Deer hunting in the United States: demographics and trends addendum to the 2006 national survey of fishing, hunting, and wildlife- associated recreation

              U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Deer Hunting in the
United States: Demographics and Trends
Addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
Report 2006-10U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
August 2011
Richard Aiken
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Arlington VA
Anna Harris
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Arlington VA
This report is intended to complement the National and State Reports for the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. The conclusions in this report are the authors’ and do not represent official positions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The authors thank Sylvia Cabrera for valuable input into the analysis.
Deer Hunting in the
United States: Demographics and Trends
Addendum to the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
Report 2006-102 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Contents
Introduction � 3
Part One – Participation and Demographics � 4
Deer Hunting Participation � � 4
General Demographic Characteristics � 7
Age � 7
Population Size of Residence ��� 7
Gender � 8
Marital Status � 9
Race � 9
Ethnicity � 9
Education � 10
Household Income � 11
Geographic Regions � 12
Wildlife Watching Patterns � � 13
Part Two – Trends in Participation, Expenditures and Days � 14
Participation � 14
Days � 14
Expenditures � 14
Part Three – Bag Rate � 15
Deer Hunters Resident State Success Rates � 16
Average Days for Successful Hunters � � 17
Conclusion � 18
Appendix Tables � 19
Tables
Table 1. All Hunters and Deer Hunters by Species Type: 2006 � 4
Table 2. In-State All Hunting and Deer Hunting, by State of Residence: 2006 � 5
Table 3. In-State All Hunting and Deer Hunting Days, by State of Residence: 2006 � 6
Table 4. Age of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 7
Table 5. Population Density of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 7
Table 6. Gender of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 8
Table 7. Marital Status of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 9
Table 8. Race of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 9
Table 9. Ethnicity of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 9
Table 10. Education of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 10
Table 11. Annual Household Income of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � 11
Table 12. Deer Hunters Participation in Wildlife Watching � 13
Table 13. Trends in Expenditures and Days for Hunting � 14
Table 14. 1991 Deer Hunter Bag Rate � 15
Table 15. 1996 Deer Hunter Bag Rate � 15
Table 16. 2006 Deer Hunter Bag Rate � 15
Table 17. State Resident Average Days for Deer Hunting, In State of Residence: 2006 � 17
Appendix A. Trend in number of deer hunters, by state of activity: 1991–2006 � 20
Appendix B. Trend in number of deer hunters, by state of residence: 1991–2006 � 21
Figures
Figure 1. Gender of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � � 8
Figure 2. Education of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006 � � 10
Figure 3. Deer Hunters as a Percent of the U.S. Population � 12
Figure 4. Deer Hunters Participation in Wildlife Watching: 2006 � 13
Figure 5. State Resident Success Rates for Bagging a Deer � 16Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 3
Most reported data contained herein
are from the 2006 FHWAR1. The
exceptions are trends data obtained from
previous FHWAR Surveys. All non-trend
participation, dollar expenditures,
and hunting behavior statistics are
representative of 2006. All data stems
from persons age 16 years and older.
1 FHWAR documents are available on the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service webpage:
http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/
NationalSurvey/NatSurveyIndex.htm
Introduction
Deer hunting is unquestionably the
most popular type of hunting in the U.S.
According to the 2006 National Survey
of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-
Associated Recreation (FHWAR), there
were 10.1 million deer hunters in 2006,
which is nearly four times greater than
the second most hunted species: turkey.
For people over 16 years of age, about 1
in every 25 Americans and 8 in 10 hunters
hunted deer in 2006. Their total hunting-related
trip and equipment expenditures
while seeking deer totaled $8.9 billion.
This report provides information about
deer hunter demographic characteristics,
spending pattern, trends, and bag rate. It
is intended to be used as an informational
tool by resource managers, academics,
product manufacturers, and other
interested parties.
The report is organized into three parts:
Part One: The “Participation and
Demographics” section examines the
size and geographic dispersion of the
deer hunting population. Additionally,
widely used demographic features such
as income, age, gender, education, and
geographic location are included.
Part Two: The “Trends” section describes
the trends in expenditures and days of
deer hunting.
Part Three: The “Bag Rate” section
uses average days afield and trend data
for analysis.
Appendix: Trend and Participation rate
estimates are tabulated for the nation
and each state.
Donnie Simmons ©
4 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Part One – Participation and Demographics
Deer Hunting Participation
Deer is clearly the species of choice
for the majority of hunters in the U.S.
Table 1 indicates that 80% or 10.1 million
of the 12.5 million hunters in the U.S.
hunted for deer in 2006. Turkey is the
second most hunted species at 2.6 million.
Squirrel and rabbit follow at around 1.9
million hunters each and then several
bird species at 1 to 1.6 million.
The third and the fourth columns of
Table 1 provide additional information on
other hunting activities of deer hunters.
The third column entitled “Hunters Who
also Hunted Deer” indicates the number
of deer hunters that sought different
species. For example, of the 799 thousand
elk hunters in the U.S., 598 thousand also
hunted deer. The fourth column entitled
“Percent Deer Hunters” indicates the
percent of other species hunters that
hunted deer. For example, 75% of the
598 thousand elk hunters hunted deer
in 2006.
The biggest overlap was for bear and
deer hunting. The smallest was for moose
hunting. The largest and the smallest
overlaps were both big game species.
The fact that something that requires
different types of weapon and/or hunting
skills, like quail or raccoon hunting, was
not the smallest overlap is interesting.
The “Percent Deer Hunters” column
reveals that most other species hunters
were also active deer hunters. With the
exception of moose and wolf at 33%, at
least 57% of hunters for other species
were also deer hunters. As seen in
Table 1, at least 67% of the elk, bear,
turkey, and other big game (excluding
moose) hunters hunted deer. Bear
hunters were the most likely to also
be deer hunters. With few exceptions,
migratory bird hunters typically had
the lowest crossover into deer hunting.
Nevertheless, 64% to 69% of migratory
bird (geese, duck, dove, and other
migratory bird) hunters also hunted deer
in 2006.
Table 1. All Hunters and Deer Hunters by Species Type: 2006
(Numbers in thousands. Population 16 years old and older.)
Number of
Hunters
Percent of
All Hunters
Hunters
Who also
Hunted Deer
Percent Deer
Hunters
All Hunters 12,510 100
Big Game
Deer 10,062 80 10,062 100
Turkey 2,569 21 2,293 89
Elk 799 6 598 75
Any unlisted big game 536 4 393 73
Bear 399 3 375 94
Moose 45 (Z) 15 33
Feral pig 29 (Z) 23 79
Wild sheep/feral goat 6 (Z) 4 67
Small Game
Rabbit 1,923 15 1,549 81
Squirrel 1,845 15 1,561 85
Pheasant 1,632 13 938 57
Quail 1,046 8 630 60
Grouse/prairie chicken 800 6 612 77
Any unlisted small game 323 3 226 70
Ptarmigan 3 (Z) … …
Migratory Birds
Dove 1,238 10 812 66
Duck 1,147 9 740 65
Geese 700 6 486 69
Any unlisted migratory bird 150 1 96 64
Other Animals
Coyote 665 5 567 85
Raccoon 305 2 211 69
Groundhog 248 2 196 79
Fox 194 2 173 89
Any unlisted other animals 153 1 106 69
Wolf 3 (Z) 1 33
Mongoose … … … …
(Z) Less than 0.5 percent.
… Sample size too small to report data reliably.
Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 5
There is an additional question of interest with respect to the other species hunting activity of deer hunters. Given the ample crossover of other species hunters into deer hunting, one might ask the question: how many hunters sought deer and nothing else? About 4.7 million or 46% of deer hunters hunted deer and nothing else. Furthermore, 2.4 million hunters did not hunt deer at all. The remaining 5.4 million hunters sought deer and other animals.
Tables 2 and 3 contain state-by-state estimates of deer hunting participation in 2006. Table 2 contains the number of all hunters and deer hunters by state of residence as well as the percent of hunters who hunted deer. Table 3 contains the total days of deer hunting that occurred within each state, along with the total of all hunting days, and percent of all hunting days spent hunting deer.
Among other things, Table 2 reveals that deer hunting was a prominent activity in nearly every state. At least 50% of hunters in all but seven states hunted deer. The deer hunting participation in nine states was 90% or higher (Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin). Michigan had the highest proportion of deer hunters (96%) while Pennsylvania had the largest number (889 thousand). Conversely, Alaska and Arizona had the lowest proportion of deer hunters while Hawaii had the fewest number.
Table 2. In-State All Hunting and Deer Hunting, by State of Residence: 2006
(Numbers in thousands. Population 16 years old and older.)
Total Resident Hunters
Total Resident Deer Hunters
Percent
Total in U.S.
12,510
10,062
80
Alabama
310
269
87
Alaska
53
*16
30
Arizona
216
65
30
Arkansas
301
260
86
California
274
*105
38
Colorado
126
*41
33
Connecticut
36
*21
58
Delaware
19
16
84
Florida
214
162
76
Georgia
344
298
87
Hawaii
18
*8
44
Idaho
122
91
74
Illinois
258
160
62
Indiana
237
200
84
Iowa
208
159
76
Kansas
183
85
47
Kentucky
241
206
85
Louisiana
241
178
74
Maine
146
137
94
Maryland
133
112
84
Massachusetts
57
53
93
Michigan
721
696
96
Minnesota
509
407
80
Mississippi
238
222
93
Missouri
540
447
83
Montana
145
125
86
Nebraska
102
61
60
Nevada
54
*22
41
New Hampshire
51
43
85
New Jersey
72
51
71
New Mexico
66
*25
38
New York
491
452
92
North Carolina
277
199
72
North Dakota
86
71
83
Ohio
467
399
86
Oklahoma
224
175
78
Oregon
218
159
73
Pennsylvania
933
889
95
Rhode Island
12
*10
83
South Carolina
159
131
82
South Dakota
89
53
60
Tennessee
265
214
81
Texas
979
757
77
Utah
144
87
61
Vermont
56
53
94
Virginia
353
307
87
Washington
179
150
84
West Virginia
194
179
92
Wisconsin
649
594
92
Wyoming
50
30
61
*Estimate based on a sample size of 10–296 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Nationally, the percent of deer hunters in Table 2 (80%) and the percent of deer hunting days in Table 3 (60%) indicate that deer hunting was less prominent as a proportion of all hunting days than deer hunters was of all hunters. Table 3 shows that deer hunting makes up the majority of hunting activity in 34 states and represents more than 75% of all hunting day activity in 5 states (Alabama, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, and New Jersey).
Table 3. In-State All Hunting and Deer Hunting Days, by State of Residence: 2006
(Numbers in thousands. Population 16 years old and older.)
Total
Hunting Days
Total Deer
Hunting Days
Percent
Total in U.S.
203,319
122,980
60
Alabama
7,609
6,234
82
Alaska
758
*120
16
Arizona
1,388
490
35
Arkansas
7,219
4,634
64
California
3,339
*746
22
Colorado
1,224
*198
16
Connecticut
500
*248
50
Delaware
462
307
67
Florida
3,699
2,356
64
Georgia
6,783
4,448
66
Hawaii
*418
*79
19
Idaho
1,125
737
66
Illinois
4,238
2,019
48
Indiana
4,184
2,726
65
Iowa
3,627
2,043
56
Kansas
2,574
762
30
Kentucky
4,886
3,012
62
Louisiana
5,847
3,370
58
Maine
2,004
1,506
75
Maryland
1,813
1,353
75
Massachusetts
1,083
885
82
Michigan
11,735
8,919
76
Minnesota
6,346
3,715
59
Mississippi
6,050
4,631
77
Missouri
9,171
5,556
61
Montana
1,783
1,198
67
Nebraska
1,559
432
28
Nevada
578
*161
28
New Hampshire
969
643
66
New Jersey
1,343
1,062
79
New Mexico
685
*86
13
New York
9,462
5,712
60
North Carolina
4,653
2,526
54
North Dakota
1,081
493
46
Ohio
10,419
6,106
59
Oklahoma
5,339
2,708
51
Oregon
2,658
1,500
56
Pennsylvania
16,157
10,513
65
Rhode Island
140
*89
64
South Carolina
3,893
2,112
54
South Dakota
1,190
416
35
Tennessee
5,343
2,669
50
Texas
13,400
7,962
59
Utah
1,624
733
45
Vermont
922
632
68
Virginia
6,280
4,246
68
Washington
2,124
1,175
55
West Virginia
3,376
2,047
61
Wisconsin
9,679
6,483
67
Wyoming
580
179
31
*Estimate based on a sample size of 10–29
Stephen Robertson ©Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 7
Table 4. Age of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Age
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
16 to 17 years
8,272
4
422
4
5
79
3
18 to 24 years
23,292
10
769
8
3
199
8
25 to 34 years
37,468
16
1,780
18
5
278
11
35 to 44 years
45,112
20
2,498
25
6
576
24
45 to 54 years
44,209
19
2,264
23
5
606
25
55 to 64 years
32,867
14
1,425
14
4
427
17
65 years and older
38,024
17
904
9
2
282
12
General Demographic Characteristics
Tables 4 to 11 address the distribution of the U.S. and deer and non-deer hunter2 populations among widely used demographic characteristics such as income, age, gender, education, and geographic location. All tables follow a similar format. The first two columns present the distribution of the U.S. population in 2006 among the demographic variables of interest. The first column “Number” indicates the distribution in quantity, and the second column “Percent” presents the proportion of total individuals that appear in each respective category of the demographic variable. Thus, in Table 4, the second column indicates that 4% of the U.S. population 16 years or older was either 16 or 17. The “Number” and “Percent” columns within the Deer
2 A “deer hunter” hunted for deer in 2006 and could have hunted another type of wild game. A “Non-deer hunter” hunted for anything except deer.Hunter and Non-deer Hunters categories are handled similarly. The “Percent of U.S. Population” indicates the proportion of the U.S. population that participated in deer hunting. For example, row two of Table 4 reveals that 5% of the U.S. population age 16 and 17 hunted deer.
Age
The age category with the greatest number of participants and proportional level of participation was 35–44 years. Likewise the age category with the least number of participants and percent of participation was also the same: 16–17 years.
Only 9% of deer hunters were over the age of 65, whereas 17% of Americans 65 years old and older were in this cohort. As baby boomers increasingly surpass 65, this alone indicates an impending change in deer hunting participation. The aging of the baby boomers is not as pronounced for non-deer hunters where 12% of non-deer hunters are 65 years old or older.
However, the “Percent of the U.S. Population” columns are even more telling for deer hunters. The percent of the U.S. population 55 to 64 years old that deer hunted is 4%, but it falls to 2% for those over 65. This represents a 50% decline in the participation rate. The obvious implication, provided that this pattern persists, is that deer hunting will likely experience declines in participation as the Baby Boomers get older.
Population Size of Residence
Ten percent of the U.S. population living outside an MSA went deer hunting in 2006 (Table 5) 3. Non-deer hunters were more likely to live inside an MSA (71%) compared to deer hunters (60%).
3 A Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is a county or group of contiguous counties containing at least one city of 50,000 or more inhabitants or twin cities with a combined population of at least 50,000 (except in New England, which includes both towns and cities instead of counties).
Table 5. Population Density of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Population Size of Residence
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
Inside MSA
190,425
83
6,029
60
3
1,729
71
Outside MSA
38,820
17
4,003
40
10
718
29 8 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Gender
Table 6 reveals that over 90% of deer and non-deer hunters were male and almost 10% were female. There were a significant number of female hunters. Over 900 thousand females hunted for deer and another 200 thousand hunted for another type of game in 2006.
Figure 1. Gender of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
Table 6. Gender of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Gender
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
Male
110,273
48
9,113
91
8
2,238
91
Female
118,972
52
949
9
1
210
9
Joe Kosack/PGC Photo ©MaleFemale02040608010048%91%52%9%91%9%U.S. PopulationDeer HuntersNon-Deer HuntersPercentDeer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 9
Marital Status
Over half of the U.S. population 16 years old or older was married and for hunters, the marriage rate was over 70%. Married deer hunters accounted for 6% of the U.S. population while only 3% of unmarried persons deer hunted.
Race
While people of all races went hunting in 2006, the large majority was White. Five percent of the nation’s White population, 1% of the Black population, and 6% of those identified as races other than Black or White went deer hunting in 2006. The race distribution of non-deer hunters was almost identical to that of deer hunters.
Ethnicity
Hispanics made up 13% of the U.S. population and 1% of them participated in deer hunting. While the percent of the Hispanic population participating in deer hunting was small, there were almost 300 thousand Hispanic deer hunters and another 126 thousand Hispanics hunted for something other than deer (Table 9).
Non-deer hunting had a higher proportion of Hispanic hunters compared to deer hunting. In 2006, 5% of non-deer hunters were Hispanic compared to 3% of deer hunters.
Table 7. Marital Status of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Marital Status
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
Married
120,840
53
7,300
73
6
1,764
72
Not Married
108,405
47
2,762
27
3
684
28
Table 8. Race of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Race
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
White
189,255
83
9,679
96
5
2,341
96
Black
25,925
11
143
1
1
42
2
Asian
10,104
4
*24
(Z)
(Z)
…
…
All Others
3,960
2
216
2
5
56
2
(Z) Less than 0.5 percent *Estimate based on a sample size of 10–29. … Sample size too small to report data reliably.
Table 9. Ethnicity of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Ethnicity
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
Non-Hispanic
200,027
87
9,764
97
5
2,321
95
Hispanic
29,218
13
298
3
1
126
5 10 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Education
Deer hunting was a popular activity among hunters of all educational backgrounds, as shown in Table 10. 4.4 million deer hunters had at least some college. Another 4.2 million had a high school education, and 1.5 million deer hunters had less than a high school education.
The percent of the U.S. population that hunted deer increased as years of schooling increased to 1–3 years of college, then the rate dipped downward. Hunters pursuing something other than deer were more likely to have completed 4 years of college or more compared to deer hunters and the U.S. population. The proportion of non-deer hunters continuing beyond a bachelor’s degree was double the proportion of deer hunters. As more Americans obtain advanced degrees could this promote non-deer hunting more than it does deer hunting?
Figure 2. Education of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
Table 10. Education of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Education
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
11 years or less
34,621
15
1,492
15
4
232
9
12 years
78,073
34
4,161
41
5
735
30
1 to 3 years college
53,019
23
2,553
25
5
682
28
4 years college
39,506
17
1,242
12
3
508
21
5 years or more college
24,025
10
614
6
3
290
12
01020304050Percent U.S. PopulationDeer HuntersNon-Deer Hunters11 years or less12 years1–3 years college4 years college5 years or more college15%15%9%34%41%30%23%25%28%17%12%21%10%6%12%Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 11
Table 11. Annual Household Income of Deer and non-Deer Hunters: 2006
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
U.S. Population
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Annual Household Income
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Percent of U.S. Population
Number
Percent
U.S. Total
229,245
100
10,062
100
4
2,448
100
Under $10,000
10,673
5
175
2
2
48
2
$10,000 to $19,999
15,373
7
504
5
3
76
3
$20,000 to $24,999
11,374
5
424
4
4
62
3
$25,000 to $29,999
10,524
5
481
5
5
86
4
$30,000 to $34,999
11,161
5
629
6
6
108
4
$35,000 to $39,999
10,349
5
546
5
5
124
5
$40,000 to $49,999
17,699
8
993
10
6
216
9
$50,000 to $74,999
33,434
15
2,263
22
7
491
20
$75,000 to $99,999
21,519
9
1,343
13
6
396
16
$100,000 or more
29,159
13
1,411
14
5
566
23
Not reported
57,981
25
1,294
13
2
274
11
Household Income
For much of the income spectrum, the percent of the U.S. population that hunted deer increased as household income increased (Table 11). For the high end of the income spectrum, $75,000 or more, the participation rate dipped. Despite this dip, in general deer hunting participation was positively correlated with income. At 7%, the participation rate for deer hunting was highest for individuals with household incomes from $50,000 to $74,999.
The income of non-deer hunters tells a different story. The largest proportion of non-deer hunters earned $100,000 or more in 2006. Non-deer hunter participation was positively correlated with household income, similar to deer hunters, except there was no dip in the high income spectrum.
USFWS/Richard Aiken12 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Figure 3. Deer Hunters as a Percent of the U.S. Population
National Participation Rate 4%
Geographic Regions
Figure 3 displays the distribution of deer hunters by the U.S. Census Bureau’s geographic regions. As a percent of the U.S. population, the West North Central region had the highest percent of deer hunters (8%). The percent of the regional populations that went deer hunting in 2006 was highest in the Central regions.
The East North Central region had the most deer hunters with over 2 million participants and the largest hunting proportion (21%). The Middle and South Atlantic were also popular deer hunting regions with almost 30% of the nation’s hunters residing there. For non-deer hunters, almost 20% reside in the West North Central region. The West South Central and Mountain regions both have a high proportion of non-deer hunters (15%).
FLNMHIDEMDTXOKKSNESDNDMTWYCOUTIDAZNVWACAORKYMENYPAMIVTNHMARICTVAWVOHINILNCTNSCALMSARLAMOIAMNWINJGAAKWestMountain3%WestNorth Central8%WestSouthCentral6%EastSouthCentral7%SouthAtlantic4%EastNorth Central6%MiddleAtlantic5%NewEngland3%Pacific1%MidwestSouthNortheastDeer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 13
Wildlife Watching Patterns
In 2006 over 5.8 million deer hunters watched wildlife in addition to hunting. Wildlife watching is defined as closely observing, feeding, and photographing wildlife, maintaining plantings and natural areas around the home for the benefit of wildlife, and visiting public parks within a mile of home to wildlife watch. These wildlife-watching activities are split into around-the-home (within a mile of home) and away-from-home (at least one mile from home) categories.
Fifty-eight percent of all deer hunters watched wildlife compared to 52% of non-deer hunters (and 31% of the general population). Around-the-home wildlife watching was more popular with nearly two-thirds of hunters feeding, photographing, or watching wildlife around their home. Over 3 million deer hunters took trips of a distance at least one mile from their home for the primary purpose of watching wildlife.
Figure 4. Deer Hunters Participation in Wildlife Watching: 2006
Table 12. Deer Hunters Participation in Wildlife Watching
(Population 16 years of age or older. Numbers in thousands)
Deer Hunters
Non-Deer Hunters
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Total Hunters
10,062
100
2,448
100
Total Participants
5,864
58
1,285
52
Around the Home
5,049
62
1,146
66
Away from Home
3,111
38
594
34
Note: Detail does not add to total because of multiple responses
Stephen Robertson ©Around the Home62%Away from Home38%14 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Part Two – Trends in Participation, Expenditures and Days
A basic summary of hunting
participation, days, and trip and
equipment expenditure trends is shown
in Table 13. Trip expenditures were
directly related to hunting trips. They
included but were not limited to food,
drink, lodging, and transportation fees.
Equipment expenditures included
both hunting equipment such as rifles,
ammunition, and hunting dogs, and
auxiliary equipment used primarily for
hunting (that is camping equipment,
clothing, and taxidermy costs). Special
equipment primarily included purchases
of big ticket items such as boats, campers,
trucks, and cabins that were used
primarily for hunting. Some highlights of
Table 13 include the following.
Participation
In 2006, 5% of the U.S. population 16
years old and older enjoyed hunting a
variety of animals. Big game hunting
was the most popular type. An estimated
10.7 million hunters pursued big game,
such as deer and elk. Deer was the
Table 13. Trends in Expenditures and Days for Hunting
(Participants 16 years old and older. Numbers in thousands, except averages.)
1991 1996 2001 2006
Total Hunting Participation 14,063 13,975 13,034 12,510
Big Game Participation 10,745 11,288 10,911 10,682
Deer Hunting Participation 10,277 10,722 10,272 10,062
Total Hunting Days 235,806 256,676 228,368 219,925
Big Game Hunting Days 137,501 165,411 171,368 174,492
Deer Hunting Days 112,853 131,345 133,457 132,194
Average Deer Hunting Days 11 12 13 13
Total Hunting Trip and Equipment Expenditures $12,758,728 $21,162,663 $17,799,831 $17,410,115
Big Game Trip and Equipment Expenditures $7,544,037 $12,511,945 $11,500,240 $11,754,122
Deer Trip and Equipment Expenditures $6,183,360 $9,871,898 $8,956,092 $8,904,846
Average Deer Trip and Equipment Expenditures $602 $921 $872 $885
Note: Estimates are in 2006 dollars.
most popular type of big game and over
10 million hunters sought deer in 2006.
Hunting declined by 11% from 1991 to
2006. Big game hunting had no significant
differences in participation from 1991
to 2006. The same was true for deer
hunting.
Days
In the outdoor recreation arena days
afield often bounce around over time.
Total days are subject to weather,
economic conditions, and other factors.
Given that, it is remarkable how
unvarying deer hunting day totals have
been. After a 16% increase in days from
1991 to 1996, the days total has been very
steady at about 132 million. The average
number of deer hunting days was 13 in
2006. This is up from an average of 11
days deer hunting in 1991.
Expenditures
In 2006 total trip and equipment
expenditures of deer and non-deer
hunters was $17.4 billion. Deer hunters
were responsible for $8.9 billion, or
51% of the total. Per person spending
of deer hunters was $885 for trip and
equipment expenditures.
There was a hefty 60% increase in deer
hunting trip and equipment expenditures
from 1991 to 1996. Since 1996 these
expenditures have leveled off. There
is no statistically significant difference
between the 1996 and 2001 estimates
and the 2001 and 2006 estimates.
The averages also have not varied
significantly since 1996. (See appendix for
state level participation trends)
The afore-mentioned stability of deer
hunting participation trends applies not
just to the number of participants, but
extends emphatically to expenditures
and days.
Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 15
Part Three – Bag Rate
Bag questions for selected species
hunting were included in the 1991, 1996,
and 2006 FHWAR Surveys. Deer hunters
were asked if they had killed one or more
deer. In 1991 and 1996 deer hunters were
also asked if they got a buck.
In 1991 47% of deer hunters (4.8 million
hunters) killed at least one deer. Of
those, 71% killed at least one buck (3.4
million). 5.5 million deer hunters did not
kill a deer. These estimates apply to deer
hunters hunting anywhere in the U.S.
In 1996, 44% of all deer hunters hunting
in their state of residence killed one
or more deer. The estimate itself is
3.9 million out of 8.9 million. Of those
hunters, 72% killed a buck. The estimate
itself is 2.8 million out of 3.9 million deer
hunters. For hunters going to other
states, 42% killed a deer (375,000 out
of 885,000 hunters). Of those successful
hunters, 79% killed a buck (297,000 out of
375,000 hunters).
In 2006, 47% of all deer hunters hunting
in their resident state killed at least
one deer. That was 3.8 million out of 8.3
million resident state deer hunters. As
for deer hunters going to another state,
340 thousand out of 743 thousand (46%)
got at least one deer.
The constancy of the rate of bagging
a deer is noteworthy. The success rate
for each survey was between 44 and 47
percent. Furthermore, the percent of
hunters who killed one or more bucks
was 33 percent in 1991 and 31 percent
in 1996. Perhaps this constancy is due
to the various state agencies’ game
management goals, or in some general
way a hunter expectation pattern.
Table 14. 1991 Deer Hunter Bag Rate
(Participants 16 years old and older. Numbers in millions.)
1991
Number Percent
All deer hunters 10.3 100
Successful deer hunters 4.8 47
Got a buck 3.4 33
Unsuccessful deer hunters 5.5 53
Note: “Successful” means killed one or more deer.
Table 15. 1996 Deer Hunter Bag Rate
(Participants 16 years old and older. Numbers in millions.)
1996
Number Percent
All deer hunters 10.7 100
All deer hunters hunting in their state of residence 8.9 100
Successful deer hunters in state of residence 3.9 44
Got a buck 2.8 31
Unsuccessful deer hunters in their state of residence 5.0 56
All deer hunters hunting in nonresident states 0.9 100
Successful deer hunters in nonresident states 0.4 42
Got a buck 0.3 34
Unsuccessful deer hunters in nonresident states 0.5 58
Note: “Successful” means killed one or more deer.
Table 16. 2006 Deer Hunter Bag Rate
(Participants 16 years old and older. Numbers in millions.)
2006
Number Percent
All deer hunters 10.1 100
All deer hunters hunting in their state of residence 8.3 100
Successful deer hunters in state of residence 3.8 47
Got a buck N.A. N.A.
Unsuccessful deer hunters in their state of residence 4.5 53
All deer hunters hunting in nonresident states 0.7 100
Successful deer hunters in nonresident states 0.3 46
Got a buck N.A. N.A.
Unsuccessful deer hunters in nonresident states 0.4 54
Note: “Successful” means killed one or more deer.
N.A. Not available
16 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Deer Hunters Resident State Success Rates
Throughout the U.S. deer hunters were successful with almost 50% bagging a deer in their resident state in 2006. Figure 5 provides a more detailed look at resident state deer hunters who bagged at least one deer. Hunters in the Midwest (North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Illinois) had a high success rate with over 60% of hunters bagging a deer. Delaware was the only Northeast state with a success rate over 60%.
A number of states in the South had a success rate above the national average too. This included Louisiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Three other states that had success rates between 50% and 59% were: Missouri, Ohio, and Minnesota.
47% of all deer hunters in the U.S. had a successful hunt in 2006. The nine states with success rates close to the national average, between 40% and 49%, were Nevada, Wisconsin, New Jersey, North Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland, Utah, Texas and Connecticut.
States with success rates under 40% were Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Washington. It is interesting to note that Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York are three of the top five states with the highest number of state resident deer hunters.
Figure 5. State Resident Success Rates for Bagging a Deer
Stephen Robertson ©FLNMHIDEMDTXOKKSNESDNDMTWYCOUTIDAZNVWACAORKYMENYPAMIVTNHMARICTVAWVOHINILNCTNSCALMSARLAMOIAMNWINJGAAK
National Success Rate: 47%
n 60% and Above
n 50% to 59%
n 40% to 49%
n Below 40%
n Insufficient Sample Size
n Not Asked Deer QuestionsDeer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 17
Average Days for Successful Hunters
The days afield are another key to how successful a hunt was. Does increased avidity lead to a successful hunt? On average, regardless of success, deer hunters spent 13 days in their resident state hunting for deer. Alabama deer hunters had the highest average with 23 days afield followed by Mississippi and New Jersey with an average of 21 days.
Deer hunters who bagged a deer in 2006 spent an average of 18 days afield, twice as much time afield compared to the 9 days of those who did not harvest a deer. As a rule successful deer hunters spent more time in the woods compared to hunters who did not successfully bag a deer. Hunters in Alabama and Louisiana who successfully bagged a deer spent, on average, over 30 days afield in 2006.
These results may provide useful information for state agencies responsible for deer management and the deer hunting season. Hunters who spend more days afield will ultimately have more opportunities to bag a deer. More opportunities mean more chances of having a successful deer hunt. Some states require a one deer limit while others allow multiple deer to be taken. The three states with the highest success rates had a one-deer limit during their 2006 season. But this result is misleading because ten out of the twelve states with the lowest success rates also had a one-deer limit. State agencies that manage deer and hunters who take to the field in pursuit of their game know it is more than a take-limit that results in a successful hunt.
Table 17. State Resident Average Days for Deer Hunting, In State of Residence: 2006
Average Days Deer Hunting
Average Days for Hunters Who Bagged A Deer
Average Days for Hunters Who Did Not Bag a Deer
U.S. Total
13
18
9
Alabama
23
33
13
Arizona
8
…
…
Arkansas
18
29
10
California
*7
…
…
Connecticut
12
*15
*9
Delaware
19
*18
*13
Florida
15
*18
*12
Georgia
15
22
*9
Hawaii
*10
…
…
Illinois
13
17
*7
Indiana
14
18
11
Iowa
13
15
*8
Kansas
9
10
*9
Kentucky
15
21
*7
Louisiana
19
31
*9
Maine
11
*17
9
Maryland
12
16
7
Massachusetts
17
…
*15
Michigan
13
17
11
Minnesota
9
10
8
Mississippi
21
29
13
Missouri
12
17
7
Nebraska
7
7
*7
Nevada
*22
*10
*5
New Hampshire
*15
*23
…
New Jersey
21
*27
*18
New Mexico
3
…
*4
New York
13
17
11
North Carolina
13
*16
*11
North Dakota
7
7
*7
Ohio
15
*22
*10
Oklahoma
15
19
10
Pennsylvania
12
16
10
Rhode Island
*9
…
*7
South Carolina
16
22
*9
South Dakota
8
8
*9
Tennessee
12
16
*10
Texas
11
14
8
Utah
8
*9
7
Vermont
12
*16
10
Virginia
14
19
8
Washington
8
*10
7
West Virginia
11
14
8
Wisconsin
11
16
7
*Estimate based on a sample size of 10–29. … Estimate too small to report data reliably.
Note: This table only includes states asked about deer hunting in their contingent valuation questions. Those excluded include Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, and Alaska.18 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Conclusion
This report has presented a wide array
of information on deer hunter behavior
and demographic patterns, from general
participation levels to bag rates.
In 2006, over 10 million hunters spent
123 million days hunting deer. This is
by far the most popular type of hunting,
representing 80% of all hunters in the
U.S. and 60% of all days afield. The
average days of deer hunting nationally
in 2006 was 13, but at the state level it
varied from 3 to 23. Michigan had the
highest proportion of deer hunters while
Pennsylvania had the largest number.
The average deer hunter is a married
white man between the ages of thirty-five
and forty-four. Most deer hunters
have completed high school and a large
proportion went to college. They reside
all over the country, with the highest
regional proportion living in the East
North Central area of the United States.
Since 1991 wildlife-related recreation
participation as a whole has declined by
20%, from 108.7 million participants in
1991 to 87.5 million in 2006. Deer hunting
has bucked this trend staying rock steady
at over 10 million participants. The days
afield and expenditures for deer hunting
have also stayed constant from 1991
to 2006.
Forty-seven percent of all hunters
bagged a deer in their resident state in
2006. More time out hunting will very
likely lead to a successful hunt. Hunters
who successful bagged a deer in 2006
spent an average of 18 days afield while
those who were unsuccessful spent half
as much time in the field (9 days).
Deer are the most popular game species
for hunters because they are numerous
throughout the United States, provide
challenging sport, and are a good source
of nutritional protein. These reasons for
hunting them are not diminishing, so the
number of people who respond to these
influences may not diminish either.
Joe Kosack/PGC Photo ©
Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 19
Appendix Tables
Donnie Simmons ©20 Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends
Appendix A. Trend in number of deer hunters, by state of activity: 1991–2006
(in 000’s)
1991
1996
2001
2006
2006–1991
Ratio
2006–2001
Ratio
U.S. Total
10,277
10,722
10,272
10,062
1.0
1.0
Alabama
249
269
379
334
1.3
0.9
Alaska
9
15
19
17
1.9
0.9
Arizona
90
74
63
76
0.8
1.2
Arkansas
243
296
314
277
1.1
0.9
California
186
239
85
107
0.6
1.3
Colorado
208
243
99
66
0.3
0.7
Connecticut
30
42
27
21
0.7
0.8
Delaware
16
28
11
24
1.5
2.2
Florida
180
130
156
168
0.9
1.1
Georgia
323
322
332
405
1.3
1.2
Hawaii
5
11
7
9
1.8
1.3
Idaho
149
183
125
119
0.8
1.0
Illinois
248
256
238
204
0.8
0.9
Indiana
204
262
215
231
1.1
1.1
Iowa
149
187
133
165
1.1
1.2
Kansas
63
100
140
118
1.9
0.8
Kentucky
205
271
231
238
1.2
1.0
Louisiana
199
228
207
202
1.0
1.0
Maine
154
169
145
160
1.0
1.1
Maryland
97
109
126
125
1.3
1.0
Massachusetts
82
76
56
57
0.7
1.0
Michigan
742
839
667
713
1.0
1.1
Minnesota
335
473
475
415
1.2
0.9
Mississippi
295
345
288
276
0.9
1.0
Missouri
364
416
373
492
1.4
1.3
Montana
178
135
154
162
0.9
1.1
Nebraska
63
74
78
63
1.0
0.8
Nevada
27
28
25
26
1.0
1.0
New Hampshire
60
65
67
52
0.9
0.8
New Jersey
101
75
111
67
0.7
0.6
New Mexico
62
56
75
31
0.5
0.4
New York
651
576
651
506
0.8
0.8
North Carolina
280
259
207
215
0.8
1.0
North Dakota
57
58
74
74
1.3
1.0
Ohio
386
312
417
426
1.1
1.0
Oklahoma
125
224
199
181
1.4
0.9
Oregon
195
221
183
164
0.8
0.9
Pennsylvania
937
810
932
978
1.0
1.0
Rhode Island
15
20
6
11
0.7
1.8
South Carolina
177
228
207
161
0.9
0.8
South Dakota
66
68
68
57
0.9
0.8
Tennessee
220
266
228
242
1.1
1.1
Texas
722
752
860
814
1.1
0.9
Utah
147
109
139
102
0.7
0.7
Vermont
90
89
92
63
0.7
0.7
Virginia
309
326
313
345
1.1
1.1
Washington
177
214
156
150
0.8
1.0
West Virginia
294
343
259
244
0.8
0.9
Wisconsin
665
552
596
620
0.9
1.0
Wyoming
88
62
66
55
0.6
0.8Deer Hunting in the United States: Demographics and Trends 21
Appendix B. Trend in number of deer hunters, by state of residence: 1991–2006
(Numbers in thousands)
Number of participants
Participation rates
1991
1996
2001
2006
1991
1996
2001
2006
U.S. Total
10,277
10,722
10,272
10,062
5
5
5
4
Alabama
219
212
293
284
7
6
9
8
Alaska
9
17
18
20
2
4
4
4
Arizona
94
72
65
70
3
2
2
2
Arkansas
217
268
278
268
12
14
14
12
California
235
298
93
131
1
1
(Z)
(Z)
Colorado
108
144
72
41
4
5
2
1
Connecticut
36
51
34
29
1
2
1
1
Delaware
17
27
12
17
3
5
2
3
Florida
265
161
242
252
3
1
2
2
Georgia
259
299
307
305
5
5
5
4
Hawaii
7
11
8
9
1
1
1
1
Idaho
132
152
108
92
18
17
11
8
Illinois
277
286
252
176
3
3
3
2
Indiana
200
263
200
208
5
6
4
4
Iowa
141
178
131
164
7
8
6
7
Kansas
67
97
111
88
4
5
6
4
Kentucky
184
255
201
215
7
8
6
7
Louisiana
213
254
214
211
7
8
6
6
Maine
117
135
115
138
12
14
11
13
Maryland
114
97
106
127
3
2
3
3
Massachusetts
97
82
68
59
2
2
1
1
Michigan
713
800
640
696
10
11
8
9
Minnesota
332
463
467
410
10
13
13
10
Mississippi
248
257
221
234
13
13
10
11
Missouri
352
406
339
453
9
10
8
10
Montana
134
117
132
125
22
17
19
17
Nebraska
61
75
73
61
5
6
6
4
Nevada
32
29
24
26
4
2
2
1
New Hampshire
57
54
46
45
7
6
5
4
New Jersey
106
78
112
61
2
1
2
1
New Mexico
58
56
62
26
5
4
5
2
New York
613
552
578
464
4
4
4
3
North Carolina
289
258
221
226
6
5
4
3
North Dakota
60
61
77
72
13
13
16
14
Ohio
379
296
417
404
5
3
5
5
Oklahoma
127
218
192
180
5
9
7
7
Oregon
190
215
177
159
9
9
7
6
Pennsylvania
836
703
825
892
9
8
9
9
Rhode Island
13
16
8
11
2
2
1
1
South Carolina
139
200
191
135
5
7
6
4
South Dakota
60
56
51
54
11
10
9
9
Tennessee
214
236
201
223
6
6
5
5
Texas
713
703
857
774
6
5
6
5
Utah
137
90
128
95
12
6
8
5
Vermont
65
65
70
54
15
14
15
11
Virginia
293
324
270
310
6
6
5
5
Washington
180
210
169
156
5
5
4
3
West Virginia
237
236
208
186
17
16
14
13
Wisconsin
599
527
547
594
16
14
13
14
Wyoming
49
44
40
31
14
12
11
8
(Z) Less than 0.5 percent.U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov
August 2011
Cover photo: Joe Kosack/PGC Photo ©