The average hunter today has much longer seasons and more weapon opportunities than he or she had in the past. To assess how hunters take advantage of these, for our 2024 Deer Report we surveyed state and provincial wildlife agencies to determine the percentage of the total deer harvest taken by weapon type. The 2024 report reflects data from the most recent deer hunting season for which data from all whitetail states was available, and that’s the 2022-23 season.
Nationally, muzzleloader hunters took 9% of the total deer harvest, archery hunters (bow and crossbow combined) took 25%, and firearm hunters (rifle and shotgun) took 66% of the total deer harvest in 2022. These percentages have changed very little across the last decade. Going back 20 years to 2002, archery harvest represented 15% of the national total, and by 2012 it had increased to 21%. It has increased only slightly since then.
Our 2024 Deer Report breaks down deer harvest by weapon type for all states providing data, including the three most recent seasons. Let’s look at regional and state leaders in archery deer harvest here. Remember, you can see the complete data by downloading a free PDF of our Deer Report.
Regional Archery Leader
Regionally, bow and crossbow hunters averaged the highest percentage of the deer harvest in the Northeast with 33%. The Midwest came in second at 27%, and the Southeast was third at 16%. Western states and Canada each harvested an average of 10% of deer with archery equipment.
Interestingly, muzzleloader hunters also averaged their highest percentage in the Northeast at 15%. Surprisingly, firearm hunters in the Northeast took just over half of the deer (51%). In the Southeast, firearms reign supreme as over three of four deer taken (77%) were with a rifle or shotgun. Muzzleloading (7%) and bow hunting (16%) paled in comparison to the firearm harvest. The Midwest harvest was 5% muzzleloader, 27% bow, and 68% firearms. In the West, muzzleloading was least popular at only 5% of the harvest, and a firearm harvest of 85% was by far the highest in the country. In Canada, the bow/crossbow harvest was 10% followed by muzzleloader at 12% and firearms at 77%.
Top Archery States
It’s important to note that season type, length and timing affect which hunting implements harvest the most deer in respective states. In some states, firearms seasons don’t open until after the peak of the rut, making early archery seasons more appealing. Longer firearms seasons in the Southeast are one reason firearms lead. There isn’t one Southeast state in the top-10 archery deer harvest states (Oklahoma came closest at No. 13).
Individually, New Jersey leads the U.S. in the percentage of total harvest taken by archers at 65%, and there isn’t really a close competitor for this achievement. Because New Jersey is one of the most urbanized states in the nation, firearms seasons are short and geographically limited, while in about two-thirds of the state, archery season is open continuously for five months. Also, New Jersey DEP Fish & Wildlife focuses outreach efforts in urban and suburban communities to increase archery hunting in areas that need deer management.
Here are the top 10 states in archery deer harvest from the 2022-23 hunting season:
What about states with the lowest percentage of archery deer harvest? Louisiana and Texas each had 9% archery harvest, South Carolina had 8%, and three western states – Idaho, Montana and Wyoming – were tied at 6%.
This list is based on the percentage of each state’s deer harvest taken by archery equipment. What about actual deer harvest? This is when the size of the state, hunter numbers and deer population change the ranking quite a bit. Though New Jersey leads with an impressive 65% archery harvest, that’s about 25,000 deer. Pennsylvania is top of the list in actual deer archery harvest with an estimated 148,000 deer taken with archery equipment.
Crossbow vs. Vertical Bow Deer Harvest
Many people want to know if crossbow harvest exceeds vertical bow harvest. The last time we took a look at crossbow use was in our 2020 report. We’ll be taking an updated look soon, but for now, here’s what our 2020 report found for the 2018-19 hunting season.
At the time, 29 out of 37 states (78%) east of the Rockies allowed crossbows in archery season. Of those, 25 separated crossbow from vertical bow harvest. In 11 of those states (44%) the crossbow harvest exceeded that of vertical bows. Interestingly, all states in the Southeast allowed crossbows, but vertical bow harvest still dominated. The Northeast was entirely different as nine states allowed them and crossbow harvest exceeded vertical bows in eight (89%). Nine Midwest states also allowed them, but crossbows exceeded vertical bow harvest in only three states (33%).
As we see it currently, the use of crossbows positively impacts deer management programs and helps recruit and retain more hunters, so we fully support it.
More hunters take advantage of bows, crossbows and muzzleloaders today, and that’s great for the future of hunting. More options to go afield help even “occasional” hunters stay engaged, and it greatly enhances the opportunities to mentor youth and new hunters. Expanded opportunities help retain aging hunters, and every hunter is critically important to our wildlife management system. Some of our Field to Fork hunter recruitment events would not be possible without the use of crossbows, and they serve as a relatively easy and reliable entry point for new hunters.
We also recognize some avid bowhunters oppose crossbow use during archery season. Many NDA staff are avid bowhunters, but we realize how the current decline in hunter numbers is hurting our wildlife management programs and threatens the future of our beloved pastime, so we’re fine sharing the woods with crossbow hunters during archery season.
This is especially true given crossbows haven’t produced any measurable biological impacts on deer herds in states that use them, and no states that allow crossbows have shortened their seasons or restricted crossbow use from the original laws. NDA is dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. As such, we are more interested in managing deer and habitat appropriately and protecting our hunting heritage than debating use of specific sporting arms. As we see it currently, the use of crossbows positively impacts deer management programs and helps recruit and retain more hunters, so we fully support it.