I was in central PA this past week for the start of their Rifle season. Our group was lucky enough to get several bucks and a few does. But what struck me in the two days I was there was the significant size difference in their body size compared to those out here in Nebraska. The Nebraska deer are 9"-12" taller at the shoulder than similarly aged PA deer, and likely 40-60 lbs heavier, at least.

I know the predominant answer is going to be nutrition, that NE deer are corn fed, etc., but the PA deer we were shooting were farmland deer also, and had a mess of corn in their stomachs, have much more available water, white oaks, red oaks (Nebraska only has red), many more pine saplings (do they eat pine saplings?), etc.

Is it the winter forage? The nutrients in the soil, genetics, or what?

Thanks.