I also go by my personal experience in the field, and I am telling you that the buck hunting in the places I frequent has never been better in all my years of hunting. I have had either sightings, missed opportunities or seen hunters in my family take bucks the likes of which were unheard of. True, the sheer numbers of deer are down somewhat but as far as bucks go, there is a more active rut and frequency of more mature animals. Last weekend I had a close encounter with a very nice 2.5 year old 10 point. At first I was even considering passing on him! As it turned out I missed him. The reason I was going to pass on him is because he is nothing compared to a few that we have seen in the immediate area. I am formost a buck hunter though, and getting a deer every year just to fill my tag means next to nothing to me. The opportunity to hunt mature bucks is what drives me, even if I dont succeed. Just having the chance at one keeps me coming back because sooner or later things will come together and I will have the thrill of success. Success that I truly earned.

As far as the north central, we rifle hunt that region and in the last season our party harvested a VERY nice 10 point, a mountable 8 and a scrappy 9 point that had most of his rack broken up from fighting. My Dad, by the way, took the 10 point, his biggest ever, and it hangs on the wall now. A true trophy, mountain buck notwithstanding.