Everyone talks about Ohio and other states as having huge populations of BIG deer. I think it depends on your area and what land you have access to. I hunt an area that has moderate pressure especially gun season. I see allot of deer every year. In the few years I've been hunting the area (6-7) I've seen 3-4 bucks over the 120-130 mark (the biggest of which is in my avatar) A mature deer in one area may not sport the headgear my buck did. Genetics plays a big role here. I think overpopulation or over hunting of bucks cause alot of smaller racked bucks over time. Then you have other places that have huge racked younger deer. Are they "out there"... well I think so. Here a 120 is probably not a bad goal. You may eat tag soup some years though.

Basically if your hunting 1000 acres you can "look" harder for the bigger ones. But if your like me and hunt smaller plots then your not going to have the same chances. Same goes of public land or private. There is an advantage to private land. No one should argue that. I killed mine on a 12.5 acre lot (allot of which is unhuntable due to a house and yard) so I don't have a huge advantage over public. And trust me I have some of the same problems like ATVs on the neighbors property etc.

Every area isn't holding the next world record, or a 180, 150, or even 120. But I think a few mature deer exist everywhere, regardless of the antler size.