Antler Nation
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
The Antler Nation grade was determined the old-fashioned way: subjectively. Our experts looked at whitetail populations, hunter numbers, bag limits, the ease and cost of getting a license, the amount of public land available and other factors when evaluating each state.
Grades:
A
B
C
D
F
State Not Yet Published
| State | Grade | Est. Whitetail Population | No. Licenses Sold Annually | Deer to Hunter Ratio | Record B&C Typical Stat | Total B&C Typical Entries | Record B&C Non-Typical Stat | Record B&C Non-Typical Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama |
C |
1,500,000 | 200,000 | 186 3/8" | 19 | 259 7/8" | 13 | |
| Arizona |
B |
95,000 | 65,000 | 144 1/8" | 373 | 196 2/8" | 119 | |
| Arkansas |
B |
1,000,000 | 300,000 | 200 1/8" | 168 | 238 3/8" | 85 | |
| Colorado |
C |
25,000 | 8,000 | 192 1/8” | 59 | 258 2/8" | 29 | |
| Connecticut |
C |
100,000 | 60,000 | 179 4/8" | 15 | 201 7/8" | 4 | |
| Delaware |
A |
45,000 | 21,000 | 185 4/8" | 19 | 208 4/8" | 10 | |
| Florida |
D |
700,000 | 110,680 | None | None | 201 3/8" | 2 | |
| Georgia |
B |
1,260,000 | 332,434 | 191 4/8" | 174 | 240 3/8" | 53 | |
| Idaho |
A |
200,000 | 23,000 | 186 7/8" | 51 | 267 4/8" | 45 | |
| Illinois |
B |
800,000 | 620,000 | 204 4/8" | 809 | 327 7/8" | 657 | |
| Indiana |
A |
Unknown | 200,000 | 195 5/8" | 521 | 303 7/8" | 306 | |
| Iowa |
B |
350,000 | 340,000 | 202" | 778 | 307 5/8" | 576 | |
| Kansas |
B |
690,000 | 108,000 | 200" | 473 | 295" | 416 | |
| Kentucky |
A |
827,355 | 196,707 | 204 2/8" | 680 | 271 7/8" | 325 | |
| Louisiana |
D |
500,000 | 195,000 | 184 6/8" | 54 | 281 6/8" | 27 | |
| Maine |
C |
220,000 | 130,000 | 193 2/8" | 114 | 259" | 46 | |
| Maryland |
A |
214,000 | 118,000 | 194" | 67 | 248 7/8" | 36 | |
| Massachusetts |
C |
100,000 | 84,000 | 193 3/8" | 19 | 201” | 7 | |
| Michigan |
C |
Unknown | 1,300,000 (tags sold) | 198" | 196 | 246 2/8" | 106 | |
| Minnesota |
C |
750,000 | 550,000 | 202" | 731 | 268 5/8" | 480 | |
| Mississippi |
B |
2,000,000 | 176,728 | 184 6/8" | 109 | 295 6/8" | 70 | |
| Missouri |
B |
1,400,000 | 483,000 | 205" | 529 | 333 7/8" | 373 | |
| Montana |
B |
210,000 | 145,000 (whitetail and mule deer) | 199 3/8" | 97 | 252 1/8" | 58 | |
| Nebraska |
B |
280,000 | 130,000 | 199 2/8" | 223 | 284" | 142 | |
| New Hampshire |
B |
100,000 | 70,000 | 187 2/8" | 45 | 222 7/8" | 9 | |
| New Jersey |
B |
110,000 | 75,000 | 189 4/8" | 8 | 203 3/8" | 4 | |
| New Mexico |
C |
12,000 | 36,000 (includes mule deer and whitetail) | 176 3/8" | 2 whitetail; 49 Coues | 186 1/8" | 9 Coues | |
| New York |
B |
1,000,000 | 750,000 | 198 3/8" | 90 | 244 2/8" | 31 | |
| North Carolina |
C |
1,000,000 | 250,000 | 181 7/8” | 32 | 228 4/8” | 6 | |
| North Dakota |
B |
N/A | 49,000 | N/A | 195 2/8" | 80 | 254 6/8" | 49 |
| Ohio |
A |
750,000 | 400,000 | 201 1/8" | 643 | 328 2/8" | 430 | |
| Oklahoma |
A |
530,000 | 200,000 | 192 5/8" | 102 | 247 2/8" | 139 | |
| Oregon |
D |
13,000 | 160,000 (whitetail, mule deer and blacktail) | 178 2/8" | 6 | 189" | 1 | |
| Pennsylvania |
C |
1,300,000 | 800,000 | 188" | 74 | 230 2/8" | 37 | |
| Rhode Island |
C |
19,000 | 17,000 | 176 4/8" | 4 | None | None | |
| South Carolina |
D |
730,000 | 145,000 | 176" | 10 | 208 5/8" | 3 | |
| South Dakota |
B |
250,000 | 100,000 (includes mule deer) | 194 1/8” | 138 | 256 1/8" | 70 | |
| Tennessee |
B |
700,000 | 240,000 | 186 1/8" | 43 | 312" | 28 | |
| Texas |
B |
5,596,000 | 1,213,000 | 196 4/8" | 500 | 284 3/8" | 279 | |
| Vermont |
B |
135,000 | 70,000 | 1:1 | 181" | 16 | 190 6/8" | 2 |
| Virginia |
B |
1,000,000 | 75,000 | 189 2/8" | 107 | 257 4/8" | 51 | |
| Washington |
B |
110,000 | 150,000 (includes whitetails, mule deer and blacktails) | 200 3/8" | 24 | 242 4/8" | 40 | |
| West Virginia |
B |
640,000 | 281,000 | 188 7/8” | 36 | 231 5/8" | 15 | |
| Wisconsin |
B |
1,000,000 | 830,000 | 206 1/8" | 1314 | 253" | 522 | |
| Wyoming |
B |
60,000 | 28,600 | 191 5/8" | 15 | 261 5/8" | 25 |
New Mexico
C
Population: 12,000
No. Licenses Sold Annually: 36,000 (includes mule deer and whitetail)
Oregon
D
Population: 13,000
No. Licenses Sold Annually: 160,000 (whitetail, mule deer and blacktail)
Washington
B
Population: 110,000
No. Licenses Sold Annually: 150,000 (includes whitetails, mule deer and blacktails)
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