[quoteHere are the results of the top two hundred rifle being combined with the top hundred bow entries:

Period……………………number entered……………………..average antler score
> - 1931.…………………….16.……………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦............170.0
1931-1940.………………….22.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............170.3
1941-1950.………………….43.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............175.4
1951-1960.………………….19.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............172.6
1961-1970.………………….16.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............169.1
1971-1980.………………….11.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............165.6
1981-1990.………………….42.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............168.4
1991-2000.………………….77.………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............164.3
2001 - >……………………..54.……………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.............168.3
][/quote]

Here is another way of looking at the data RSB posted. The biggest buck were produced from 1931 to 1970 , which was the period with the highest DD and the worst over browsing in the NC counties. As the herd was reduced from 1980 to the 1998 the average antler score decreased. Then from 1998 to the present the herd, the combined effects of a record deer population still didn't produce the quality of buck that were harvested in 1941 to 1950.