15 states seasoned hunters often advise avoiding

Every hunter has a mental map of states that are more trouble than they are worth. Regulations, access, and costs can turn a dream trip into a headache fast. Based on what seasoned hunters say and what state agencies put in print, these 15 states routinely land on the “think twice” list for anyone planning a big hunt.

1. California’s Firearm Waiting Periods

California’s 10-day waiting period for firearm purchases, created under AB 857 in 2001, is the first red flag for traveling hunters. If you arrive planning to buy a rifle or shotgun after you get there, that mandatory delay can wipe out an entire week-long trip. The rule applies to standard hunting rifles and shotguns, not just tactical gear.

For nonresidents, that means you either haul your own guns across the country or risk losing your hunt to the clock. Add in the state’s complex transport and storage rules and many seasoned hunters decide their time and money are better spent where they can adapt on the fly if gear issues pop up.

2. New York’s SAFE Act Restrictions

New York’s big-game potential is undercut by the New York Safe Act of 2013, which bans many defined assault weapons and requires background checks for all ammunition purchases. Hunters who rely on modern semi-auto platforms or who buy ammo after they arrive run into extra steps and delays. The law’s impact on gun owners is laid out in detail by state advocates.

For traveling hunters, that means planning around which rifles are legal, where you can buy ammo, and how long checks might take. Those complications do not make New York unhuntable, but they do make it far less attractive than states where you can show up, buy a box of cartridges, and head straight for the trailhead.

3. New Jersey’s Limited Public Lands

New Jersey’s problem is not game numbers, it is space. The state’s own 2022 hunting guide reports that urban sprawl and overpopulation have squeezed public hunting lands down to about 5 percent of the state. If you do not have private access, your odds of finding an uncrowded deer spot are slim, especially near the bigger towns and highways.

That pressure is why groups like New Jersey Chapter and Anglers push hard for more Sunday opportunity and better access. Until that changes, many traveling hunters look at the map, see how little ground is open, and move their plans to a state with room to roam.

4. Illinois’ High Non-Resident Fees

Illinois grows big whitetails, but the price tag for outsiders is steep. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources lists a non-resident deer hunting license at $451 as of 2023, the highest in the Midwest. That fee comes before you factor in habitat stamps, travel, lodging, and time off work, which can push a single rut hunt into serious money.

Veteran hunters weigh that cost against draw odds and access. If you are not locked into quality private ground, paying $451 for a tag that might put you on crowded public land is a tough sell. Many decide that neighboring states with cheaper licenses and similar deer numbers give them better value for the same week of vacation.

5. Massachusetts’ Sunday Hunting Limits

Massachusetts long banned Sunday hunting outright, and even after a 2022 pilot program opened limited Sunday access in select zones, the state remains tough on weekend warriors. A MassWildlife survey found that 70 percent of hunters report overcrowding issues, which is no surprise when most pressure is forced into six days instead of seven.

For nonresidents who can only spare a long weekend, losing Sunday cuts your effective hunting time by a third. Efforts in States like Connecticut, Massachusetts, New to expand Sunday opportunity show how outdated these limits are. Until Massachusetts fully opens Sundays, many hunters will keep driving north or west.

6. Connecticut’s Mandatory Education Rules

Connecticut adds another hoop that can trip up traveling hunters. The state’s 2023 regulations require every hunter to complete a mandatory hunter education course within the last 10 years. DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes backs fines of up to $500 for anyone who cannot document that recent certification, even if they were licensed for decades elsewhere.

For seasoned hunters who took their course once in the 1980s, that means retaking a class or skipping the state entirely. Outfitters and landowners have to double-check paperwork, and a simple oversight can turn into a costly ticket. Many hunters prefer states that honor older certifications without a strict 10-year clock.

7. Hawaii’s Mainland-Style Hunting Bans

Hawaii looks like a dream destination, but its hunting reality is narrow. Under 1998 rules from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, the state prohibits most mainland-style big game hunting as part of invasive species control. Instead of classic elk or deer seasons, opportunities are largely limited to feral pig hunts on specific islands with tight access rules.

For hunters used to broad public-land options, that limited menu is a dealbreaker. Travel costs to the islands are already high, and when the payoff is a short, heavily regulated pig hunt, many decide to save their money for a Western trip where they can chase multiple species across large tracts of public ground.

8. Maryland’s Lead Ammo Ban

Maryland’s 2021 decision to ban lead ammunition for waterfowl hunting reshaped how many hunters load their shotguns. The Department of Natural Resources now requires non-toxic shot exclusively, and the agency notes that this switch has increased costs by about 30 percent for upland bird hunters who share gear and ammo across seasons.

Non-toxic loads work, but they are not cheap, especially in high-volume shooting. For budget-conscious hunters, that extra 30 percent on shells, stacked on travel and license fees, can push Maryland behind neighboring states that still allow traditional lead for certain hunts while targeting waterfowl with non-toxic shot only.

9. Delaware’s Scarce Public Acres

Delaware is tiny, and its public hunting footprint is even smaller. State reports show only about 20,000 acres of public hunting land as of 2023, less than 2 percent of the state. When turkey season opens, that limited ground fills quickly, and competition for prime roost areas can be intense, especially on weekends.

For nonresidents, the math is simple: long drives, small parcels, and crowded parking lots. Without private invitations, you are likely to spend more time jockeying for position than working birds. Many seasoned turkey hunters steer toward states with larger wildlife areas and more flexible access systems.

10. Rhode Island’s Few Management Areas

Rhode Island’s hunting access is even tighter. The 2022 hunting guide lists only four public wildlife management areas totaling about 1,500 acres statewide. That is a tiny patchwork for a dense population, and it means every open gate can feel like a small-town range day once the season hits full swing.

Non-resident hunters face the worst of it, competing with locals who know every corner of those parcels. With so little room to spread out, pressure-sensitive deer and small game quickly adjust. Many traveling hunters decide that the license and travel costs are hard to justify when they could cross a border and find ten times the acreage.

11. Oregon’s Concealed Carry Permit Hurdles

Oregon’s hunting culture is strong, but its firearm rules have grown more complicated. Measure 114, passed in 2019, requires a permit for certain carry situations that affect how hunters move between open carry in the field and concealed carry in towns. According to OSWA data, approval rates for those permits sit below 50 percent, leaving many applicants in limbo.

For nonresidents who like to keep a sidearm on them from camp to gas station, that uncertainty is a real concern. The state’s own overview of Oregon hunting regulations already runs long, and layering permit questions on top makes some hunters look to states with clearer, more permissive carry rules.

12. Washington’s Early Cougar Season Closures

Washington’s cougar management has turned into a moving target. In 2023, the state’s quota system closed seasons early in 14 of 25 units after only 15 tags were filled, a point highlighted by WDFW Director Kelly Susewind. Hunters who planned late-season predator trips suddenly found their units shut down before they could even lace up boots.

That unpredictability makes it hard to justify long-distance travel for cougar tags. If a handful of early-successful hunters can close a unit, anyone booking flights or guides later in the season is gambling with their wallet. Many experienced predator hunters now favor states where quotas are higher or seasons are more stable.

13. Colorado’s Quick Tag Sellouts

Colorado still draws elk hunters from everywhere, but getting a tag has become a race. Over-the-counter elk tags for nonresidents sold out in under two hours in 2022, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. On top of that, draw odds for some archery units sit around 5 percent, turning a once-reliable trip into a lottery.

For hunters who plan a year out, that kind of scramble is exhausting. You need fast internet, backup units, and a Plan C if everything sells out. Many veterans now split their elk plans between Colorado and states where over-the-counter tags last more than a morning and draw odds are not quite so brutal.

14. Nevada’s Restricted Public Lands

Nevada looks wide open on a map, but only about 7 percent of its land is accessible for hunting according to 2023 maps from the Nevada Department of Wildlife. That limited access, combined with extreme desert terrain, makes marquee hunts like bighorn sheep especially tough for do-it-yourself hunters.

Guide Jim Keen notes that realistic bighorn hunts often require guides costing $10,000 or more. When you add that to travel, gear, and scouting, Nevada becomes a high-roller destination. Most everyday hunters decide their money goes further in states where public land is easier to reach and trophy tags do not demand five-figure outfitter bills.

15. Alaska’s Costly Remote Access

Alaska promises adventure, but the logistics are brutal. For many moose hunts, remote access requires float plane charters averaging about $1,500 per hunter. Alaska Department of Fish and Game data from 2023 show roughly 60 percent failure rates on these hunts because of weather and related delays, even for well-prepared groups.

Those numbers explain why budget-conscious hunters are often advised to hold off on Alaska. You can spend thousands before you ever see a legal bull, and storms can still pin you in camp or keep planes grounded. Until you have the time and money to absorb that risk, lower-48 hunts usually offer a better return on investment.