Key Points:
- Texas has the highest deer population with 5.5 million!
- Rhode Island only has 18,000 deer and Delaware’s count comes in at 45,000.
- There are an estimated 36 million deer in the United States.
How many deer live in the United States? They seem to be everywhere, but how populous are they? Let’s find out.
Classic Forest Creature
Deer are popular among hunters and wildlife watchers. They are classic forest creatures who feature in wilderness stories and artwork. Deer live in almost every country of the world.
Where do deer live?
Deer prefer forested areas where they can find vegetation to eat. However, they have adapted well to many environments. They live in every state of the country, and their numbers are stable.
What do deer eat?
They are mostly herbivores who eat browse, which is a collective term for all types of roots, twigs, bark, grass, leaves, and other vegetation. As any gardener knows, deer also eat fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Deer enjoy eating mushrooms, nuts, berries, pumpkins, spinach, and apples. When resources are scarce, they will eat insects and small animals.
Mule deer are one of the main deer species found in the United States.
©iStock.com/EEI_Tony
What Is Their Population in the United States?
There are an estimated 35 to 36 million deer in the U.S.
Once hunted almost to extinction, they have made a successful recovery. In some states, deer are so plentiful that regular hunting is needed to keep a balanced ecosystem. Deer are a favorite big game animal. Most states have yearly hunting seasons that help keep deer populations in check.
Deer are plentiful, and people who enjoy watching wildlife will find many opportunities to see them roaming free in forests and parks all over the country.
For these numbers, we have included all deer species. That includes white-tail deer, mule deer, black-tail deer, and a handful of rare deer species.
Alabama: 1.75 million
Alabama’s deer are all white-tails.
Alaska: 340,000
All of Alaska’s deer are black-tail deer.
Arkansas: 1.1 Million
White-tail deer are the official animal of Arkansas
White-tail deer are common in most states.
©Volodymyr Burdiak/Shutterstock.com
Arizona: 160,000
Arizona has white-tails and mule deer.
California: 460,000
These are black-tail and mule deer.
Colorado: 427,500
These numbers are for mule deer and white-tail deer
Connecticut: 101,000
The state has white-tail deer only.
Delaware: 45,000
Delaware only has white-tail deer.
Key deer can only be found in the Florida Keys.
©Arend Trent/Shutterstock.com
Florida: 550,000 to 700,000
Florida has a healthy deer population that includes a large number of white-tails and fewer than 1,000 rare Key deer.
Georgia: 1.27 million
Georgia only has white-tail deer.
White-tailed deer are one of the dominant species of deer in the U.S.
©Amy Lutz/Shutterstock.com
Hawaii: 112,000
Hawaii has about 1,000 black-tail deer and 110,000 Axis deer. Both species were introduced to Hawaii, but they have not damaged Hawaii’s native ecosystems.
Idaho: 750,000
Idaho has about 520,000 white-tails, and the rest are mule deer.
Illinois: 660,000
Illinois only has white-tails.
Indiana: 680,000
Indiana only has white-tail deer.
Iowa: 445,000
Iowa’s deer are all white-tails.
Kansas: 700,000
Kansas has about 50,000 mule deer, and the rest are white-tails.
Kentucky: 1 million
All of these are white-tail deer.
Louisiana: 500,000
Louisiana only has white-tail deer.
Maine: 290,000 to 300,000
Maine only has white-tail deer.
Sika deer are native to Japan but have been introduced to the wild in Maryland with no problem to the ecosystem.
©Martin Mecnarowski/Shutterstock.com
Maryland: 217,000
Maryland’s deer population includes 207,000 white-tail deer and about 10,000 Sika deer. Sika deer are native to Japan, but a small herd of them was introduced to the wild from a private farm. They have adapted well and currently coexist peacefully with the state’s native ecosystems.
Massachusetts: 95,000
They are all white-tail deer.
Michigan: 2 million
Michigan’s many deer are all white-tails.
Minnesota: 1 million
Minnesota only has white-tail deer.
Mississippi: 1.75 million
Mississippi’s many deer are white-tails.
Missouri: 1.4 million
Only white-tail deer live here.
Montana: 507,000
Montana has about 300,000 mule deer and about 213,000 white-tail deer. The two species live in different parts of the state.
White-tailed deer can be found in many of the United States.
©Tony Campbell/Shutterstock.com
Nebraska: 430,000
Nebraska’s deer population includes 300,000 white-tail deer and 130,000 mule deer.
Nevada: 85,000 to 90,000
Nevada only has mule deer.
New Hampshire: 100,000
They are all white-tail deer.
New Jersey: 125,000
New Jersey’s deer are all white-tails.
New Mexico: 90,000 to 115,000
New Mexico is home to mule deer, Coue deer, and Texas white-tails.
New York: 1.2 million
They are all white-tail deer.
North Carolina: 1 million
There are only white-tail deer in North Carolina.
North Dakota: 150,000
The state is home to 20,000 mule deer and 130,000 white-tail deer.
Ohio: 700,000 to 750,000
Ohio only has white-tail deer.
Oklahoma: 750,000
Oklahoma has about 2,00 to 3,000 mule deer, and the rest are white-tail deer. As in other states, deer tend to live in different regions.
Oregon: 400,000 to 420,000
Oregon has two species of white-tail deer. It also has about 320,000 black-tail deer, and the rest are mule deer.
Pennsylvania: 1.5 million
All of Pennsylvania’s deer are white-tails.
North Dakota is home to 20,000 mule deer and 130,000 white-tail deer.
©iStock.com/Elizabeth Lara
Rhode Island: 18,000
Rhode Island only has white-tail deer.
South Carolina: 730,000
South Carolina’s deer are all white-tails.
South Dakota: 500,000
South Dakota has more than 80,000 mule deer and 420,000 white-tail deer.
Tennessee: 900,000
Tennessee’s deer are all white-tails.
Texas: 5.5 million
Texas is home to around 225,000 mule deer and millions of white-tail deer.
Utah: 315,000
Only about 1,000 of these deer are white-tail deer. The rest are mule deer.
Vermont: 133,000
They’re all white-tails deer.
Virginia: 1 million
Virginia has a healthy population of white-tail deer.
White-tail bucks are prised for their rack of antlers.
©iStock.com/Lynn_Bystrom
Washington: 305,000
Washington has the most variety of deer. It has around 100,000 white-tail deer, 100,000 mule deer, 100,000 black-tail deer, and more than 5,000 Columbian white-tail deer. The Columbian white-tail is a rare species named after the Columbia River. These deer live on a series of islands along the river.
West Virginia: 550,000
They are all white-tail deer.
Wisconsin: 1.6 million
Wisconsin only has white-tail deer.
Wyoming: 400,000
Wyoming is home to 70,000 white-tail deer and about 330,000 mule deer. Hunting for mule deer is more popular in Wyoming than hunting for white-tail deer.
Bonus: Why Do Deer Sleep in My Yard?
Deer will make a home base in your yard if the food is plentiful and it is safe.
©Ginger Livingston Sanders/Shutterstock.com
As animals are forced out of their habitats by human development, you may have noticed that deer sightings are becoming more frequent. If you live in an area with some wooded areas in between houses you may be surprised to learn that deer don’t roam very far and can be content to live in 100 yards of area if it is safe from predators and has plenty of food and water. Often, a residential area fits the bill just perfectly.
Deer tend to sleep during the day – so you may be surprised to look out your window to find a deer (or several) resting under a thicket of shrubs in your own backyard. Creatures of habit like deer may decide to call your home theirs and remain for the rest of their life! If you have a garden they will help themselves to it – as well as any flowers and shrubs you may have planted. If there are multiple deer they could destroy all of it and become unwanted pests.
If you have plenty of space and choose to coexist with these lovely animals that is fine – but be aware that deer carry ticks that transmit Lyme Disease. This confusing disease remains with infected people for life and causes a range of symptoms that make it difficult to diagnose. Lyme Disease causes aching muscles, joint pains, constant fatigue, fever, and headaches. Because of exploding deer populations and more deer encroaching on urban spaces – as many as one million people per year are diagnosed.
There are ways to deter deer from taking residence in your yard – and if you have children or dogs it would be a good idea to keep them out. You can grow plants they don’t like or use commercial deer repellant. If your yard is wooded and you don’t use it much you could just relax and enjoy providing them a safe haven.
| State | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | 1.75 million |
| 2 | Alaska | 340,000 |
| 3 | Arkansas | 1.1 Million |
| 4 | Arizona | 160,000 |
| 5 | California | 460,000 |
| 6 | Colorado | 427,500 |
| 7 | Connecticut | 101,000 |
| 8 | Delaware | 45,000 |
| 9 | Florida | 550,000 to 700,000 |
| 10 | Georgia | 1.27 million |
| 11 | Hawaii | 112,000 |
| 12 | Idaho | 750,000 |
| 13 | Illinois | 660,000 |
| 14 | Indiana | 680,000 |
| 15 | Iowa | 445,000 |
| 16 | Kansas | 700,000 |
| 17 | Kentucky | 1 million |
| 18 | Louisiana | 500,000 |
| 19 | Maine | 290,000 to 300,000 |
| 20 | Maryland | 217,000 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | 95,000 |
| 22 | Michigan | 2 million |
| 23 | Minnesota | 1 million |
| 24 | Mississippi | 1.75 million |
| 25 | Missouri | 1.4 million |
| 26 | Montana | 507,000 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 430,000 |
| 28 | Nevada | 85,000 to 90,000 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | 100,000 |
| 30 | New Jersey | 125,000 |
| 31 | New Mexico | 90,000 to 115,000 |
| 32 | New York | 1.2 million |
| 33 | North Carolina | 1 million |
| 34 | North Dakota | 150,000 |
| 35 | Ohio | 700,000 to 750,000 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | 750,000 |
| 37 | Oregon | 400,000 to 420,000 |
| 38 | Pennsylvannia | 1.5 million |
| 39 | Rhode Island | 18,000 |
| 40 | South Carolina | 730,000 |
| 41 | South Dakota | 500,000 |
| 42 | Tennessee | 900,000 |
| 43 | Texas | 5.5 million |
| 44 | Utah | 315,000 |
| 45 | Vermont | 133,000 |
| 46 | Viginia | 1 million |
| 47 | Washington | 305,000 |
| 48 | West Virginia | 550,000 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | 1.6 million |
| 50 | Wyoming | 400,000 |
The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Karel Bock
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Which states have the most deer?
- Kentucky: 1 million
- Michigan: 2 million
- Mississippi: 1.75 million
- New York: 1.2 million
- Pennsylvania: 1.5 million
- Texas: 5.5 million
- Wisconsin: 1.6 million
Why do so many states allow deer hunting?
While deer are prey for some large carnivores, there are not enough of these predators to keep deer numbers in check. Deer hunting plays an important role in keeping ecosystems balanced. If the deer population gets too large, it can damage forest growth and destroy native vegetation. Regular hunting ensures that a state will only have the number of deer its ecosystems can support.
Where can you see deer?
It is easy to see deer in most U.S. state parks, reserves, and even suburban yards. Deer adapt to changing environments, and that adaptability has helped them make a strong comeback.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
Sources
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