RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

Unfortunately, Champ it probably won't be too long before you will be talking about how it "used" to be there. Deer hunting as big business is spreading everywhere. Or at least until the farmers start realizing that the 20 bucks per acre they are getting for leasing to outfitters is costing them 30 bucks per acre in crop damage.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

Its happening alot in Ky now but not as bad as Ill. so far. I hate it but thats the way it will be from now on.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

Defiantly not Mississippi :(

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

Deer hunting is definitely big business, big $$nowadays. I wonder if the farmers that lease their land for $5,000.00 per year know that the outfitter is making that much money in a week off of them? Not to mention that the farmer is planting the food plots to boot! We have outfitters leasing up everything here in central Ohio. Hard to find private land to hunt anymore.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

You are right Lanse. The only reason why it isn't that bad here is that he deer hunting isn't that good. We get lots of deer here but it is difficult to get a deer beyond2 1/2 years old. The F&W dept has done some AR stuff and thequality of the deer has improved but we are still light years away from the mid west. I can still hunt any piece of non posted land because this state has deemed all land is huntable unless posted and there is a ton of open land. I like it that way.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

If you are wanting to hunt a trophy whitetail, then the state is Kentucky. Come to KY, drop by a Walmart close to where you decide to hunt and pay about $150 non-resident, and go hunting...the archery season lasts from the first Saturday in September through the third Saturday in January...the modern firearm (read as nearly anything you want to hunt with including rifles...no shotgun limitations) lasts three weeks right in the heart of the rut (second Saturday in November and closes on Sunday three weeks later)...

One buck limit though, so choose wisely!

Some public land offers trophy potential as well...Peabody Coal in Mulenburg and Ohio counties, and of course, the Fort Knox military reservation. I also know of a Wildlife Management Area that I hunt, where I have seen a 190+ (I estimated 200+ inches) typical 12 point (but could not shoot it) and just missed a huge 165+ class typical 10 pt. Both deer in a small 5 acre woodlot on a 5000 acre tract.

None of the other big buck states offer you a chance to hunt monster bucks with a rifle during the rut...

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

I would have to disagree Teach Deer, Missouri offers rifle hunting in the heart of the rut. Kentucky is definitely an awesome place to hunt, but only in Western Kentucky in my opinion. Missouri has its not so great spots too, but northern Missouri, especially the counties that border Iowa, produce Booners every year. In Missouri you can buy a rifle and archery tag over the counter and harvest a buck with each.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

Champ,

You are lucky. I would rather have relatively low quality of deer hunting but great access to hunting ground. The coming of big bucks will generally change that. Many places are on well on the road to "managing" their way to a POSTED sign on every tree.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

Deer hunting flat out sucks in Ky.

RE: Best Trophy Whitetail State? 170"+
 

The Kentucky state record typical was a 204+ inch 12 point taken in Pendleton County (north central)...I believe the state record non-typical was taken in Lewis County (north eastern)...the most deer harvested in Kentucky is in Owen County (north central).

I have seen a 200+ inch typical 12 pointandjust missed a 160+ inch typical 10 point in Henry County (north central).

While the western part ofKentucky has a good reputation (and well earned), your best chance at a trophy deer would be in north central part of the state (e.g.Spencer, Shelby, Henry, Owen, Pendleton, Harrison, Scott, andGrant Counties...for non-typical deer it is Lewis County).

Another choice spot (but witha more restrictive application process) is the Fort Knox military base. I have seennumerous 150+ deer taken every year that I have hunted there.Even checked out with anofficer two years ago that harvested a huge 186+ typical 12 point withkickers on both G2s (G2s = 12 and 13 inches long; inside spread of 22 inches)...that deer was only 3.5 years old and weighed 105pounds.

All of that being said, any county in Kentucky could produce a monster whitetail.