Southern deer are definitely smaller. I just about busted a gut trying to get my first PA buck into the back of my pickup by myself. I have missed more NC deer than PA deer, but I hope I am just getting better...or at least my equipment is. I started with a Bear Whitetail II bow...I have a Switchback now...big difference. Seriously, after analyzing shots on many DVD's, I think that the alertness of the deer is the primary factor in jumping the string. I have seen deer drop 6 to 8 inches in 3-4 frames of a DVD with the arrow in the picture.