Deer hunters in the United States are taking more mature bucks than ever in modern history. That’s true both as a percentage of the antlered buck harvest and in actual numbers of bucks harvested. This was a finding of our 2024 Deer Report, in which the average percentage of the antlered buck harvest that was 3½ years old and older was 42%, the highest we’ve ever reported. More than one of every three antlered bucks taken in the U.S. is at least 3½ years old! This is a testament to how far we’ve come as hunters and deer managers.
To determine this percentage, we acquired the age structure of the buck harvest for most states for our 2024 Deer Report (which 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). Twenty-six states reported the percentage of their antlered buck harvest that was 1½ years old (see below), and 22 states reported the percentage that was also 2½ and 3½ years or older.
The Dominant Southeast
Most states in the Southeast collect age data, and the majority in the Midwest and Northeast do. However, the Southeast dominated the leading states. Of the Top-10 states in adult buck harvest (3½ years old and up), eight are from the Southeast, one is from the Northeast, and one is from the Midwest.
In the Southeast, 10 states collect complete buck age data from the harvest out to 3½-plus. Only South Carolina has not reported any buck age data for the past three seasons. Of those that report, the top states were Mississippi at 80%, followed by Louisiana at 78%, Oklahoma at 72%, Texas at 72%, Arkansas at 61%, Alabama at 59%, Georgia at 48%, and Florida at 40%.
In the Northeast, seven states reported complete buck age data from the harvest for 2022 and most of the last three seasons. They were Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and West Virginia. Of these, the state with the highest percentage of bucks 3½ or older in the buck harvest (and No. 8 in the nation) was West Virginia at 40%, followed by Massachusetts at 33%, New Hampshire at 29%, New York at 23%, and Vermont at 22%.
In the Midwest, only five of 13 states reported complete buck age data from the harvest for 2022. Of these, the state with the highest percentage of bucks 3½ or older in the buck harvest (and No. 10 in the nation) was Nebraska at 38%, followed by Ohio at 29%. Next, at 28% each, were Michigan and Wisconsin.
Where Are the “Big Buck” States?
Some hunters may have been expecting entirely different states to be listed in the “top 10” because they are thinking of states that produce the largest-antlered bucks. Many states that are renowned for large-antlered bucks do not necessarily take the highest percentages of mature bucks, since antler size is also a function of nutrition, agriculture, soil quality and forage abundance. If you think the Midwest produces the biggest-antlered bucks now, just imagine if the Midwestern states harvested the same percentage of mature bucks as the Southeast!
What About Antler Restrictions?
In some states, antler-based harvest restrictions are in place to reduce the harvest of yearling bucks and sometimes additional age classes. These rules vary widely by state and usually do not apply to every buck in the state. For example, some states apply the rule to only one buck in a multi-buck bag limit. Others exempt youth hunters from the rule.
Do these rules affect the ranking we have presented here? In some cases, there’s probably an influence. For example, in the case of the No. 1 state, Mississippi, most counties require bucks to meet an inside-spread or beam-length minimum intended to reduce the harvest of yearling bucks. However, statewide on private land, one buck in a hunter’s three-buck bag limit is exempted from these requirements. To achieve 80% of the buck harvest being 3½ or older would require voluntary restraint by many hunters beyond the state requirements.
Then there is Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas in second, third and fourth place. None of these states have a statewide antler restriction on bucks. Arkansas, in fifth place, has a 3-point-on-a-side rule that is exceeded by spread and beam-length rules in localized areas. However, nearly a third of the state is exempt from these rules due to CWD zone regulations, and hunters age 6 to 15 can harvest any antlered buck, statewide.
Alabama and Georgia in sixth and seventh place have similar statewide antler restrictions that apply only to a portion of the buck bag limit. In Alabama, at least one of the three bucks in the bag limit must have 4 antler points on one side (leaving up to two unrestricted bucks). In Georgia, at least one of the two bucks in the bag limit must have 4 antler points on one side (leaving up to one unrestricted buck).
In short, none of these achievements occurred solely because of a buck harvest restriction. In many states, voluntary restraint by hunters is entirely responsible. In others, voluntary restraint beyond statutory requirements was necessary to some extent.
Yearling Buck Harvest
In 2022, the average percentage of the antlered buck harvest that was 1½ years old was 26%. This ties the lowest national percentage ever reported! The fact that only about one in four antlered bucks shot today is 1½ years old is amazing, and the line graph on this page shows how the yearling percentage of the antlered buck harvest in the U.S. has changed during the past 34 years.
How Do States Collect This Information?
State wildlife agencies use different techniques to collect this data, and some collect more data than others. Analyses among agencies may not always compare “apples to apples,” but each provided their best possible data. They do not have to know the age of every buck harvested in their states to be able to accurately estimate the age of the harvest. Statistical sampling works just fine.
Wildlife biologists visit deer processors, check stations, or other locations on popular days during hunting season. They collect jawbone age estimates and biological data from deer at these locations. With a large enough sample from a few locations around the state, they can make an accurate estimate of the age of the entire buck harvest statewide.
Learn More
Our 2024 Deer Report breaks down deer harvest by age class for all states that provided data, including the three most recent seasons. Remember, you can see the complete data by downloading a free PDF of our Deer Report.