The 2024-25 national deer hunt in North America from Texas to Saskatchewan has ended with mixed preliminary results.
In its Deer Report 2025, the National Deer Association (NDA) compared preliminary results with 2023 and 2024 progress.
The report shows Illinois increased its total harvest of deer to 88,000 head in 2024 above the 2023 season. Additionally, 44% of this deer came from archers using bows and other long-range weapons, an exemplary hunting method.
After Michigan’s 2024 season ended 11% down from 2023’s baggings, the state extended its 2025 season to January 12.
Maryland meanwhile upped its 2024 harvest by 24% over that of 2023, thanks to muzzleloaders and archery.
States that saw their bounty heads depreciate were Nebraska, West Virginia and Wisconsin, with Nebraska losing 2% year-on-year.
2025’s Preliminaries
Preliminary results from the 44 states that hunt deer in the United States show Nebraska recovering while Missouri losing in 2025.
According to the Nebraska Games and Parks (NGP)’s data, success rates for mule deer this season improved in western Nebraska. However, the numbers of the most valuable species of deer in North America, the whitetail, are down in northeast Nebraska.
Missouri, in its part, completed its deer harvest on January 15, 2025, with the head count 15% down, year-on-year.
Still, Missouri’s 2025 harvest numbers at 276,262 head, 129,252 of which antlered bucks, are still top 5 nationwide.
In the 2023-24 season, Missouri finished fifth nationally for antlered bucks at 147,850. It also ranked the third top-performing state for antlerless deer at 178,598 head.
Only Texas and Pennsylvania felled more anterless deer in the 2023-24 season, with the Cowboy State also tops for antlered bucks.
Pennsylvania’s lead is significant for anterless deer hunt totals in 2024 decreased by 5% in the Northeast, where PA belongs.
The 2024-25 deer hunt across the U.S. and Canada therefore shows mixed baggings for deer meat lovers. The data below however shows that the deer population is burgeoning in the United States, from recent years’ statistics.
United States Deer Hunt Statistics
Deer hunting is a constructive pastime in the United States that seeks to prevent crop damage by cutting numbers responsibly. As of 2024, there were around 36 million deer in the United States. This is a staggering figure for it shows a drastic recovery from just 32 million in 2020. Texas has perennially led the deer harvest count each year as it has approximately 5.5 million deer. This number is almost equal to the 6 million deer that Americans harvest each year.
Which states led the 2023 American deer harvest?
Texas led both the American anterless deer harvest in 2023 at 314,972 head and antlered buck harvest at 424,892 head. In the second position for antlerless deer was Pennsylvania at 258, 410 head while Michigan was runner-up in antlered buck count at 207,449 head. Missouri wrapped up the top 3 for antlerless deer at 178,598. The table below further visualizes data by the National Deer Association (NDA):
| State | Antlered Bucks [2023] | Anterless Deer [2023] |
| Texas | 424,892 | 314,972 |
| Pennsylvania | – | 258,410 |
| Michigan | 207,449 | – |
| Missouri | 147,850 | 178,598 |
| Georgia | – | 163,742 |
| Alabama | – | 158,212 |