ORIGINAL: RockinChair
ORIGINAL: bugsNbows
You do realize that, as a general scientific rule, species tend to get larger the further North one goes. The winters tend to be worse "up north" and critters need the extra body mass for warmth and survival. Compare the big brusiers of Sask. or Alberta to central and NE U.S. bucks. Same deal.
+1. Bergmann's Rule-- states that body mass of a geographic race is in direct relation to the distance from equator.
This is very true. You dont see Moose sized animals in South America.
Deer in TX and IL are different types of the same species. For that matter, deer in Zavala County TX and deer in Brazos County, TX are different sub-species. Different antler growth, diffent body mass, color phoses...etc.
The monster deer you see coming out of TX are almost always out of South TX, free ranging ones anyway.
Look at the size of Canadian Whitetail, their body mass is often bigger than Muledeer.