's access hurdles: a single-buck limit, generous doe harvest, and mostly over-the-counter tags. Only the southeast's 2025 EHD outbreak marred that otherwise easy access.One buckantlered deer limit, with tags mostly sold over the counter
- Counties · Public land and accessNebraska: Buy the Corridor, Not the StateNebraska sells over-the-counter permits to non-residents, with deer quality centered along the state's river corridors. Whitetail harvest is falling, and mule deer are dropping faster than the state anticipated. Hunters still have open access as deer populations shrink.10,000cap on non-resident either-sex and buck-only permits
- Counties · Harvest historyIllinois Has Two Deer Seasons: The Archery MapIn twenty years, bows rose from 35% to 47% of Illinois's harvest. The state average masks a sharp split: archery dominates the metro northeast, varying by county; firearms lead rural southern and western counties. Methods map land and law.47%of the 2024 Illinois harvest taken by bow, up from about 35% in 2005
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Two-Tier Map: Why Half of America's Deer Data Isn't County DataSeven states track the kill location by county for every deer. Five provide harvest detail at the management unit level or coarser: four through mailed surveys and Minnesota through permit-area registration. County totals for those five are made up rather than drawn from source data.Sevenstates record harvest by county
- Counties · Harvest historyWatching the Rut Happen: 132 Weekly Reports from OhioRequired deer check-ins during Ohio's hunting season yield a statewide weekly harvest pattern that builds through the November rut and jumps during gun week.132weekly Ohio harvest bulletins across seven seasons
- Counties · Harvest historyThe 2012 Fingerprint: How One Disease Summer Still Shows in the HarvestA severe hemorrhagic-disease outbreak in 2012 left a one-season dip in Midwest harvest, followed by a lower, steady level. The baseline shifted downward without starting a continuing decline.−17.4%Illinois harvest, 2012 to 2013
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Missing Counties: What Wisconsin's County Harvest Tool Leaves OutWisconsin DNR's county tool omits eleven Northern Forest counties. Its 2025 note says changed borders leave no history for new units. State totals retain their harvest; archived tables yielded their county series for 1939 to 2013.61of Wisconsin's 72 counties appear in the state harvest tool
- Counties · Harvest historyTwo Numbers, One Herd: Michigan's Reporting GapMichigan counts harvested deer through mandatory registration and estimates the harvest through a hunter survey. During the years with results from both, registration counts were 12.4% to 22.5% lower than the DNR's statewide survey estimate. Across our work, we treat these measurements separately.22.5%Michigan registered harvest below the survey estimate, 2023
- Counties · Public land and accessPublic Ground, Real Numbers: Most Listed Properties Carry No Deer FigureHunters often think herd data for public land is absent. The layer lists 4,867 properties managed by states or federal agencies; only 874 (18%) have effort, harvest or herd data. Deer figures are mostly harvest counts; density is rarest.874of 4,867 named public properties carry a deer figure
- Counties · RankingsThe Trophy-Count Trap: Why You Can't Rank States by Record-Book NumbersTrophy totals accumulated over the years reflect a state's efforts to get hunters to report more than its production of big deer. The sound use is to rank places within a state, never to compare state totals on a leaderboard.
- Counties · Harvest historyKansas Without a County: Hunting a Survey StateKansas offers a dream hunt for non-residents, but its data stands apart. A hunter survey after the season estimates harvest by unit, leaving no county-of-kill count. That limit determines how to read the state.40,000permit holders sampled each year for Kansas harvest estimates
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Perishable Record: The Deer Data That DisappearsMinnesota replaces its current-season, individual-deer registration snapshot each year; North Dakota’s files for earlier years return errors; Wisconsin removed eleven counties. The fullest deer data has a limited life: save it before it disappears or lose it.186,333registered deer in Minnesota's latest season
- Counties · Harvest historyWhen Harvests Bounce Back: What Two Decades of Harvest Records Say About RecoveryAfter summer disease or severe winter weather, how did harvest respond? Recovery timing and levels varied: Illinois regained its 2011 total by 2024; by 2020, Michigan had too, then slipped. Iowa held lower. A review of past harvests.+21.6%Illinois harvest gain from the 2013 low to 2024
- Counties · RankingsWhere the Giants Live: One Honest Trophy Ranking, and Why Only OneRaw trophy listings put Pike, Fulton and Will atop Illinois. A complete index with duplicate records removed across sources puts Edgar first and Will in the sixties. That difference explains why we rank trophy quality for just one state.80.5Edgar County, the top index score in Illinois
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Data Hunter's Field Guide: Reading Government Deer Numbers Without Getting FooledFive traps in official deer statistics: a headline that hides a partial count, a season with the wrong label, a goal presented as a measured result, a crash map and a made-up county. Each comes with a checked example and a clue that exposes the problem.20,877North Dakota gun-season deer in 2025, often quoted as the whole harvest
- Counties · Harvest historyWisconsin's 87-Season Arc: The Rise and Fall of a Deer EmpireOur longest unbroken county harvest series, Wisconsin 1939 to 2025, covers a full cycle: postwar scarcity, a managed midcentury surge, the 615,293 high in 2000, and a 43.9% drop during intentional herd cuts and the CWD era.−43.9%Wisconsin harvest, 2000 to 2025
- Counties · RankingsThe Two Iowas: Where the Deer Are TakenIowa's nonresident reputation spans the state, but reported harvest varies widely. Driftless northeastern woods and rivers post higher totals than the heavily row-cropped northwest; largest to smallest county counts differ by ~66×.66×Iowa's top county harvest against its lowest, 2024
- Counties · Harvest historyThe Best Deer Data in America Is on a Military BaseDepartment of Defense installations hold controlled hunts that require check-in and publish deer data for individual properties at the country's finest reporting resolution, reaching the level of a single hunt day.1,254hunters in the field at Camp Ripley on October 31, 2020
- Counties · Public land and accessHow Many Acres Share Each Parking Lot on Illinois Public Turkey GroundWe assume hunters gather near parking. To find where parking is sparse, we used maps from IDNR and USFWS to tally symbols for four big Illinois public tracts, then ranked them by acreage for each symbol.56parking symbols on agency maps at Ten Mile Creek
- Counties · Harvest historyWhy Deer-Crash Maps LieDeer collision totals are pitched as maps of deer density, but they map traffic. Counts alone lack a travel denominator; vehicle-mile rates account for the amount of driving.0.306correlation of Iowa county harvest with animal crashes
- Counties · Public land and accessHow to Check a Landowner Name Before You KnockWhere parcel records originate, how an app's owner name can fall two years behind, and how to confirm recorded ownership through a county-roll check in five minutes before seeking permission.30 to 300 feethow far rural parcel lines can miss the true boundary
- Counties · Public land and accessReading Public-Land Pressure: Effort, Not DistanceHunter GPS tracks show less use on difficult ground, even when distance from the road is not the only factor. Find overlooked pockets at home before you drive out by studying places to enter, terrain steepness, and how water moves, collects, and affects the ground.20 minutesto build a public-land pressure map at home
- Counties · Public land and accessThe Permission Playbook: Asking Like the Hunters Who Get a YesBuilt from reports by high-performing hunters: parcel packets, letters, tracing LLC and trust owners, matching requests to crop timing, and guarding against lease fraud.30%reply rate one hunter reports from a mailed parcel packet
- Counties · Harvest historyTwo Missouris: The Cropland North and the Acorn-Driven OzarksMissouri's deer harvest tells two different stories. Northern farming counties reliably produce good harvests; results in the wooded Ozarks vary widely with the acorn crop. A strong harvest in the north can come in the very same fall as a poor one in the south.9 of 11seasons Franklin County led Missouri's county harvest rankings, 2015 to 2025
- Counties · Harvest historyOne State, Two Herds: The UP Winter Machine vs. the Ag BeltMichigan's Upper Peninsula deer herd rises and crashes according to how harsh winter gets; the southern Lower Peninsula is a steady agricultural region. A mild winter helped drive a 15 to 21% rise in UP buck harvest in 2024, while southern buck harvest stayed level. That single season captures the regional split.+15 to 21%rise in Upper Peninsula buck harvest in 2024
- Counties · Population trendsDeer-Vehicle Collisions as a Herd-Abundance SignalAcross thirty-six years, 3,672 observations each describe a single county for a single year. Adjusting crashes to a rate for each billion miles vehicles travel gives a free stand-in for deer abundance.1,759collision density in Schuyler County, the highest