What makes a BIG Buck state?

[Rich M]

Others have mentioned one of them, which I think is the most important. Gun hunting during the rut. Seems like that is a pretty common thread among the "big buck" states. Imagine what Missouri could be like...or Nebraska could be like? Cross the border, you have Iowa and KS. And add to that, limited amount of tags in both of those states.

I know my state, the winter with poor food is the killer. Deer just struggle to make it on a hard winter. 2008-2009 about wiped the deer herd out in this state. Add coyotes to the mix, along with a 4 week rifle season starting Nov 1 and then 2 more weeks of muzzy...deer herd takes it on the chin. Just tough for them to survive.

I always saw Maine as a big buck state - my uncle's man cave shows that too. He doesn't shoot a deer every year and often goes 5 yrs between big deer but he gets some nice ones. His biggest is a typical 10 with about a 24 inch spread (very "perfect" rack - 200 dressed - I've not seen it in person - my impressed father was telling me about it), he's also got an 8 that doesn't have brows with 18/20 inches inside and 8-10 inch tines (230-240 dressed - seen that one). His largest was 245 dressed 7 pt with 18 inch or so inside spread. He's not much of a hunter either - just walks around in the woods for 2 weeks during the rifle season and shoots at them when he sees em. They hunt logging land around Moosehead and share it with one of the guide companies up there. So, I know a guy who can't hunt who has 12 or so racks on his wall from 200# class bucks that would probably go 120-130 or better, up to maybe 160/170/180 for the big one. Imagine what a Beast could do...

I always saw true big bucks states as having large bodied deer - the bigger the body, the bigger the horns.

[whitetailassasin]

Hunting pressure and harsh winters put a hurting on all deer including mature bucks. I believe higher pressured areas put very high stress on deer, changing there natural habits of eating, sleeping, etc. The harsh winters also can really play a major role with lack of food, stress of weather, and make it difficult for a mature buck to regain that size and strength he lost during rut. Just my two cents to add to an already great list.

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[msailor]

I can think of several states that are known as big buck states that have a rifle season during the rut; and I'm not gonna name them so people stay out .

In order 1) soils/agriculture, 2) having few people and/or rural areas where age structure can be established and 3) maybe conservative harvest regs depending on the number of hunters.

Oh yeah, and you got to have habitat...there's a reason no one travels to southwest MN to hunt.

I don't think anyone disagree that there are big buck states with rifle season during the rut...just imagine what they would be like WITHOUT rifle season during the rut. I just think about states side by side...pretty much the same terrain, same habitat but one state is hands down better than the other. I just think about NE and MO. Here in New England, Massachusetts produces some of the biggest archery bucks in all of New England -- no gun hunting until after the rut.

But if your not a bowhunter, I am guessing, you would want a state that allows a rifle rut hunt.

Agreed, Maine. States like MO would have a better age structure if rifle season was taken out of the rut. I really don't mind it, however. I enjoy hunting with a rifle during the rut and the State has chosen to manage for opportunity rather than trophy potential. Just like elk in CO vs AZ. If ricky bobby from the Ozarks is happy shooting a basket rack every year, who am I to tell him different. If I want a better age structure, I can just head to another state or region in MO.

[Buck snort]

1.) Limestone

2.) Buck Management

3.) Lots of Private land

[dan]

iT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT BYOUR DEFINITION OF A BIG BUCK IS... For some people its 130 class, for some its 170+, and for some it has to do with age structure... If we are talking age structure, any state "could" be a big buck state... In my opinion there is not one state that has a good plan... They can manage walleyes, but not deer...

They all want to have deer hunting be for meat hunters, even though they have priced meat hunters out. No one hunts for food anymore. That would be a loosing proposition. It costs more to hunt than you gain from meat... B4 you get all worked up, yea, I know some of you hunt cause you like venison, but you could buy a lot more beef by giving up hunting and working more instead...

That means that hunters now-a-days are looking for adventure. Therefore it would be a much better thing, and much more attractive to hunters to manage for age (like walleyes) rather than managing numbers in a way as to make majority of deer get killed as 1.5 year old babys...

Ok, so what makes Wisconsin better than most if we are talking antler size even though we also have bad management? Genetics and habitat would be my opinion... The vast marshes and swamps keep the bucks from getting slaughtered in the S.E. area, and the large amount of public with low pressure is what helps in the rest of the state. And as far as the private goes, we have a lot of areas where people are working together to let young bucks grow up.

[cbigbear]

I always saw true big bucks states as having large bodied deer - the bigger the body, the bigger the horns.

This is very region specific & likely holds true in the North. But look at South TX not uncommon to have a 170" buck bottoming the scales at 180lbs.

[mainebowhunter]

Others have mentioned one of them, which I think is the most important. Gun hunting during the rut. Seems like that is a pretty common thread among the "big buck" states. Imagine what Missouri could be like...or Nebraska could be like? Cross the border, you have Iowa and KS. And add to that, limited amount of tags in both of those states.

I know my state, the winter with poor food is the killer. Deer just struggle to make it on a hard winter. 2008-2009 about wiped the deer herd out in this state. Add coyotes to the mix, along with a 4 week rifle season starting Nov 1 and then 2 more weeks of muzzy...deer herd takes it on the chin. Just tough for them to survive.

I always saw Maine as a big buck state - my uncle's man cave shows that too. He doesn't shoot a deer every year and often goes 5 yrs between big deer but he gets some nice ones. His biggest is a typical 10 with about a 24 inch spread (very "perfect" rack - 200 dressed - I've not seen it in person - my impressed father was telling me about it), he's also got an 8 that doesn't have brows with 18/20 inches inside and 8-10 inch tines (230-240 dressed - seen that one). His largest was 245 dressed 7 pt with 18 inch or so inside spread. He's not much of a hunter either - just walks around in the woods for 2 weeks during the rifle season and shoots at them when he sees em. They hunt logging land around Moosehead and share it with one of the guide companies up there. So, I know a guy who can't hunt who has 12 or so racks on his wall from 200# class bucks that would probably go 120-130 or better, up to maybe 160/170/180 for the big one. Imagine what a Beast could do...

I always saw true big bucks states as having large bodied deer - the bigger the body, the bigger the horns.

Maine ranks in the bottom worst states in the country to hunt. We do have big bucks...just as a lot of states have big bucks. With only 20k deer harvested annually, we are not climbing to the charts as a destination state to hunt whitetails. If you want a lot of open country and miles to walk, we have it. But you may walk miles and miles without ever laying eyes on a big buck. Trust, lived here all my life. That being said, I am an archery hunter only. Have not hunted with a rifle in years. But to say killing a good one with a rifle would be easy...that would not be true.

And honestly, thats how a lot of big deer die every season. Guys with rifles just walking around, no preseason scouting. Nothing. And that is why the rut with rifles is what makes the difference in a lot of states. There are not many guys that do it on a regular basis even with a rifle.

I think what classifies a big buck state has to involve harvest numbers and the odds of a hunter killing one.

[Rutnstrut]

People name WI as a state to look up to management wise. That really makes me laugh. WI has a decent number of mature bucks DESPITE what the WI DNR does to wreck that. Imagine what this state could be, and it would be simple.

No group bagging
No baiting
raise non resident fees and make them a draw system
manage select public lands for wildlife primarily deer. Make these spots archery only and on a draw system.
No late season doe hunts
more predator management.
ONE buck per hunter a year.

[fishlips]

People name WI as a state to look up to management wise. That really makes me laugh. WI has a decent number of mature bucks DESPITE what the WI DNR does to wreck that. Imagine what this state could be, and it would be simple.

No group bagging
No baiting
raise non resident fees and make them a draw system
manage select public lands for wildlife primarily deer. Make these spots archery only and on a draw system.
No late season doe hunts
more predator management.
ONE buck per hunter a year.

Seems like a fair amount of DNR property has some part of it managed for pheasants, waterfowl, or even turkeys, but seems like rarely do you hear of them managing any of the habitat for deer. I suppose some of it has to do with how adaptable they are and they benefit from most of the habitat work of the other animals. It would be awesome to see some sort of plan to improve age structure on the public like some private land owners do. You'd almost have to do it on a property level because there is no way you could make all properties in one deer unit a draw tag. People would lose their minds here in WI.

[bowkill00]

Food, genetics, limited gun season, not Alabama. I thought I new what a big buck was until I hunted the midwest. I was wrong

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[DaveT1963]

In some states, many will go an entire lifetime never having an opportunity to see a 140+ buck on public land.

[Dewey]

People name WI as a state to look up to management wise. That really makes me laugh. WI has a decent number of mature bucks DESPITE what the WI DNR does to wreck that. Imagine what this state could be, and it would be simple.

No group bagging
No baiting
raise non resident fees and make them a draw system
manage select public lands for wildlife primarily deer. Make these spots archery only and on a draw system.
No late season doe hunts
more predator management.
ONE buck per hunter a year.

Good post.

Don't get me wrong WI is a great state for big bucks but we haven't even come close to seeing it great potential and likely never will under the current framework. Northern part of the state is a complete joke compared how it was even 10 years ago.

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[Rutnstrut]

People name WI as a state to look up to management wise. That really makes me laugh. WI has a decent number of mature bucks DESPITE what the WI DNR does to wreck that. Imagine what this state could be, and it would be simple.

No group bagging
No baiting
raise non resident fees and make them a draw system
manage select public lands for wildlife primarily deer. Make these spots archery only and on a draw system.
No late season doe hunts
more predator management.
ONE buck per hunter a year.

Seems like a fair amount of DNR property has some part of it managed for pheasants, waterfowl, or even turkeys, but seems like rarely do you hear of them managing any of the habitat for deer. I suppose some of it has to do with how adaptable they are and they benefit from most of the habitat work of the other animals. It would be awesome to see some sort of plan to improve age structure on the public like some private land owners do. You'd almost have to do it on a property level because there is no way you could make all properties in one deer unit a draw tag. People would lose their minds here in WI.

It would really be quite simple. They take a handful of public lands and start with timber management, put in some food plots and access trails with deer hunting access in mind. They limit it to archery only, limited number of hunters on a draw system. Sure some people would and whine at first. But as mature/big buck sightings/kills increase, they will have more supporters than whiners. Once it becomes successful, and it would. They could really up the price of the draw. Not only would it be a win for those properties, but others in the area. Plus once it catches on, every county could have areas like this. it would be a huge draw for non-residents and hunters from other parts of the state. It would be an economic and PR boost for the DNR. It would be an economic boost for the area(s). The biggest opposition to this would be the 2 or 3 day a year gun only slobhunters.

[trapper57]

I think cover and terrain is a big deal.
In Wi we have the cover and terrain to harbor big deer.
The Bucks need a place to escape and hide out.
Wisconsin despite poor management has the cover.
We have big woods,marsh,swamp,hill country with steep ravines.
Whatever makes it tough to hunt makes for big bucks.

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[Rich M]

Maine - I hunted ME, NH, VT from 78/79-1996 when I moved to FL. ME was where the guys from the New England states went to hunt big bucks. Even the Benoit Boys gave up the Green Mountains for ME when they could. All that being said, there are different zones and yes, you can hunt years without seeing a buck. I've been there. That being said, I do feel I have an unfair advantage now that I've read a bunch of big-woods hunting posts on here. And Yes - this deaf guys is a rifle hunter cause I'd starve to death with a bow.

Texas and a few other places being exceptions. Saskatchewan, IL, ME, etc. Mostly northern states, larger bodied deer. If we took every buck that dressed over 200#, we'd be finding some decent racks, just cause the bucks are big bodied and a proportionate rack is bigger.

Farm deer are a different animal altogether. Hunted those in CT - walk the corn in August and see 50-60 nice bucks on a 1,000-acre farm, archery opens, corn cut, deer gone.

Dan - are you saying that meat hunting aint right? LOL! I'm meat hunter first - was raised with lean limits (1 deer/yr) and to shoot meat. My wife also has health issues so I shoot 90% of the red meat we eat annually, the rest is expensive organic stuff. Now, my nephew is raising organic grass-fed beef and we might get it at about $5/pound. Momma told me to buy 100# cow and no lease next year - public land only! OUCH. Now I gotta learn how to hunt for real...