State Wildlife Agencies

All the states have an agency responsible for wildlife management. Twenty three states have a standalone wildlife agency. Three states have a standalone agency responsible for both wildlife and state parks. Twenty four states have a wildlife agency that is part of a larger natural resources or environmental department.

Most state wildlife agencies were established in the late 1800s or early 1900s and originally had the word “game” in their names. Over time, most of them replaced “game” with “wildlife” to reflect a broader mission that included species that are not hunted. However, 11 state wildlife agencies still use “game” in their names (Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wyoming).

Use the Find Your State menu to learn more about the wildlife agency in your state.