Whitetail Deer Hunting Links
No matter what you want to know about a given hunting area, from the latest weather forecast to data on record-book bucks or local hunting regulations, you can jump-start your hunt by utilizing the links below.
There's an old saying, "Knowledge is power" ... and in perhaps no other endeavor is this more true than hunting trophy whitetails. All else being equal, the more you know about your hunting area and the deer in it, the better your odds of downing a wall-hanger.
On any hunt, key knowledge can take many forms. For instance, as the hunt unfolds, it obviously helps to know the short-term weather forecast. But much of the other knowledge we need can be obtained months before opening day, and far from the woods we'll be hunting. That's because we now have the Internet, which is rapidly become an invaluable tool for planning hunts.
Today's deer hunters are turning to their home computers to enhance their scouting and research efforts. Photo by Randy Templeton
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We've provided a thumbnail sketch of the current whitetail scene in every state and province that allows hunting for the species. For each location there's a link to the wildlife agency, so you can check out current information on season dates, license fees, etc. Wherever possible, we've also listed handy links to antler-scoring organizations, which can be great sources of research data for the trophy hunter.
And, in many cases we've listed links to feature stories on monster bucks taken in those locations. Some of these articles originally appeared in North American Whitetail; others are from magazines produced under the Game & Fish and Sportsman banners. (These state-specific monthly titles are part of the extensive Primedia Outdoor Group, of which North American Whitetail is also a member.)
So dive right in and start planning for a great season.
NORTH AMERICAN RECORD BOOKS
Boone and Crockett Club
Pope & Young Club
Longhunter Society
North American Shed Hunters Club
REGIONAL RECORD BOOKS
Northeast Big Bucks Club
U.S. FEDERAL HUNTING LANDS
www.fws.gov
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. WEATHER INFORMATION
www.nws.noaa.gov
CANADA WEATHER INFORMATION
www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca
SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
www.timeanddate.com
VENISON DONATIONS
www.fhfh.org
U.S. TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS/AERIAL PHOTOS
www.terraserver.com
www.terrafly.com
CANADA TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS/AERIAL PHOTOS
www.maps.nrcan.gc.ca/topographic.html
www.cfl.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/ECOLEAP/data/photo_aerial.html
STATE & PROVINCE WHITETAIL LINKS
ALABAMA
Alabama's landscape ranges from coastal marshes to farmland and rugged mountains, and whitetails thrive in all of those habitats. The "Black Belt" in the south-central portion of the state is known for big bucks and a late rut; most trophies are taken in January, the last month of a lengthy gun season.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Alabama Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
ALBERTA
Alberta has a well-deserved reputation for growing giant whitetails. Many are shot in the farmlands and river valleys of southern and eastern Alberta, but some of the biggest deer now come from the fringe of the "big bush" country west and north of Edmonton. The bow-only zone surrounding the city has yielded many trophies as well, including Wayne Zaft's huge "what if" buck in 2001.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Wayne Zaft's Archery Giant (pictured)
ARIZONA
The only whitetails in Arizona are of the Coues subspecies, a breed so unique it has its own place in the record books. Most of these "desert" whitetails live in rugged country in the southeastern part of the state. The rut is later than for most other whitetails in North America.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Coues World Record, Rocky Mountain Game & Fish Magazine
ARKANSAS
Arkansas' river bottoms, hardwood hills and rugged mountains are home to plenty of whitetails. The state has made an effort to improve the buck:doe ratio, as well as buck age structure, and a number of big deer are being harvested each year.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Arkansas Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
BRITISH COLUMBIA
British Columbia's whitetails are becoming better known, but still few nonresidents pursue them. The more mountainous southern part of the province has deer of the Northwest subspecies, and they tend to be smaller than the less numerous Dakota subspecies whitetails far to the north. Jim Brewster shot his former world record in the non-typical category near Elk River in 1905.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
COLORADO
Hunting whitetails in Colorado's eastern plains and river bottoms can be exceptionally good. Although gun hunting tends to fall outside the rut, some great deer still are taken with firearms. Bowhunters often see hot rut action in November, particularly along stream courses through this dry land.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Rocky Mountain Game & Fish Magazine
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut's deer herd is in good shape, and a surprising number of big bucks are now being shot there. Due to a high human population density, the trick often is gaining access to hunt. A bowhunter should be able to find good hunting, as even the suburbs are full of deer -- including some whoppers.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: New England Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
DELAWARE
Nobody talks much about Delaware's deer hunting, but it rivals that of neighboring Maryland -- and Maryland has some of the best trophy potential on the Eastern Seaboard. The top bucks are exceptional. Thanks to heavy agricultural use, there is ample deer food, and small woods and marshes provide ideal cover.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Mid-Atlantic Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
FLORIDA
Florida's sporting reputation is as an angler's paradise, but the state also has a lot of deer. And, on occasion, a really impressive buck is bagged. Whitetails of several subspecies are found in Florida, and because of this, you might find rut activity going on at virtually any time of year -- even summer.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Florida Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
GEORGIA
With one of the highest annual whitetail harvests in North America, Georgia is a reliable place to fill your freezer with venison. Deer numbers remain fairly low in the mountains, but there's no shortage of them in the wooded Piedmont or coastal plain. Most of the top bucks come from the southern half of the state, where there are more farms.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Georgia Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
IDAHO
Southern Idaho is legendary for giant mule deer, but farther north lies trophy whitetail country. Big bucks are shot in central and northern Idaho. As is the case with most other Western hunting today, the best prospects tend to be on private ranches with limited access.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Rocky Mountain Game & Fish Magazine
ILLINOIS
Illinois' reputation as a megabuck hotspot is well deserved. Even though there now is far more pressure on trophy deer there than was the case even a decade ago, the Prairie State keeps cranking out giants. While Pike County along the Mississippi River gets the most publicity, monsters come from all over.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Brian Damery's Top 10 Typical, Jerry Bryant's Crossbow World Record (pictured), Illinois Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Trophy Bucks
INDIANA
Indiana's liberal shotgun season during the rut has long kept the state from being a more consistent producer of big deer. Now, with an annual limit of one antlered buck, there is hope this great habitat will start producing trophies to rival those from surrounding states. The hills of southern Indiana have a great blend of cover and deer food.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Indiana Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
IOWA
Iowa was on the map as a trophy mecca long before the fall of 2003, when Tony Lovstuen shot the world's biggest whitetail ever taken by a hunter. Either-sex permits in many zones are difficult for nonresidents to draw, but those who get in are rewarded with classic farm-country hunting. Bowhunting is great in November, and a late shotgun season helps many bucks reach maturity.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Tony Lovstuen's Albia Buck (pictured), Mike Ogbourne, Iowa Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
KANSAS
While Kansas has only been open to nonresident deer hunting for a decade, it holds a special place in the minds of many trophy hunters. Most of the top bucks are shot on private land, but there's plenty of free "walk-in" hunting ground available to the public. The trick is getting a permit, especially in western and southern units.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Great Plains Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
KENTUCKY
In recent years, no other state has raised its trophy profile more than has Kentucky. Record bucks once were relatively rare, but with the advent of a one-buck annual limit more than a decade ago, the stage was set for greater trophy production. Today Boone and Crockett deer come from the western farmlands, the eastern mountains and the reclaimed coalfields in between.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Sarah Bullock, Kentucky Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
LOUISIANA
Big deer aren't common in most parts of Louisiana, but the occasional giant is taken. With limited hunting pressure, the swamp-laced farming country along the Mississippi River and some of her major tributaries can produce bucks that are huge in body and antler. Private-land management is starting to bring this trophy potential to life.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Louisiana Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
MAINE
The big woods of northern Maine are legendary for their trophy bucks in wild surroundings. Many miles of lightly hunted timberland hold promise for the hunter, particularly if he's adept at tracking. But there now are high numbers of deer -- some of them big buck -- in many of the more developed areas farther south.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: New England Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
MANITOBA
While Manitoba doesn't get the acclaim of some other whitetail areas in Canada, it annually turns out huge bucks. American gun hunters are restricted from hunting the southern farm areas, though they can do so with archery gear. The Interlake region north of Winnipeg has a reputation for trophy deer, as do thick woodlands along the Saskatchewan border.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
MARYLAND
The right parts of Maryland feature trophy hunting to rival that of many states in the Midwest -- within a few hours' drive of a huge part of the nation's hunting population. Hunting is particularly good in the farming areas on either side of Chesapeake Bay, especially for rut bowhunters. Way out west, steep mountains await those wanting a wilder experience.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Mid-Atlantic Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts stunned the whitetail world in 2002, when Whitey Sovinski shot one of the highest-scoring typicals ever taken on the East Coast. Even more amazing is that it happened on public land. Some of the best trophy hunting is in the rugged Berkshire Mountains, but big deer are coming from more developed areas as well.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: "Whitey" Sovinski (pictured), New England Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
MICHIGAN
Michigan has one of the highest annual whitetail harvests in all of North America. There are plenty of deer from the patchy woods in southern farming areas to the big woods of the Upper Peninsula. In recent years the area around Jackson has become a hotbed of trophy hunting, particularly for big typicals.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Michigan Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Trophy Bucks
MINNESOTA
Minnesota has a wide variety of deer habitat, ranging from wide-open farm country to dense North Woods. Northern Minnesota produced the largest set of whitetail sheds ever found (from a non-typical known as the "Minnesota Monarch") as well as John Breen's former world-record typical. In recent years, private-land management has begun to improve overall trophy production.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Minnesota Monarch (world-record sheds), Minnesota Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Trophy Bucks
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi has a lot of deer and some big ones. The farm country along the Mississippi Delta has a deserved reputation for trophies, but a lesser-known hotspot for big deer is the area around Starkville, in the eastern part of the state. Mississippi has a later rut than most other places, with buck activity picking up in December.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Mississippi Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
MISSOURI
As home to some of history's biggest bucks (including the all-time No. 2 Pope & Young non-typical, taken by Randy Simonitch), the Show Me State has big-deer potential. Although most trophies come from farm country north of the Missouri River, the southern half of the Show Me State turns out a surprising number of whoppers as well. The liberal rifle season falls during the rut.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records: www.missourishowmebigbucksclub.org, www.abbm.org
Featured Bucks: Randy Simonitch's No. 2 P&Y Non-Typical, Missouri Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
MONTANA
In Montana, there are two basic types of whitetail habitat: conifer-covered mountains (west) and prairie drainages (east and central). The hunting is easier in the prairies, where deer are concentrated in smaller cover, but some of the biggest bucks in recent years have come from the mountains. Permits are limited and must be drawn well in advance of the season.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Rocky Mountain Game & Fish Magazine
NEBRASKA
The world's largest known set of typical whitetail antlers was found in Nebraska in 1959. However, with limited cover and a liberal rifle season during the rut, the state produces fewer big bucks than do several neighboring states, particularly Iowa and Kansas. The best hunting tends to be along the river bottoms, which often have extremely high deer densities in late fall.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: "The General" (pictured), Great Plains Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire has never supported exceptionally high deer numbers, due to tough winters, a lack of agriculture and generally infertile native habitat. However, in recent years some tremendous bucks have been taken, including several typicals over 180 inches. The hunter who wants to get away from it all certainly can do so in the northern part of the state.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: New England Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
NEW JERSEY
Deer hunters who never have been to New Jersey might be pleasantly surprised to learn that the state has plenty of whitetails and plenty of accessible hunting land. Some great trophies have been harvested in recent years, particularly by bowhunters.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Mid-Atlantic Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
NEW MEXICO
Arid New Mexico is renowned for trophy elk, mule deer and pronghorn antelope but rarely draws mention as a whitetail destination. The state has two varieties, however: Coues whitetails inhabit southwestern New Mexico, while those of the Texas subspecies are found in pockets in central and eastern parts of the state. The Coues herds offer better overall trophy potential.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Rocky Mountain Game & Fish Magazine
NEW YORK
New York has a long whitetail tradition and a large hunting community. Big bucks have always been available in the Adirondack Mountains up north, but these days perhaps as many make their home in the northern suburbs of New York City or the thickets of Long Island. Bowhunting is especially good in these more developed areas.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: New York Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
NORTH CAROLINA
Whitetails live all over North Carolina, from Mount Mitchell (highest peak east of the Mississippi River) to the marshy sounds bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the biggest bucks have come from the central section of the state, which features a lot of private land in mixed woods and pastures.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: North Carolina Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota has never equaled the big-buck production of most of its neighbors, primarily due to a lack of cover. But over the years some great deer have lived in the state, particularly in river valleys out west and wooded hills in the northeast. An extra-early bow opener makes this one of the better places to pursue velvet-racked bucks.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Great Plains Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
OHIO
The biggest bucks in Ohio history rank as some of the biggest on earth. They include Mike Beatty's monster non-typical from 2000, the world's top deer ever shot by a bowhunter. That giant came from western Ohio, which has come on strong in recent years. However, many super bucks also live around Columbus, in the center of the state.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Mike Beatty's Archery World Record (pictured), Ohio Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
OKLAHOMA
Although not as well known for trophy whitetails as are Texas to the south and Kansas to the north, the Sooner State produces a number of high-scoring bucks each year. The habitat ranges from large stands of hardwoods and pines in the east to wide-open prairies in the Panhandle. Gun season falls during the peak of the rut in November, and gun tags are unlimited.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Oklahoma Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
ONTARIO
Whitetail hunting in Ontario is just now being discovered by Americans. The most consistent trophy hunting available to them is in the western part of the province. The woods are thick and the going can be tough, but those willing to tackle the challenge will find opportunity. Immense Lake of the Woods has potential for island-hopping hunters.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
OREGON
Western Oregon is home to the Columbian whitetail, which was for more than two decades off limits to hunting. However, in 2005 a few tags were made available, and there is now opportunity to hunt these deer near the Umpqua River at Roseburg. Whitetails of the Northwestern subspecies can be hunted in Oregon's northeastern corner, a region of rugged pine hills and deep valleys.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Washington-Oregon Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania is home to a huge population of deer hunters and an even higher number of whitetails. Due to heavy hunting pressure and liberal rifle-hunting regulations, the Keystone State has traditionally produced few record deer. However, a recent shift to more restrictive buck harvest is starting to result in higher numbers of trophy bucks.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Pennsylvania Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
RHODE ISLAND
Tiny Rhode Island isn't big enough to have a lot of deer, but some good ones are taken every fall. An overall lack of remote, undeveloped land means much of the hunting takes place in suburban areas. Muzzleloaders are allowed, but centerfire rifles are not.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: New England Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatchewan's place in whitetail history is secure. Literally dozens of Boone and Crockett bucks come from this province every year, and it's the most popular destination for American deer hunters traveling to Canada. With the exception of booking hunts on a few native reserves, U.S. residents can't hunt whitetails in the more open southern zones; they're restricted to densely wooded areas up north. Baiting is allowed and is practiced by many outfitters.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records: www.swf.sk.ca; www3.sk.sympatico.ca/saskbow/we_are.html
SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina has a lot of deer in a variety of habitats. The Lowcountry in particular is known for plantations that cater to visiting sportsmen. What's more, in that region a hunter can get an early start; gun season opens in mid-August, affording a rare opportunity to pursue bucks still in full velvet.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: South Carolina Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
SOUTH DAKOTA
In South Dakota, most of the whitetail hunting accessible to nonresidents is found west of the Missouri River, which essentially cuts the state in half. The region is arid, so the best hunting tends to be around waterways and crop fields. The Black Hills, an isolated range of heavily wooded uplands on the state's western edge, has high deer numbers.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Great Plains Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
TENNESSEE
Stretching so far east-west, from the Mississippi River to the high country of the Smoky Mountains, Tennessee offers a vast spectrum of whitetail habitats. Big bucks have come from all over, but in recent years the western farming areas and mixed woods along the Kentucky border have been most productive.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Tennessee Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
TEXAS
Texas has the highest whitetail population of any state, and one of the highest annual harvests. Most areas are at least somewhat overpopulated, but intensive management - often including supplemental feeding and high fences - has made many ranches exceptional trophy producers. Most big bucks are shot west of a line from Dallas to Corpus Christi. Leasing hunting access is a long-established tradition.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Texas Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
VERMONT
Tracking deer through snowy backwoods is the classic image of whitetail hunting in Vermont. Unfortunately, the state has traditionally had low overall hunter success rates and a lack of mature bucks. Deer scoring over 150 Boone and Crockett points are rare.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: New England Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
VIRGINIA
Diversity is the keyword for whitetail habitat in the Old Dominion. From high atop the Appalachians to the Tidewater region, hunters take record-class bucks every year. Blackpowder season, which precedes the general gun season and falls during the first part of the rut, has produced a number of trophy bucks, including a former world record in the muzzleloader non-typical category.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Virginia Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
WASHINGTON
Some parts of eastern Washington hold good numbers of whitetails, and big bucks are taken with some frequency. Alfalfa fields near thick woods are particularly good places to look. Huntable whitetail herds inhabit the mountainous north-central part of the state as well.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Washington-Oregon Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountain State has plenty of avid deer hunters, and for an Eastern state that allows unlimited numbers of rifle hunters during the rut, it yields a surprising number of record-book bucks. Still, the best trophy hunting tends to be in a handful of southern counties that have been bow-only for the past three decades.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: West Virginia Game & Fish Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Top Hunting Areas
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin, which produced James Jordan's former world-record typical buck in 1914, is one of the most famous of all whitetail states. Deer hunting is a tradition, from the suburbs of Milwaukee to the vast North Woods. Along the Mississippi River, Buffalo County's intensively managed private farms and wooded bluffs crank out record-class deer every fall.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Trophy Deer Records
Featured Bucks: Wisconsin Sportsman Magazine
2004 Deer Preview: Trophy Bucks
WYOMING
Scattered locations in Wyoming hold whitetails. The state's northeastern corner has high numbers as well as good trophy genetics; a number of huge non-typicals have been shot there, though most decades ago. With an annual nonresident permit drawing held long before the season, Wyoming isn't a place to make hunting plans at the last minute.
Hunting Seasons & Regulations
Featured Bucks: Rocky Mountain Game & Fish Magazine
