Best state to hunt? (rifle, deer, rounds, safe)

[renriq02]

I have only been hunting now on my 2nd year...and was wondering what state holds the biggest bucks, turkeys, and maybe even hogs!

[Luke9686]

It all depends on WHAT you're hunting. The midwest is great for giant white tail and good sized turkeys. I'm originally from Iowa, and could take you to some prime deer/turkey habitat.

When I lived in Kansas, there were turkeys everywhere. If only you could hunt them with a rifle from 300 yards out, I wouldn't have even needed to leave my car.

There are pigs in much of the south and some of the west.

Also the midwest has great pheasant hunting.

[M3 Mitch]

Actually the western part of NC ain't bad.

Depends on what you want to hunt - Moose, Elk, Deer, you mentioned Turkey. Upland birds? Ducks/Geese?

Idaho is hard to beat. It's about the only thing Jack O'Connor and Elmer Keith agreed on. And that's saying something.

If you are not against getting wet, Louisiana isn't called the "Sportsman's Paradise" for nothing.

And of course Alaska, although, from what I read, some Alaska hunting is pretty rugged, both you and your gun will come home somewhat beat up.

From what I read on this board, Maine is pretty good, although you have to figure it will be cold and snowy in winter.

Wyoming and Montana offer something similar to Idaho, but different.

[renriq02]

deer, hog, and turkey...

whitetail

thank you everyone for posting!

[gbear48]

For moose in the lower 48: Maine , New Hampshire , and Vermont in that order.
I have hunted moose in Maine , but I did the tag lottery in New Hampshire.

[BrianH]

Have lots of businessmen fly into New Mexico (Clayton Airport) for Elk and Antelope.

[Pilot1]

Colorado. Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope, Big Horn Sheep, Whitetails. What more do you want?

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by renriq02

deer, hog, and turkey...

whitetail

thank you everyone for posting!

I'm terribly biased, but for some reason Texas springs to mind. The whitetails are smaller bodied than their northern counterparts and there isn't a lot of mulie hunting to be found, but there are great hunts to be had in every part of the state.

Hogs are everywhere. Literally, everywhere. I live in the city of Houston proper and there are wild pigs that live in the transmission line ROW about 2,000 yards from my house. HPD hunts them with dogs when they get too thick and start tearing up the grounds.

Lots of great turkey hunting as well.

Lots of great waterfowl hunting.

Lots of great dove and quail hunting.

Lots of predator hunting.

In north Texas there are huge ranches that will sell prairie dog slaughters for a nominal fee. Other ranches have a standing invitation to prairie dog hunters. I've never done it, but that looks like a lot of fun.

[slamont61]

Minnesota is a Hunter's Paradise. I'm sure other regions have decent hunting but no where else on Earth is hunting season treated as such a Holiday. Non-hunters are in the minority.

NO WHERE else on earth is the Fishing so GREAT. NO where else is the Ice Fishing so long and safe. No where else is there 10,000 lakes, nor so much forrest that is accessable. Here in Minnesota, the hunters and non-hunters get along hand in hand. Fathers and son or daughters spend more quality time together than anywhere else in the Nation.

I think hunting may be as good else where, but no where is it better. Minnesota room for everyone.

[3plains]

South Dakota.

Unpopulated and a great place to pheasant hunt, walleye fishing, antelope, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, ducks, spring snow geese.

Probably the best pheasant hunting in the world.