Yeah, I was thinking the same thing Jeff, that is someones chance to have a deer make a "book" somewhere. Some of the guys I work with love the way buckmasters scores the deer. You should see some of there 130" deer.
For some reason the deer where I hunt do not have good genetics. In the last 8 seasons I have killed 6, 2.5 year old bucks. I have also passed on many 2.5 year old bucks that were even more scrubbish than the bucks I killed. Although I have only scored two of the bucks I killed, the largest one only goes around 95 inches. I would imagine the overall average of the 6, 2.5 year old bucks I shot to be around 70 inches with an average field dressed weight of 100 lbs or so. So if I took some "better" 2.5 year old bucks for my area and they only averaged 70 inches, does one really think that those same bucks will put on 40-50 inches in one year when they make it to 3.5 years old? Nope. Bucks around here, unless they are a freak, need to be at least 4.5 years old to be big scorers. And hardly any deer around here live that long, especially bucks. In your area Landon, the genetics seem to be fantastic and I hope you kill a big one this year!
thanks Brett, I know that genes are different in a lot of places, and Nova certainly has not been on the charts in Va, but you know I live very close to peanut country, and the Tidewater soil....I also live 1.5 minutes from the James River and you know that anywhere on this river produces great genes...
The BTR minimums are 140 inches for all firearms entries and 105 inches for all bow and arrow and crossbow entries. I believe BTR gives credit for all inches of antler in a rack (no deductions) but does not include inside spread in the official score. So, a symetrical rack with typical points would score lower in this system versus P&Y.
Yes Jeff I think it has mostly to do with where Buckmasters is popular (more entries). I can tell you that nobody up at my neck of the woods cares about Buckmasters including myself.
No Jeff. I don 't think NC ranks in the top 10 of anything other than college B Ball (go heels) been a fan since Jeff Lebo and Kenny Smith were there....anyway, I wasn't sure what the article said, I just NC ranked in something with bucks....my bad, I do know that eastern NC has some nice bucks, maybe not huge but they got some good ones.... the south over all cannot compete with the midwest, but some states in the south including Va can hold their own, trust me....
Jeff, What that list means is the South is the only area with hunters dumb enough to consider BTR a legitimate option. haha
I KNOW the South has big bucks... But to me, the viriginias, carolinas, Kentucky, etc... are not the south. Maybe I'm wrong but Texas, oklahoma, louisiana, arkansas, mississippi, alabama and georgia are "South."
If South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and North Carolina aren't part of the South, I don't know what is. VA and KY are border states, I'll agree....just as OK is too :D. The areas I live in SCREAM South, while up around Covington, Louisville, Lexington, etc....not so much.
all you have to do is come to the Confederate Capitol of Richmond and you will know you are in the south...not the deep south, but certainly the south...
I know a lot of folks from east Tenneesee that might consider those fightin' words :D Just kidding, I have no say in this one.... I'm a "yankee" to you guys
The South states(minus florida) have the same issue Northen MI has and other states with a lot of hunters and poor management policy's. The location states have the soil and food source, but it's their low hunting numbers and good mangement policy's that make them location states. Texas is a southern state, what makes that south Texas so good? Managment does, get better managment in SE states and you will start seeing bigger deer. PA and MD are great examples, they both have make great jumps in their position for big bucks. Indiana is another state. How many bucks can one shoot in SE states? How many have OBR? How many have AR? How many have doe season that is early?
We can kill 3 bucks here in Virginia. Muzzleloader begins on Nov 1st and general firearms begin on November 14th....and they continue the duration of the season. Deer are getting bamboozled left and right...BAM BAM kill kill. It is like an Itchy and Scratchy show.
MS just made a move in the right direction this year by seperating the state into 3 zones. In my zone, I can kill 3 bucks that are either 12"s wide or 15" beams. We can kill 5 does. The other two zones are similar but with a little less restrictive AR's, but all have to be at least 10"s wide.
Lets see, in eastern NC, firearms starts right around Oct. 19, and it is a little later back towards the west. The opening day til Jan. 1 is nothing but steady gunshots every afternoon. If you look at my county in NC, Pender, you would see why, and thats just what gets reported. Then you combine that with 3-4 buck tags (like it really matters to them), and you have a very slim chance that a 2.5 to 3.5 yr. old is going to reach his full potential.
Texas... :D Gun season goes from the first(ish) of november to the middle of January and even later in some places.
