The onset of deer hunting season in the United States marks the return of hunters and coincides with a sudden rise in community-wide firearm injuries and fatalities, many of which are unrelated to hunting activities. The researchers took advantage of the predictable timing of deer hunting season to study how additional firearms affected local communities within a short period. Research data demonstrates that gun ownership increases during the opening of hunting season, leading to more firearm-related crimes, suicides, domestic disputes, and violent acts. Previous studies have indicated that increased gun ownership leads to higher firearm-related mortality, but researchers have struggled to demonstrate that this connection directly causes death.
Researchers have identified the starting period of hunting seasons as a unique research opportunity because it occurs annually, independent of crime trends or private firearm acquisition choices. The seasonal nature of hunting represents the most natural occurrence of a randomized experiment in the real world. Each year, during fall and early winter, the American hunting season triggers millions of people to purchase firearms, especially rifles and handguns. The increased availability of firearms extends beyond hunting territories since hunters from urban and suburban areas also access these guns for their purposes. The analysis centered on hunting accidents over three years, from 2016 to 2019, in Alabama, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The researchers used data from wildlife agencies and local sources to identify the precise start dates of firearm deer hunting seasons in each state. The research examined firearm incident statistics about hunting accidents and suicides, as well as domestic violence and violent events from the pre-season through the post-season period. Researchers applied multiple analytical methods and varied definitions of the “season opener” used to verify data precision. Firearm incidents increased by 12.3% on average throughout ten states during the whole of the opening week when compared with the baseline incident rate. The substantial jump of 566% in hunting-related injuries proves how intense the hunting activities have become. Wildlife agency records indicated that 32 states held hunting seasons starting between late October and early December.
The researchers targeted their evaluation on the 10 states with the most active hunting regulations to demonstrate that firearm increases in circulation directly affect public safety. Firearms incidents increased by 12.3% (95% CI: 3.0% to 21.6%) across all studied states when deer hunting started, compared to the rest of the three-week period, including the season opener (P<0.01). The analysis showed that hunting-related incidents experienced the most significant increase, with their number rising by 566% during the study period (95% CI: 479% to 653% and P<0.01).
During the opener week, the statistics for all non-hunting firearm incidents demonstrated substantial growth. Several types of firearm incidents unrelated to hunting increased significantly throughout the first week of deer hunting season. The temporary surge in firearm availability was linked to an 11.1% increase in firearm suicides (95% CI: 1.1%–21.2%, P=0.03). The temporary surge in firearm availability was linked to an 11.1% increase in firearm suicides (95% CI: 1.1%–21.2%, P=0.03). The combined rates of alcohol and substance-related incidents increased 87.5% (95% CI: 43.4% to 131.4%), which suggests firearms become more dangerous when affected by such substances.
Statistics show that firearm usage in domestic violence escalated by 27.4% (95% CI: 6.9% to 48.0%) as homeowners increased defensive firearm use by 27.8% in response to attacks. Firearm-related property intrusions where firearms were used experienced a 30.4% growth (95% CI: 7.0% to 53.8%) while incidents linked to carry licenses increased by 19.4% (95% CI: 6.6% to 32.1%, P<0.01). Hunting seasons activate more firearm circulation, which apparently extends firearm-related injury risks throughout the hunting season beyond hunting accidents.
The study discovered that increased firearms incidents lasted only through the initial week of hunting season because hunting activity became lower after the opening week. Research findings point to a direct correlation between firearm accessibility and temporary use during that period since the incident rise occurred.
Research results demonstrate that an elevated gun market availability, such as during authorized activities, supports the quick escalation of firearm injuries affecting broader population safety. Results from this study demonstrate that risks that go beyond hunters will also produce incidents of everyday violence and self-harm. To address this risk period, researchers suggest using three preventive strategies: educational outreach efforts, safe temporary storage methods, and mental health service programs starting with the hunting season onset. The research suggests that the traditional American hunting tradition leads to extensive harm and occasionally fatal results when people carry guns for brief periods.
References: Worsham CM, Bray CF, Jena AB. Firearm availability and firearm incidents: quasi-experimental analysis using start of US hunting seasons. BMJ. 2025;389:e082324. doi:10.1136/bmj-2024-082324
