1.) Louisville
Location: Northwest Kentucky
Population: 269,063

First chartered by the Virginia legislature in 1780 and named for Louis XVI of France, Louisville traces its roots to a humble portage town near the falls of the Ohio River. Since then it has become known for many things: Churchill Downs, the setting of the now-infamous Kentucky Derby (first held in 1875); final resting place of Zachary Taylor, 12th U.S. president; and home to some of the largest whiskey distilleries in the country.

But, of late, Louisville is making a name on the backs of its great, big deer. Over the course of recent history, Jefferson County, which is made up almost entirely of Louisville, has produced a 178-class non-typical, a 160-class typical and Kentucky's third-heaviest deer — a hog that spun the scales to a stunning 283 pounds dressed.

According to David Yancy, assistant deer biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, tight access and the relative lack of hunting pressure are chief driving factors behind the large deer. But if you get into a spot, at least you're assured a hunt; deer densities in Jefferson County sit at 19 per square mile and antlerless tags for the county are unlimited.

For more information, contact the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at 800-858-1549.

Now I don't know about you, but if a deer dressed at 283, I'm pretty sure it tipped a scale at over 300.

From worldclassoutdoors.com/minnesota_hunting:

The Whitetail Deer is Minnesota's most popular wildlife species. Each year, roughly 500,000 hunters harvest roughly 200,000.

Deer are amazing creatures. They can run at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour and leap over an 8-foot-tall fence.

Adult female white-tailed deer weigh about 145 pounds, males 170. The heaviest whitetail ever recorded in the United States was a 500-pound Minnesota buck.

While hunting in Iowa and Missouri in the 90's I saw plenty of farmers hanging the deer they killed on scales right next to a hog prepped for slaughter. Maybe a handful tipped the scales at or around 275-290+ dressed in a 5 year period. I killed a 1.5 yr old 7 point with a bow my first year in Iowa on a 15 acre tract of land this farmer owned. It was all woods behind his pasture. That deer was aged by it's jaw and it dressed at 145. Now that was a big deer for me at the time. Doug, the owner, said, "that's nothing, pops kills a buck almost every year that weighs over 300."

I admit it's not common, but they do exist. Near Lancaster, MO, in the far north of the state, I saw a man checking in his buck one year and it was the largest buck I've ever seen in body. Comparing it to the handful of bucks that dressed out in the high 200's, I'd guestimate that the MO buck was at least 300+ dressed.

The PA game and fish sell a liar's tape calibrated for deer. You measure the girth behind the shoulder and can get an estimate of live weight, dressed weight and butchered yield.

I've killed a number of does that were in the mid 200s here in Iowa and two friends have killed does much larger. One here in Iowa, one in Missouri.

500 lb MN whitetail biggest whitetail in the US? I bet not.

Brent

I saw a 304 lb dressed buck weighed myself by the Conservation dept at Swan Lake refuge in Chariton Co. MO in the 1980's. Anyone that says they don't exist is wrong, there are a bunch of Mo. and Ia. bucks that dress 225 lb. These 300 pounders are like 340 pound NFL linemen, they are a bit of a freak of nature, but they are around. As a side note, the 304 lb. buck had nothing special for a rack, probably grossed 130'ish.

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:

500 lb MN whitetail biggest whitetail in the US? I bet not.

Brent

How much?

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/index.html

I've posted the link many times.

How about a 6 pack of beer in Ely. I'll be up there in August.

Brent

quote:

The PA game and fish sell a liar's tape calibrated for deer. You measure the girth behind the shoulder and can get an estimate of live weight, dressed weight and butchered yield.

I saw one of these tapes, it didn't work. It was about 50# off, IE 190 Pound Buck only weighed 140 on the tape. Only way to get the "real deal" is to hang em' on the scales.

It was a pretty good Idea and I'm sure someone made a hefty profit just like all the other gimics out today.

Reloader

Must have mishapen deer down there. Works up there for the couple that have had it both way. At $1 a pop, I doubt anyone is retiring to the RedNeck Riviera on the profits.

Brent

quote:

Originally posted by Brent:
How about a 6 pack of beer in Ely. I'll be up there in August.

Brent

Sounds good. Bring supporting documentation.
And let me know your ETA.

Bucks from corn belt states that have good access to corn can get huge.

It's a matter of genetics and corn.

Bucks that have to eat forage in forested land without the benefit of feeders or agricultural crops aren't likely to reach 300 pounds.

From what I hear the bucks in northern Saskatchewan can reach 400 on "wild forage".

I imagine that natural selection there would favor the buck that could put on huge amounts of fat to survive the winters.

$bob$

I've killed a lot of deer and a couple have been around 300 lbs., but the average mature buck up north is more like 225-250. Those tapes IMHO are useless. I've taken barrel chested deer that are only 7 1/2-8 ft. long, and some deer over 9 ft. long.