TheMiz54

I know guys I didnt mean for people to get too crazy about this. I just wanted to find out what peoples opinions are. Im glad that people are responding and have a lot of input just dont want people to get mad at each other.

Jimmy S

Strictly body weight, I don't see how you can compare deer down south, especially Texas with the deer up north. Sure, nutrients plays a big part but IMO, the biggest factor is the weather. Deer up north, like Maine, must be big and strong just to survive the cold, nasty winters. These winters can have temps 20-30 below zero with 3-4 feet of snow for weeks at a time. It is not uncommon for deer up here to dress well above 200 pounds.

JUSTIN342987

First off I own a deer farm. We dont breed does with bucks that do not have good genetics. Why do you think people look for dogs and horses with good bloodlines? If you take a buck that does not have a good blood line and feed him lots of high protein and nutrient rich food you will have a healthy deer with fat bellys.

BarnesX.308

I always figured it was

1-good soil. Kansas is the bread basket of America.
2-Age. Midwest has more undeveloped land and less hunters hunting it.
3-Genetics. Difference between a huge 4X4 and a huge 6X6.


What's the soil like in Saskatchewan or Alberta? Do deer grow 200" racks from eating aspen browse?

ipscshooter

I hate to be accused of bickering, but, you've insulted Texas, and I've got to defend it...

You say that most of the huge bucks are imported. That's simply not true. A buddy of mine has a ranch in central Texas that was high fenced, so that he could participate in a management program instituted by Texas Parks and Wildlife in connection with their determination as to whether to implement antler restrictions in his area and what those restrictions should be. Food plots and strict management. All native deer. He's taken 170's off his property... Genetics, age and nutrition. A co-worker of mine guided a friend on a low-fenced spot and stalk hunt in far west Texas last fall. The friend shot his first buck. Scored in the 170's...

The guides on those shows may admit that the body size makes the racks seem bigger, but, they're telling the hunter not to shoot because they're managing for age. They want to determine whether the buck meets their management guidelines, which most commonly means whether it's old enough to shoot, and body size is one of a number of factors considered when determining the age of the deer. Body sizes are obviously somewhat smaller in Texas. And, smaller in some regions of Texas than in other regions. So what? You don't typically manage for giant bodies, you manage to grow big racks, and that takes age. If you have the Versus channel, watch "Bucks of Tecomate" and check out the native deer David Morris is harvesting off of his low-fenced ranch. Body sizes up north may be bigger, but, Texas grows plenty of big-racked bucks of their own...

salukipv1

I read/heard deer in IL were big due to it being a slug gun state, in part, as in forever people weren't able to take 100+ yard shots on deer during our gun season, ie letting some of these bucks grow another year or more since guys aren't taking 200-400yd shots on younger deer, or even quality bucks that are outta slug range.

Iowa has quality management from what I know, december gun season, slug, no rifles,

basically what i heard is any whitetail state with gun seasons occuring outside of the rut you have big bucks.

texas just quality management, they invented it pretty much didn't they? even so I'm not sure they have monster bucks, but certainly some quality bucks, but on tv i see their big boys are 5.5-7.5yo? in IL a 2.5 or 3.5yo is as big as many of those older texas bucks, you shoot a whitetail in IL at 3.5yo or older he's gonna be BIG!

BarnesX.308

Low-fence, high-fence...what's with all the fences in Texas?

You guys should build one along the Mexican border. A high fence.

How much does it cost to put a high fence around, say 10,000 acres???

heinz57

the northern whitetails are much biger than the southern deer ...the further u go down south the smaller they get ..michigan ,alberta and sask.have monster bucks in racks and body weight.

J Pike

The food sources in the mid west are no better than the food sources here in my area of PA. other than the fact that the soil in my area does not have the minerals present to pass onto the deer in every bite of food they eat and every sip of water they drink like the mineral rich soil of the mid west does. Pike

J Pike

It is true that good nutrition can help deer reach their genetic potential but it is not possible for poor nutrition to cause doe's to produce fawns with less genetic potential. Genetics can not be altered by anything. Pike