The beginning of deer hunting season in the United States is a time when firearms and ammunition are more readily available in certain states. A recent study published by The BMJ has found that this time is associated with an increase in both hunting-related and non-hunting-related firearm incidents, including violent crimes and suicides.
While it is expected that hunting-related incidents would increase during this period, the rise in non-hunting-related firearm incidents suggests a broader impact of greater firearm availability on various types of firearm incidents. The researchers suggest that efforts to promote firearm safety at the start of hunting season could help reduce both hunting and non-hunting-related firearm incidents.
The study looked at rates of different firearm incidents during the opening of deer hunting season in 10 US states with the highest hunting activity. These states included Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. The researchers compared the average weekly per capita rate of firearm incidents in a three-week period around the opening of deer hunting season with control periods before and after the opening day.
The results showed that the start of hunting season was associated with a 12% relative increase in the overall rate of firearm incidents. While there was a significant increase in hunting incidents during this time, there were also notable increases in non-hunting-related incidents, such as suicides, incidents involving alcohol or other substances, domestic violence, defensive use, home invasions or robberies, and incidents related to firearm carry licenses.
The researchers caution that these findings are observational and do not establish causality. They acknowledge that other factors may have influenced the results and that the study’s assumptions may not apply to all states with different hunting seasons. However, they suggest that increased firearm availability during hunting season may lower barriers for firearm use in suicide attempts and violent crimes.
Further research is needed to determine the precise causal pathways between firearm availability and firearm incidents. The researchers recommend that risk reduction efforts coinciding with the start of hunting season could help prevent hunting-related firearm injuries as well as those related to violent crime and suicide.
For more information, the study titled “Firearm availability and firearm incidents: quasi-experimental analysis using start of US hunting seasons” can be found in The BMJ. The study was published in 2025 and can be accessed via DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-082324. This study was provided by the British Medical Journal.
