(Stacker) – Hunting is one of the oldest forms of human activity. Over the centuries, hunting has largely evolved from necessity to sport—although many hunters in the U.S. do process hunted animals for food.
As hunting gained popularity as a leisure activity, ecosystems suffered, which led to various regulations in order to help preserve and conserve wildlife resources. In the United States, each state has set dates for hunting seasons, thresholds for how many tags or wild game stamps are allowed, and specific areas that are off-limits to hunting in order to help preserve habitats and animal populations.
In the past several decades, the number of people with hunting licenses in the United States has been on a sharp decline. This can be attributed to a few factors, namely the rise in urbanization, the development of farmland, a lack of free time among hunters, and limited access to hunting land. Licenses peaked at roughly 17 million in the 1980s.
There are 15.9 million hunting license holders in the United States as of 2023.
The drop-off in revenue from hunting licenses is starting to pose a problem for conservation groups. Thanks to the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937, an 11% excise tax was placed on the sale of firearms for the purpose of funding conservation. Not only that, but the profits from hunting licenses themselves also go directly to conservation initiatives.
Stacker compiled a list of the states with the most registered hunters using data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. States are ranked by per capita hunting license holders based on 2023 data and 2022 American Community Survey population estimates.
So which states are holding steady with hunting traditions? Take a look to see where your state ranks on the list.
#50. California
- Paid hunting license holders: 0.7 for every 100 people (278,210 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 2.6 for every 100 people (1,018,257 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $25,799,637
#49. Rhode Island
- Paid hunting license holders: 0.7 for every 100 people (7,985 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 5.4 for every 100 people (59,032 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $545,484
#48. New Jersey
- Paid hunting license holders: 0.8 for every 100 people (71,707 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 3.5 for every 100 people (322,162 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $8,801,106
#47. Hawaii
- Paid hunting license holders: 0.8 for every 100 people (11,270 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 0.9 for every 100 people (12,554 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $493,305
#46. Connecticut
- Paid hunting license holders: 0.8 for every 100 people (30,807 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 2.8 for every 100 people (102,071 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $2,348,381
#45. Massachusetts
- Paid hunting license holders: 0.9 for every 100 people (59,652 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 4.0 for every 100 people (278,765 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $2,777,155
#44. Florida
- Paid hunting license holders: 1.0 for every 100 people (217,113 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 1.4 for every 100 people (321,564 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $8,517,982
#43. Delaware
- Paid hunting license holders: 1.6 for every 100 people (16,728 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 5.8 for every 100 people (58,904 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $1,636,079
#42. Maryland
- Paid hunting license holders: 1.9 for every 100 people (116,422 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 5.2 for every 100 people (321,279 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $6,781,632
#41. Illinois
- Paid hunting license holders: 2.3 for every 100 people (289,922 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 11.8 for every 100 people (1,489,355 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $34,691,886
#40. Washington
- Paid hunting license holders: 2.4 for every 100 people (185,147 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 10.3 for every 100 people (803,307 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $20,404,708
#39. New York
- Paid hunting license holders: 2.8 for every 100 people (560,346 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 5.6 for every 100 people (1,099,181 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $25,259,622
#38. Virginia
- Paid hunting license holders: 2.9 for every 100 people (253,650 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 8.9 for every 100 people (771,195 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $24,269,249
#37. Ohio
- Paid hunting license holders: 3.1 for every 100 people (360,421 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 7.5 for every 100 people (878,865 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $29,051,314
#36. Nevada
- Paid hunting license holders: 3.4 for every 100 people (106,861 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 4.6 for every 100 people (146,356 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $8,169,728
#35. Texas
- Paid hunting license holders: 3.9 for every 100 people (1,170,316 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 6.0 for every 100 people (1,802,822 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $52,468,107
#34. Indiana
- Paid hunting license holders: 4.0 for every 100 people (273,423 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 6.0 for every 100 people (411,339 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $13,507,998
#33. South Carolina
- Paid hunting license holders: 4.1 for every 100 people (219,222 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 18.7 for every 100 people (986,512 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $10,879,343
#32. New Hampshire
- Paid hunting license holders: 4.3 for every 100 people (60,629 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 12.1 for every 100 people (168,182 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $5,419,413
#31. Arizona
- Paid hunting license holders: 4.7 for every 100 people (349,554 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 8.4 for every 100 people (617,898 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $22,260,986
#30. North Carolina
- Paid hunting license holders: 6.1 for every 100 people (654,251 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 3.1 for every 100 people (332,215 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $14,086,740
#29. Colorado
- Paid hunting license holders: 6.3 for every 100 people (370,736 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 13.7 for every 100 people (799,965 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $82,363,775
#28. Michigan
- Paid hunting license holders: 6.6 for every 100 people (660,933 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 22.0 for every 100 people (2,211,810 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $39,740,801
#27. New Mexico
- Paid hunting license holders: 6.7 for every 100 people (140,685 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 23.2 for every 100 people (489,379 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $21,303,649
#26. Iowa
- Paid hunting license holders: 6.9 for every 100 people (220,576 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 21.4 for every 100 people (684,702 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $24,035,299
#25. Georgia
- Paid hunting license holders: 7.0 for every 100 people (769,105 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 14.4 for every 100 people (1,566,735 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $22,131,917
#24. Kentucky
- Paid hunting license holders: 7.1 for every 100 people (321,347 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 12.3 for every 100 people (555,368 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $24,437,041
#23. Pennsylvania
- Paid hunting license holders: 7.4 for every 100 people (953,903 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 7.4 for every 100 people (953,903 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $45,549,247
#22. Oregon
- Paid hunting license holders: 7.8 for every 100 people (331,475 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 27.7 for every 100 people (1,173,773 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $32,497,930
#21. Utah
- Paid hunting license holders: 7.9 for every 100 people (268,075 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 14.2 for every 100 people (481,714 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $22,621,975
#20. Missouri
- Paid hunting license holders: 8.3 for every 100 people (509,963 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 28.5 for every 100 people (1,760,197 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $28,008,035
#19. Kansas
- Paid hunting license holders: 8.7 for every 100 people (255,143 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 14.4 for every 100 people (422,066 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $25,495,743
#18. Nebraska
- Paid hunting license holders: 9.4 for every 100 people (185,034 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 20.4 for every 100 people (401,248 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $17,206,197
#17. Mississippi
- Paid hunting license holders: 9.6 for every 100 people (283,021 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 14.3 for every 100 people (420,866 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $14,878,632
#16. Minnesota
- Paid hunting license holders: 9.6 for every 100 people (550,663 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 25.5 for every 100 people (1,460,203 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $36,448,689
#15. Louisiana
- Paid hunting license holders: 9.6 for every 100 people (442,678 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 13.1 for every 100 people (602,579 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $10,481,983
#14. Vermont
- Paid hunting license holders: 9.9 for every 100 people (64,343 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 30.6 for every 100 people (197,782 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $4,924,792
#13. Alabama
- Paid hunting license holders: 9.9 for every 100 people (504,600 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 16.8 for every 100 people (854,916 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $24,546,028
#12. Tennessee
- Paid hunting license holders: 10.3 for every 100 people (728,759 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 14.9 for every 100 people (1,054,081 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $30,454,104
#11. Arkansas
- Paid hunting license holders: 10.6 for every 100 people (323,474 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 16.8 for every 100 people (510,212 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $21,442,583
#10. Wisconsin
- Paid hunting license holders: 11.4 for every 100 people (669,813 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 77.3 for every 100 people (4,554,015 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $38,348,557
#9. Oklahoma
- Paid hunting license holders: 12.4 for every 100 people (499,182 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 9.2 for every 100 people (370,811 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $14,048,834
#8. Alaska
- Paid hunting license holders: 13.4 for every 100 people (98,202 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 79.0 for every 100 people (579,526 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $8,167,536
#7. West Virginia
- Paid hunting license holders: 14.3 for every 100 people (253,955 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 38.7 for every 100 people (686,655 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $9,558,451
#6. Maine
- Paid hunting license holders: 15.0 for every 100 people (207,849 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 17.7 for every 100 people (245,107 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $8,765,588
#5. Idaho
- Paid hunting license holders: 15.6 for every 100 people (301,994 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 70.4 for every 100 people (1,364,523 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $45,929,613
#4. North Dakota
- Paid hunting license holders: 19.3 for every 100 people (150,724 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 72.2 for every 100 people (562,595 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $13,219,281
#3. Montana
- Paid hunting license holders: 20.6 for every 100 people (231,339 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 96.7 for every 100 people (1,086,200 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $41,231,097
#2. South Dakota
- Paid hunting license holders: 22.7 for every 100 people (206,316 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 39.6 for every 100 people (360,062 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $22,313,451
#1. Wyoming
- Paid hunting license holders: 23.4 for every 100 people (136,205 total)
- Hunting license, tags, permits & stamps: 47.3 for every 100 people (274,963 total)
- Total cost of hunting licenses, tags, permits & stamps: $35,230,187
Data reporting by Emma Rubin. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
