North America bowhunters harvest more than 1 million large game animals annually.

In a recent comprehensive survey of the North Americans bowhunting for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus columbians), during 2004, wildlife biologist, C.J. Winand estimates the total deer population in North America to be more than 34,844,000. This is an increase of approximately 364,200 since 2003. Steady population growth during the past 50 years indicates that the white-tailed deer has adapted extraordinarily well to the changes that have occurred in agriculture, forestry and suburban development in recent decades.

Texas is the state with the largest deer population, estimated to be more than 4 million animals. Wisconsin, which covers a significantly smaller area, contains more than 1.7 million deer and has one of the highest population destinies.  Additional states with more than 1 million deer include Pennsylvania, Alabama, Louisiana and Minnesota.

The number of licensed bowhunters has increased by 5,986 for a total of 3,082,852, nationwide. Together these hunters harvested 981,130 white-tailed deer, mule deer and black-tailed deer, an increase of 15,660 animals from the previous season. When additional game species, such as black bear, brown bear, moose, elk, caribou and pronghorn antelope are included in these calculations the total number of North American game animals harvested with the bow and arrow reaches well over 1 million.

Mississippi bowhunters have the highest “success rate” with 54 % of licensed bowhunters managing to harvest an animal. Illinois and Iowa (50 %) share a close second-place position followed by Kansas (46 %). In other words, on average, every second bowhunter in these states managed to harvest a deer.

The state of Michigan still has the largest number of bowhunters (310,000) and here every third hunter harvests a deer. Pennsylvania is the state with the second-largest number of hunters who choose to use the bow and arrow (282,100), while third-place Wisconsin is home to 251,979 bowhunters.

If one compares, for instance, with Sweden’s extensive firearms-based hunt for moose (Alces alces), the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency states that during the 2003/2004 season, 103,185 moose were harvested. This represents a slight increase from 2002 when gun hunters took 102,854 of this species.

Source: “Bowhunter Magazine” October 2005. C.J. Winand thanks all biologists, wildlife professionals and participants who helped compile information for this comprehensive study.