Side effects of using N-Tune™ Wraps and Tracers may include, hitting where you’re aiming, a more precise nock tuning experience, and straightening of arrow flight, resulting in more consistent groups.
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As hunters, we all dream of harvesting the trophy buck of our dreams, but harvesting a trophy whitetail for the record books is often similar to winning the lottery.
So, what states have the best whitetail hunting in the United States? Below, we’ll take a look at just that, and we will also explain how we came to rank the states where we did.
A look at the data
We have very few places where we can find trophy whitetail harvest data. Sure, we can get data on the numbers of whitetails harvested in a given year from the various states’ departments of natural resources, but this is all deer and not just trophy whitetails.
Looking at the Boone and Crockett record book is the best indicator of which states are best to target when hunting trophy bucks. (photography by Jeff Coldwell)
If we want to find the best states that produce the biggest numbers of trophy whitetails, then we have to look at the Boone and Crockett record book.
So, now that you know where we are getting the data to determine our selection of the best five states to bag a trophy class whitetail, let’s get started!
#5 – Ohio
Ohio is fairly recent to the number five spot on the list and has now surpassed the number of records held by the state of Kentucky.
All of the top 10 typical records and 6 out of 10 top non-typical records for the state were harvested in the last 22 years of the 2000s, and when you consider that the records started nearly 100 years ago, that is a sharp increase in the number of giant bucks.
This sudden jump in record whitetails is due to the stellar management practices by the states’ conservation agencies in recent years.
Minnesota has four counties that rank in the top twenty best counties for whitetails in the U.S., and St. Louis County is #2 in the entire nation. A grand total of 1,194 trophy whitetail entries have been recorded for the entire state of Minnesota.
Minnesota may not be top of mind when it comes to whitetail, but it ranks #4 according to Boone and Crockettstatistics.
The other 3 counties listed in the top 20 counties in the U.S. are Otter Tail, Houston, and Winona counties.
Oddly enough, the top 5 record whitetail bucks in the state didn’t come from any of these four counties.
In 2012, with a typical buck scoring 193-⅛ being harvested in Winona county; this buck also ranks #15 in the state’s history.
Iowa coming in at just #3 may surprise many hunters, especially those from Iowa, as the state has a legendary status regarding the number of big whitetails roaming the state’s woods.
But the Boone and Crocket Club record books don’t lie, and the numbers are what they are.
Iowa is epic hunting grounds for those chasing large whitetail deer.
Iowa has 1,330 records in the books, and the state is home to three of the top twenty counties in the nation, with Allamakee, Warren, and Clayton Counties making the list.
Like with Minnesota, it’s interesting to note that the top five record bucks harvested in Iowa did not come from these three counties.
In 2016 a whitetail scoring 194-⅛ was entered in the record books. This Clarke County buck ranks #8 in the rankings for Iowa’s highest scoring whitetails and #70 on the all-time record list.
Coming in with a total of 1,445 trophy whitetails in the books, Illinois comes in at #2 for record whitetails.
Four of the top twenty counties in the country call Illinois home, and these four are the legendary Pike, Fulton, Adams, and Jo-Davies Counties.
This non-typical giant, harvested by Luke Brewster, is an example of what is possible in the state of Illinois (photo credit: Boone and Crockett).
Keeping with the theme set by Minnesota and Iowa, the top five typical record bucks to come out of Illinois were not harvested in any of the top four counties.
Illinois has had more entries into the Boone and Crockett Club record books in the 21st century than any other state, with eight entries.
In 2018 an Illinois trophy buck of massive proportions was harvested that came in at #3 on the all-time record list. This monster non-typical buck scored 327-⅞.
Wisconsin is the top state in the nation of trophy whitetail records, with a whopping 1,822 record bucks registered since the Boone and Crockett Club records began.
The state is home to six of the top 20 counties in the nation, with the trophy whitetail powerhouse of Buffalo County, Crawford, Trempealeau, Vernon, Richland, and Sauk Counties rounding out the six.
Buffalo County is such a good county for producing whitetails that if this single county stood alone against the rest of the states, it would still rank at #19.
Wisconsin ranks #1 when it comes to trophy whitetails, dominating the Boone and Crockett record books (photography by Jeff Coldwell).
Keeping with the weird traditions of other top-ranking states, none of the top five typical whitetails in the record books were shot in any of the top six counties.
The top five record bucks were harvested in five counties spread throughout the state. This shows that the entire state of Wisconsin hosts exceptional populations of trophy whitetails.
In 2018 a typical buck scoring in at 192-6/8 was harvested in Columbia County and took the spot as the fourth largest whitetail harvested in the state’s history and #96 on the top 100 trophy whitetails list.
While the state of Texas is ranked as #11 overall, it is our pick to be an honorable mention for one simple reason.
Texas is home to four of the top six counties in the entire country, which is one heck of a statistic for only coming in at #11 on the list of best whitetail hunting states.
These four counties are Maverick, Webb, La Salle, and Dimmit Counties.
Texas is a state you shouldn’t overlook if you are interested in hunting big whitetails.
Texas has a total of 767 records in the Boone and Crockett record books, and unlike every state on this list, 2 out of 5 of these bucks were shot in the top four counties, and the other 3 were harvested outside of the top 4 counties.
Depending on the time of year, mule deer and white tail deer can be almost indistinguishable. But, if you watch them closely, there are some tell-tail differences.
Mule deer and whitetail similarities
Although there are some distinct differences, whitetail and mule deer do have some things in common.
Coloring
During the Summertime, mule deer are often more tannish-brown while whitetail tend to be more of a reddish brown color.
However, in Winter, both types tend to turn more grayish.
Summertime colors of a mule deer (photography by Jeff Coldwell)Summertime colors of a whitetail (photography by Matt Hartsky)Fall Colors of a Mule Deer (photography by Jeff Coldwell)Fall colors of a whitetail (Photography by Matt Hartsky)
Whitetails are generally found in the middle and Eastern U.S., extending both North and South of the border. But, whitetail are remarkable at adapting, and thrive in all kinds of environments, from swamps to forests to grasslands.
Typically, mule deer like higher territory in the mountains and are found in the central and western parts of the US, Canada, and Mexico. However, the territories of the two breeds overlap greatly. Therefore, geography can’t be relied on as a great indicator of whether that deer you see off in the distance is a mule deer or a whitetail.
While the geographical areas in which mule deer and whitetail overlaps in many places, mule deer are more prevalent in the Western parts of the U.S. (photography by Jeff Coldwell)Whitetail deer are more concentrated in the Midwestern and Eastern parts of the U.S. (photography by Jeff Coldwell)
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03/06/2024 07:45 am GMT
Size
Size is another characteristic where there is overlap between mule deer and whitetail. Size can vary depending on geographic location, available food sources and habitat.
According to the National Wildlife Federation, typical mule deer weights range from 130-280 pounds. However, In rare cases, very large mule deer can tip the scales at 450+ pounds.
Whitetail deer are generally smaller in average weight, averaging around 90-220 pounds, but those big bucks can, in rare cases, come in near 400 pounds.
With size varying so much based on diet, age, and location, it is impossible to tell a whitetail from a mule deer based on size alone. Even characteristics like hoofprints are not distinguishable between the two.
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03/06/2024 03:05 pm GMT
Differences Between Whitetail and Mule Deer
Now that we’ve covered some basic characteristics of whitetail and mule deer, let’s look at some differences between mule deer and whitetail that can help you distinguish between the two.
Facial markings
If you look more closely at the face, whitetails have more solid-colored brown heads with white around the eyes and often a white patch under the jaw at the top of the neck. (Rare genetic mutations like piebaldism can affect the amount of white markings).
As you can see in the picture above, the mule deer has a whiter snout and bridge of the nose, whereas the whitetail’s face (below) is overall more brown in color, with a white throat patch at the top of the neck.(photography by Matt Hartsky)(photography by Jeff Coldwell)
Mule deer (sometimes referred to as muleys) have a lighter top bridge of the nose, with a darker forehead above the eyes. These are the general colorings, but each individual deer is different and color can change with weather, age, and location. Because of this, you can’t rely on coloring alone to distinguish between the two.
With so many similarities between whitetail and mule deer, there are a few key differences to look for when peering at them through your scope or binoculars.
One is the ears.
The ears of a mule deer (above) have larger ears, relative to the size of their head than do whitetail (below).photography by Jeff Coldwell(photography by Jeff Coldwell)
True to their name, mule deer have larger ears relative to the size of their head. They are also often more pointed and angle slightly more to the sides than the whitetail deer.
It is tough to compare the angle of the ears as deer have a habit of always moving them. So, try to look at the size of the ears as one indication to identify mule deer from whitetails.
While the ears are one of the differentiating characteristics on the head of these animals, the other end of the animal has a great defining characteristic as well.
The mule deer’s (above) hind quarters are mostly white, with a rope-like tail and black tip. The Whitetail (below) has hindquarters that are mostly brown, with a tail that has a wide, white underside. (Photography by Jeff Coldwell)(Photography by Keith Tyler)
Mule deer have a white colored rump that is almost always visible. They have a skinny rope-like tail tail, often with a black tip.
Whitetail deer on the other hand, have a more brownish rump and outside of the tail when relaxed. If a whitetail is startled, however, that wide flap of a tail lifts showing a bright white underside as a “flag” to warn other deer of possible danger, thus the name “whitetail deer.”
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03/07/2024 04:20 pm GMT
Antlers
Whether you are hunting from the ground or from your treestand, if you can get a look at a deer’s antlers, you may be able to determine whether it is a mule deer and a whitetail.
Both breeds of male deer have large showy antlers (although they are shed once a year around mid to late winter).
Whitetail males have one main “trunk” or beam on their antlers with the tines all coming from that main stem.
Whitetail deer antlers (above and below) are constructed of one main beam, from which the tines protrude.(photography by Matt Hartsky)(photography by Matt Hartsky)
Mule deer, however, have a main trunk that branches in two before forking into tines. Because of this, the mule deer’s antlers often look taller and more upright compared to the forward “hug” of a white tail’s rack.
Mule Deer have antlers that “fork,” as in the pictures above and below. (photography by Terry Hansen)(photography by Jeff Coldwell)
The difference in antler structure between whitetails and mule deer is something a trained eye can pick up. However, some individual antlers can be too small or even grow oddly, so make sure to look for other characteristics too.
The way these two types of deer typically run can be a clear distinguishing characteristic of whitetail and mule deer.
When fleeing, a whitetail has a typical run or gallop, similar in style to a horse. They may bound over fences or obstacles, but in general they have a quick, fluid motion.
Mule deer on the other hand, often flee with a stodgy hopping motion called stotting. All four hooves contact and push off the ground at once like springs, bouncing across the terrain again and again until slowing to a trot.
A mule deer’s run (above) is called “stotting,” which is more of a hopping motion on all fours. A whitetail deer (below) has more of galloping motion to its run. (Photography by Keith Reisenauer)(Photography by Keith Tyler)
There are many similarities, and even the distinguishing traits can vary based on age, location, nutrition, and time of year. One can easily be mistaken for the other. Even some of the sounds these deer make can be similar.
So, be sure you know the differences – some subtle and some more pronounced – so you can easily tell the difference between the two.
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