10 Best States for Public Land Bowhunting in 2026
Our ranked list of the top 10 states for public land bowhunters — based on public acreage, tag availability, deer quality, and overall opportunity.
For the committed public land bowhunter, access, tag availability, and deer quality all matter. Here's our ranked list of the 10 best states for 2026 based on all three factors.
1. Iowa: The crown jewel of whitetail hunting. Consistently leads the nation in Boone & Crockett entries. Non-resident archery tags are first-come, first-served on April 1 — set your alarm. The gene pool here is extraordinary.
2. Illinois: The southern Illinois river bottoms between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers produce world-class bucks every season. Non-resident tags are limited but Shawnee National Forest offers 280,000 acres of public access.
3. Colorado: OTC archery elk tags, spectacular September rut hunting, and some of the most dramatic landscapes in North American hunting. White River National Forest alone offers 2.3 million acres.
4. Kansas: The WIHA program opens over 1.2 million acres of private land to public hunters. OTC archery deer for residents, draw for non-residents. River bottom whitetails rival any state.
5. Wisconsin: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the Driftless Area, and 1.5 million acres of county forest make Wisconsin severely underrated for public land whitetail hunting.
6. Idaho: North Idaho Panhandle whitetails and Frank Church Wilderness elk make Idaho a two-species bucket list destination. OTC archery elk tags available in most units.
7. Montana: Block Management Program access, OTC archery elk in most units, and the most dramatic scenery in America. Non-resident costs are high but the experience is unmatched.
8. Michigan: 9.5 million acres of public hunting land — more than almost any state east of the Mississippi. The Upper Peninsula elk herd is a bonus for lucky draw applicants.
9. Missouri: Mark Twain National Forest plus 800+ Conservation Areas provide excellent public hunting. October through November is exceptional for Ozarks whitetail.
10. Oklahoma: OTC archery deer tags plus an excellent WMA system in SE Oklahoma. Underrated and significantly less pressure than neighboring states.