What should you hunt?
Filter all 166 species by type, the weapon you already own, and whether it makes a good first hunt (51 of them do). Every match links to a full profile. Prefer the big picture? See the master species table. ⚠️ Seasons and legal methods vary by state - check the regulations directory before you go.
Addax
The addax is a pale desert antelope that has all but vanished from its native Sahara, yet thrives on the exotic-game ranches of…
American Alligator
The American alligator is one of the great wildlife conservation success stories in U.S.
American Badger
The American badger is a powerful, low-slung digging predator of the open prairies and sagebrush, taken by predator and fur…
American Black Duck
The American black duck is often called the wariest dabbling duck in North America, and hunters who consistently fool them earn a…
American Wigeon
The American wigeon is one of the most distinctive and rewarding dabbling ducks a waterfowler can pursue, prized as much for its…
American Woodcock
The American woodcock is one of the most charismatic and beloved game birds in the eastern United States - an oddly shaped,…
Antelope Jackrabbit
The antelope jackrabbit is the largest hare in North America, a long-eared sprinter of the southern Arizona desert named for the…
Aoudad
The aoudad - also called the Barbary sheep - is one of the most exciting free-range exotic big-game animals in the United States.
Arctic Fox
The Arctic fox is a small, hardy predator of the far northern tundra and coasts, taken by northern fur and predator hunters for…
Argali
The argali is the largest wild sheep in the world, the giant of the mountains of Central Asia whose Marco Polo subspecies carries…
Asian Water Buffalo
The Asian water buffalo is a massive wild bovine hunted as free-range game in Australia's Northern Territory and on exotic…
Axis Deer
The axis deer - also called the chital - is widely considered one of the most beautiful big-game animals a U.S.
Band-tailed Pigeon
The band-tailed pigeon is the largest native pigeon in North America and one of the West's most overlooked game birds.
Banteng
The banteng is a wild Southeast Asian ox hunted as free-range game in Australia's Northern Territory, where a small introduced…
Barasingha
The barasingha, or swamp deer, is one of the most elegant of all deer - a tall, wetland-loving animal whose Hindi name means…
Barrow's Goldeneye
Barrow's goldeneye is a striking diving duck of western and northern waters, a prized and less common cousin of the common…
Bison
The American bison is the largest land animal in North America and one of the most powerful symbols of the continent's wild…
Black Bear
The black bear is North America's most widespread bear and an increasingly popular big-game pursuit for hunters who want…
Black Scoter
The black scoter is the smallest and most all-dark of the three North American scoters, a hardy sea duck hunted from layout boats…
Black Wildebeest
The black wildebeest, or white-tailed gnu, is a quirky, high-energy antelope of the South African highveld, known for its…
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
The black-tailed jackrabbit is not actually a rabbit but a hare - a big, long-eared, open-country runner built for speed across…
Blackbuck
The blackbuck is one of the most elegant and challenging exotic big-game animals in the United States, a true antelope native to…
Blesbok
The blesbok is a handsome, medium-sized antelope of the South African highveld, named for the white blaze on its face.
Blue Duiker
The blue duiker is the smallest of Africa's duikers and one of the tiniest antelope a hunter can pursue, a shy forest dwarf and a…
Blue-winged Teal
The blue-winged teal is one of the smallest and most abundant dabbling ducks in North America, and it offers new waterfowlers a…
Bobcat
The bobcat is North America's most widespread wild cat and a prized quarry for predator and furbearer hunters.
Bobwhite Quail
The northern bobwhite is the classic quail of the American South and Midwest, a small, fast-flushing upland bird steeped in…
Bontebok
The bontebok is a richly marked, chocolate-and-white antelope of the South African coastal fynbos, and one of Africa's great…
Brant
Brant are small, fast sea geese hunted along both US coasts, prized by waterfowlers for their coastal-only range, their tricky…
Bufflehead
The bufflehead is the smallest diving duck in North America, and its bold black-and-white drake makes it one of the most…
Burchell's Zebra
Burchell's zebra is a staple plains-game animal, prized for its striking striped hide and challenging as a surprisingly tough,…
Bushbuck
The bushbuck is a small, secretive spiral-horned antelope often called the "poor man's kudu" for the challenge it offers in thick…
Bushpig
The bushpig is a powerful, largely nocturnal wild pig of Africa's forests and thickets, hunted over bait, with hounds, or by…
Cackling Goose
The cackling goose is the compact, small-bodied cousin of the Canada goose, only recently recognized as a separate species.
California Quail
The California quail, also called the valley quail, is one of the West's most beloved upland gamebirds and a fine introduction to…
Canada Goose
The Canada goose is North America's most familiar waterfowl - a big, vocal, intelligent bird that has become both a prized game…
Canvasback
The canvasback is the largest diving duck in North America and one of the most respected trophies in all of waterfowling.
Cape Buffalo
The Cape buffalo is the most dangerous of Africa's Big Five and the benchmark of dangerous-game hunting.
Cape Grysbok
The Cape grysbok is a small, secretive antelope of the dense fynbos and thicket of the southern Cape, a coveted "tiny ten" trophy…
Caribou
The caribou is the great wanderer of the North American big-game world - a member of the deer family uniquely adapted to the open…
Chamois
The chamois is a small, agile goat-antelope of the high mountains, and hunting one is as much a test of legs and lungs as of…
Chukar
The chukar is a tough, handsome upland game bird that has earned a near-mythical reputation among Western hunters - and a saying…
Cinnamon Teal
The cinnamon teal is a small dabbling duck of the American West, and for hunters in the Pacific and western Central flyways it is…
Columbia Blacktail Deer
The Columbia blacktail deer is the deer of the rainy Pacific coast - a coastal subspecies of the mule deer, adapted to the dense,…
Common Eider
The common eider is the largest duck in North America and the premier trophy of northern sea-duck hunting.
Common Goldeneye
The common goldeneye is a hardy diving duck of big, cold water, prized by late-season hunters who don't mind ice in the decoy…
Common Merganser
The common merganser is a large, fish-eating diving duck often called a "sawbill" for its serrated, hook-tipped bill built to…
Common Reedbuck
The common reedbuck is a graceful, water-loving antelope of the tall grass and reedbeds, hunted along floodplains and marsh edges…
Corsican Ram (Ovis aries (feral hybrid))
The Corsican ram is a hardy hybrid sheep raised and hunted on ranches across Texas and the American South, popular as an…
Coues Deer
The Coues deer - pronounced "cows" - is the diminutive desert whitetail of the American Southwest, a subspecies of the…
Coyote
The coyote is North America's most adaptable wild predator and one of the most popular targets for varmint and predator hunters.
Dall Sheep
The Dall sheep is the white wild sheep of the far north - a striking, snow-colored animal of Alaska's and the Yukon's high…
Desert Bighorn Sheep
The desert bighorn sheep is the wild sheep of the American Southwest - a hardy, heat-adapted survivor of some of the harshest…
Desert Cottontail
The desert cottontail is the common rabbit of the arid Southwest and Great Basin, a staple small-game target across sagebrush,…
Dusky Grouse
The dusky grouse is one of the largest grouse in North America and a classic prize of high western mountains.
Eastern Cottontail
The eastern cottontail is the most widespread and commonly hunted rabbit in North America, and rabbit hunting remains one of the…
Eland
The common eland is the largest antelope on earth, an ox-like giant that can rival a cape buffalo in body mass while carrying…
Elk
The elk is the animal that turns deer hunters into mountain hunters.
Eurasian Collared-Dove
The Eurasian collared-dove is a large, pale gray dove that is not native to North America, and it has become one of the most…
Fallow Deer
The fallow deer is one of the most beautiful and widely distributed exotic big-game animals in the United States, prized for the…
Feral Hog
The feral hog is unlike any other big-game animal an American hunter will pursue.
Fox Squirrel
The fox squirrel is the largest tree squirrel in North America and one of the finest introductory game animals a new hunter can…
Gadwall
The gadwall is one of the most underrated ducks in North America and a quietly rewarding bird for the beginning waterfowler.
Gambel's Quail
The Gambel's quail is the signature upland gamebird of the American Southwest and one of the most enjoyable pursuits a new bird…
Gemsbok
The gemsbok is a magnificent African oryx that has established free-ranging herds in the American Southwest, most famously across…
Gray Fox
The gray fox is the red fox's quieter, more secretive cousin - a smaller predator of brushy woodlands that offers some of the…
Gray Partridge
The gray partridge - also widely known as the Hungarian partridge, or simply the "Hun" - is a compact, fast-flying upland game…
Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is, for countless American hunters, the very first game they ever pursued - and it remains one of the…
Gray Wolf
In the states and provinces where populations have recovered and seasons are open, the gray wolf is one of the most challenging…
Greater Kudu
The greater kudu is one of Africa's most beautiful spiral-horned antelope, and it has become a common and sought-after exotic on…
Greater Prairie-Chicken
The greater prairie-chicken is a grassland grouse of the American tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie, famous for the spectacular…
Greater Sage-Grouse
The greater sage-grouse is the largest grouse in North America and an icon of the western sagebrush sea.
Greater White-fronted Goose
The greater white-fronted goose, known to hunters as the "specklebelly" or simply "speck," is one of the most prized geese in…
Green-winged Teal
The green-winged teal is the smallest dabbling duck in North America, and it gives waterfowlers a fast, decoy-friendly bird that…
Grey Duiker
The grey, or common, duiker is a small bush-loving antelope found across most of sub-Saharan Africa, often hunted at dusk and by…
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear is one of North America's most iconic and powerful big-game animals - and also one of the most legally…
Himalayan Snowcock
The Himalayan snowcock is a large exotic game bird introduced to the Ruby Mountains of Nevada, offering one of the most…
Himalayan Tahr
The Himalayan tahr is a shaggy, powerfully built mountain goat-antelope native to the high Himalaya and, since a long-ago…
Hog Deer
The hog deer is a small, stocky, low-slung deer that hunts nothing like its taller relatives.
Hooded Merganser
The hooded merganser is a small fish-eating diving duck and one of the most striking birds a waterfowler can bring to hand.
Ibex
The ibex is the iconic wild mountain goat of the high country, instantly recognized by the massive, backward-sweeping scimitar…
Impala
The impala is the antelope most hunters meet first on the African plains, and it is hard to imagine a better introduction to…
Javelina
The javelina - also called the collared peccary - is the desert Southwest's most accessible and underrated big-game animal.
King Eider
The king eider is the most spectacular of the sea ducks and one of the great trophies of hardcore waterfowling, hunted in the…
Klipspringer
The klipspringer is a tiny, rock-loving antelope that lives on kopjes and cliffs, bouncing between boulders on the very tips of…
Lesser Scaup
The lesser scaup is one of the most abundant diving ducks in North America, and for many waterfowlers it is the bird that defines…
Lichtenstein's Hartebeest
Lichtenstein's hartebeest is a tawny, high-shouldered antelope of the miombo woodland of south-central Africa, a less common and…
Long-tailed Duck
The long-tailed duck, formerly called the oldsquaw, is a fast, elegant sea duck of northern coasts and a prized sea-duck trophy.
Mallard
The mallard is the most abundant, widely distributed, and recognizable duck in North America, and for most waterfowlers it is the…
Markhor
The markhor is the largest wild goat and the national animal of Pakistan, famous for the dramatic corkscrew horns of a mature…
Marsh Rabbit
The marsh rabbit is a small, dark, water-loving cottontail of the southeastern wetlands, a strong swimmer often hunted along…
Montezuma Quail
The Montezuma quail, also called Mearns quail, is a shy, boldly patterned little quail of the oak-grass mountains of the…
Moose
The moose is the largest member of the deer family on Earth and the heavyweight of North American big game.
Mottled Duck
The mottled duck is a distinctly Southern bird, a resident dabbler of the Gulf Coast marshes and peninsular Florida that rarely…
Mouflon
The mouflon is a wild sheep widely regarded as the ancestor of all domestic sheep, and across the ranches of the Texas Hill…
Mountain Goat
The mountain goat is North America's true alpine specialist - a shaggy, white, sure-footed climber that lives higher and on…
Mountain Lion
The mountain lion - also called cougar, puma, panther, or catamount - is North America's large, secretive cat and the continent's…
Mountain Quail
The mountain quail is the largest quail in the United States and one of the most beautiful, wearing a long, straight head plume…
Mountain Reedbuck
The mountain reedbuck is a small, agile antelope of rocky hillsides and grassy slopes, offering a challenging spot-and-stalk hunt…
Mourning Dove
The mourning dove is the most widely hunted game bird in the United States, and for millions of hunters it marks the true start…
Mule Deer
The mule deer is the iconic deer of the American West - a big-eared, high-country wanderer that defines the experience of hunting…
Muskox
The muskox is a shaggy, ice-age survivor of the Arctic tundra and one of the most remarkable and hard-won big-game animals a…
Nilgai
The nilgai is the largest antelope native to Asia and, thanks to ranch introductions a century ago, one of the most distinctive…
Northern Pintail
The northern pintail is one of North America's most elegant ducks - a slender, long-necked dabbler the drake of which sports the…
Northern Shoveler
The northern shoveler is one of the most recognizable ducks on any marsh, thanks to the enormous spatula-shaped bill that gives…
Nyala
The nyala is a strikingly handsome spiral-horned antelope of southeastern Africa and a coveted plains-game trophy.
Oribi
The oribi is a slender, graceful little antelope of open grassland, one of the prized "tiny ten" trophies and a genuine challenge…
Prairie Dog
The black-tailed prairie dog is the quintessential Western varmint and one of the most popular targets for long-range rimfire and…
Pronghorn
The pronghorn - often called the "speed goat" or simply the antelope, though it is neither a goat nor a true antelope - is the…
Puku
The puku is a golden, water-loving antelope of the floodplains of south-central Africa, a close relative of the lechwe and a…
Raccoon
The raccoon is one of America's most familiar mammals and a cornerstone of the country's furbearer and predator hunting tradition.
Red Fox
The red fox is the classic predator and furbearer of the North American hunter's imagination - sharp, wary, and beautiful in its…
Red Hartebeest
The red hartebeest is a tall, oddly proportioned plains antelope of southern Africa, prized for its stamina and the long stalks…
Red Lechwe
The red lechwe is a water-loving antelope of the floodplains and swamps, famous for splashing through shallow water at speed.
Red Squirrel
The American red squirrel, or pine squirrel, is a small, feisty tree squirrel of northern and mountain conifer forests, a…
Red Stag
The red stag is the European cousin of the North American elk and one of the most prized exotic big-game animals a hunter can…
Redhead
The redhead is a hardy, fast-flying diving duck that pulls waterfowlers off the shallow marsh and onto big water.
Ring-necked Duck
The ring-necked duck is a small diving duck that hunts more like a puddle duck than the big-water diver it technically is.
Ring-necked Pheasant
The ring-necked pheasant is an iconic upland game bird and, for many American hunters, the gateway to wing-shooting behind a dog.
Roan Antelope
The roan is one of Africa's largest and most prestigious antelopes, a horse-like giant of the wooded savanna prized as a premier,…
Rock Ptarmigan
The rock ptarmigan is the high-alpine cousin of the willow ptarmigan, a bird of windswept ridges, scree and Arctic tundra.
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep
The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep is the largest of North America's wild sheep and, for many hunters, the ultimate big-game trophy.
Roe Deer
The roe deer is a small, elegant deer of Europe and the classic quarry of the Continental and British stalker.
Roosevelt Elk
The Roosevelt elk is the largest-bodied of North America's elk subspecies - a heavy, dark, rainforest-dwelling animal that…
Ross's Goose
Ross's goose is a diminutive white goose, essentially a miniature snow goose, that mixes into the great white-goose flocks of the…
Ruddy Duck
The ruddy duck is one of North America's most distinctive little waterfowl - a tiny, energetic diving duck with a stiff cocked…
Ruffed Grouse
The ruffed grouse is the king of the northern forest uplands - a fast, secretive woodland bird often called the "king of game…
Rusa Deer
The rusa deer is a handsome tropical deer with a rut that can be heard across a valley.
Sable Antelope
The sable antelope is widely considered one of the most striking and coveted trophies in all of African hunting.
Sambar Deer
The sambar is one of the largest deer in the world and an impressive exotic big-game animal for hunters in the United States,…
Sandhill Crane
The sandhill crane is one of the most rewarding and challenging waterfowl-style hunts in North America.
Scaled Quail
The scaled quail is the running ghost of the arid Southwest, a pale desert gamebird that rewards hunters willing to cover ground…
Scimitar-horned Oryx
The scimitar-horned oryx is a striking North African antelope that has become one of the great conservation stories of modern…
Sharp-tailed Grouse
The sharp-tailed grouse is one of North America's premier prairie game birds - a fast, wild-flushing native of the northern…
Sika Deer
The sika deer is not a true deer of the whitetail mold but a small, dark, elk relative native to East Asia.
Sitatunga
The sitatunga is a secretive, swamp-dwelling spiral-horned antelope, one of the most challenging and specialized plains-game…
Sitka Blacktail Deer
The Sitka blacktail deer is a small, stocky subspecies of mule deer native to the wet coastal rainforests of Southeast Alaska and…
Snow Goose
The snow goose is a mid-sized North American goose famous for two things: its dazzling white plumage and its sheer abundance.
Snowshoe Hare
The snowshoe hare is a beloved small-game quarry of the northern forests, offering one of the most accessible and affordable…
Sooty Grouse
The sooty grouse is a large mountain grouse of the Pacific coastal ranges, once lumped with the dusky grouse as the "blue…
Sora
The sora is one of the most overlooked game birds in North America, and that is exactly why it deserves a closer look.
Springbok
The springbok is South Africa's national animal and one of the most popular open-plains hunts on the continent.
Spruce Grouse
The spruce grouse is a bird of the deep northern conifer forest, and hunting it is as much about getting into wild country as it…
Steenbok
The steenbok is a small, bright rufous antelope of the open plains and scrub, common across southern Africa and often taken as a…
Stone Sheep
The Stone sheep is one of North America's most coveted and difficult mountain-game animals - a dark-coated wild sheep of the high…
Suni
The suni is one of Africa's smallest antelopes and among the most difficult of the "tiny ten" to hunt, a shy dwarf of dense…
Surf Scoter
The surf scoter is a striking black sea duck of both coasts, a favorite of the sea-duck crowd for its bold white head markings…
Swamp Rabbit
The swamp rabbit, or "cane-cutter," is the largest cottontail in North America and a classic quarry of southern bottomland hunts,…
Teal
Teal are the smallest dabbling ducks in North America, and they offer some of the most fast-paced, accessible, and…
Tsessebe
The tsessebe is the fastest antelope in Africa and one of the more challenging plains-game trophies, prized by hunters who enjoy…
Tule Elk
The tule elk is North America's smallest elk subspecies and a remarkable conservation comeback story.
Tundra Swan
The tundra swan is North America's most common wild swan and a rare, permit-only waterfowl trophy in the handful of states that…
Vaal Rhebok
The vaal rhebok, or grey rhebok, is a woolly-coated mountain antelope of the high plateaus of South Africa, widely considered one…
Virginia Opossum
The Virginia opossum is North America's only native marsupial and one of the more unusual animals a hunter can pursue.
Warthog
The warthog is one of the most popular plains-game animals in Africa - abundant, fun to hunt, and a favorite of both rifle and…
Waterbuck
The waterbuck is a large, shaggy antelope known for its long forward-curving horns and the distinctive white "toilet-seat" ring…
White-tailed Jackrabbit
The white-tailed jackrabbit is a large hare of the northern plains and high sagebrush country, a fast, wide-open small-game…
White-tailed Ptarmigan
The white-tailed ptarmigan is the smallest ptarmigan and the only one native to the alpine peaks of the lower 48, living above…
White-winged Scoter
The white-winged scoter is the largest of the three North American scoters and a hardy sea-duck trophy, hunted from layout boats…
Whitetail Deer
The whitetail deer is the most widely hunted big-game animal in North America, and for good reason.
Wild Turkey
The wild turkey is the crown jewel of North American game birds and arguably the most thrilling small-game pursuit a beginning…
Wildebeest
The wildebeest, or gnu, is one of the iconic plains animals of Africa and a staple of the plains-game safari.
Willow Ptarmigan
The willow ptarmigan is a hardy northern grouse of the tundra and willow country, and the classic wing-shooting bird of Alaska…
Wilson's Snipe
The Wilson's snipe is one of the most challenging and rewarding wingshooting targets in North America, a real and respected…
Wood Duck
The wood duck is widely considered the most beautiful waterfowl species in North America, and for many hunters it is the bird…
Woodchuck
The woodchuck, also known as the groundhog, is the classic North American varmint - a big burrowing rodent that has taught more…
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Weapon tags are read from each profile's methods and gear sections - "rifle" includes rimfire and muzzleloader mentions. What is legal for a given species in your state is a different question: always verify locally.