Fresh off my annual multi-state fall hunting tour—part of the occupational hazard of being an outdoor television host, former magazine editor and book author (I know, it’s a dirty job…)—it seems an opportune time to assess the state of hunting. That is, with more Americans than ever ditching daily commutes for the chance to finally live where they can celebrate their lifestyle rather than simply earning a living, let’s countdown the 10 best states to be a hunter. This highly subjective dream list of places to move to if you love to hunt—or have always wanted to source tenderloins yourself—is derived from a couple of decades of traveling with rifles and shotguns, staying in motels that didn’t mind Labradors all the while visiting remote corners of our country. This ranking is based on the variety and abundance of available species, quality of game (size matters, after all), access to both public and private ground, hunting culture, and the simplicity—or complexity—of game laws in each state. Drum roll, please….
