 Species & Distribution
Whitetail Deer are found in nearly every state, most Canadian provinces, and parts of Mexico, encompassing 15-20 different subspecies. The state of Texas has the largest population of Whitetails, at approximately 3.5 to 4 million. The majority of the Whitetail population in North America is made up of the following seven subspecies:
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Kansas Whitetail
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Dakota Whitetail
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Texas Whitetail
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Virginia Whitetail
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Northern woodland Whitetail
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Northwest Whitetail
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Coues Whitetail
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Habitat
The habitat of Whitetail Deer varies greatly throughout North America. They are as much at home on the eastern plains of Colorado and western Kansas as they are in the large pine and oak forests in the south or the thick brush and dry conditions of south and west Texas. Whitetails have shown themselves to be very adaptable to many different types of environments, and have adapted extremely well to the encroachment of civilization. In fact, they co-habitate so well with humans that in some areas they are overpopulated and are a nuisance to homeowners and farmers, eating everything in sight. Several successful special bowhunts are held every year in these kinds of areas to keep the population at healthy levels. Whitetails have been moving steadily westward for the last few years, overlapping now in many areas with what has traditionally been the home range of Rocky Mountain Mule Deer.
Diet
Some of the preferred Whitetail foods, throughout their range, are: acorns, persimmons, apples, honeysuckle, clover, corn, greenbrier, lespedeza. One of the favorites, and commonly sought out wherever they may be found, are acorns from the White Oak tree. White Oak acorns have less tanic acid, and are "sweeter" to the deer. Some favorite crops and planted food plots are: alfalfa, oats, rye, winter wheat, field peas, austrian winter peas, vetch, alyceclover, turnips.
The Rut
 The Rut, as most people know, is the whole Whitetail breeding process. Pre-Rut begins when bucks start rubbing the velvet off their antlers on trees. Bucks do this not just to get the velvet off, but as a way of communicating with other bucks in the area, and also to strengthen their necks in preparation for possible fights for dominance. Generally, the farther south you get, the later the Rut begins and ends. In south Texas, near the southernmost range of the Whitetail, the peak of the Rut, when most does come into estrous, is usually in mid to late December. Bucks tend to get a little crazy during the Rut, which makes them a bit more vulnerable to a smart hunter, and therefore many hunters believe the best time to take a buck is during the rut. Signs of a rutting buck in the area are antler rubs on trees and ground scrapes. A doe will urinate in the scrape a buck has made, and eventually they will find each other. The buck will typically stay with her until she is ready to be bred, usually a few days. He may breed her several times throughout her estrous period, then most likely will leave her and go look for other does. The gestation period (time until she has her fawn) of a doe is 128 days.
Hot Spots - Trophy Bucks
The following are a sampling of areas throughout North America you might reasonably hope to get a shot at an outsize buck, but are by no means the only places you might shoot a trophy buck. Refer to our State & Regional section for more information on hunting areas in the states.
Traditional Hot Spots
Kansas
Kansas has long been recognized as not only a prime producer of big racks, but also enormous body weights. Up until the 1995 hunting season, whitetail hunting was reserved only for residents of Kansas. Starting in '95, though, Whitetail hunting was opened up to non-residents. Eastern Kansas, in particular, is known for big bucks.
Iowa
Iowa is very well represented in the record books. As a result of all the farmland in Iowa, deer have much good food to eat, and sport not only some enormous racks, but also enormous body sizes. Southeastern Iowa is especially well listed in the record books.
Illinois
The record books prove that Illinois is an exceptional state for producing monster bucks. The number one typical Pope & Young buck was taken in Illinois more than thirty years ago, and still stands today as the top buck. Most parts of the state have bucks in the record books, but the northern and northeastern parts of the state are particularly well represented.
Minnesota
Minnesota is represented very well in the record books for trophy bucks. The number three typical Pope & Young buck was taken in Minnesota in 1986. Many of the top bucks taken in Minnesota have come from areas west and areas south of Minneapolis.
Texas
South Texas, specifically Webb, Dimmit and LaSalle Counties, have traditionally harbored the lions share of trophy bucks harvested in Texas. Recently, however, Boone & Crockett size bucks have been taken from all parts of Texas where Whitetails are found. In 1994, the top scoring typical Boone & Crockett Whitetail from Texas was taken in the Panhandle. For more information on Texas Whitetail hunting, check out the Texas Hunting Directory.
 New Hot Spots
Alberta
Alberta has really caught on recently as a great place to tag a big buck. Much of the southern portion of the province is a great place to take a monster. A good portion of the big bucks come from this area, which is mainly agriculture and only residents are allowed to hunt. There are plenty of big bucks, however, that come from the nothern zone also, which is more big forest. Temperatures can be very cold and deer densities are generally low, so plan accordingly.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is another recent hot spot catching on with the North American deer hunting public, never more so than when the new World Record typical Boone & Crockett buck was taken there a few years ago. Much of the province is agricultural. You will also encounter low deer densities and cold temperatures here.
Sleeper Hot Spots
Colorado
The plains of eastern Colorado have produced some enormous Whitetail bucks. On the east side of I-25, from the Arkansas River north almost to the Wyoming border, the terrain is littered with creek and river bottoms, making for good Whitetail habitat, and good hunting. Unfortunately, there is very little public land on the plains. In the areas where there is public land, it may take several years to draw a tag, even for archery. Perseverance, though, could definitely give you the opportunity to take a big buck here.
Manitoba
Manitoba has been producing some huge bucks for a while now, but you don't hear too much about them. The Whitetail population here is not high, but when you see a buck he may be trophy size.
Montana
The Whitetail population in northwestern Montana, on up into British Columbia, has been exploding, and there are whitetails here from the evergreen valleys all the way up into the high mountains. Some very large Whitetail bucks are being taken in this general area.
Hot Spots - High Populations
The following are a small sampling of areas known to have high Whitetail populations and a good chance to get a deer. You may find large racked bucks here, but they won't likely be very common.
Hot Spots
Texas
While Texas is one of the best spots to take a trophy buck, it also has the highest population of Whitetail Deer of any state. The Edwards Plateau region, from the central Texas hill country, going south and west, has an incredibly dense deer population. There are more deer taken by hunters in the Edwards Plateau region of Texas each year than there are in some whole states. It is not a difficult or expensive proposition finding a place to hunt here. Refer to the Texas Hunting Directory for more information.
Virginia
Northern Virginia also has an exploding population of Whitetails. Since much of northern Virginia is very populated, being in close proximity to Washington D.C., there are only certain areas open to hunting with firearms. If you can find an area to hunt, though, or are a bowhunter, the numbers of deer can be just fantastic. Depending on where you hunt, the bag limit can be very liberal.
Mississippi
Missippi's Whitetail herd has grown possibly faster than any other state's in the last few years. A recent estimate of their population was 1.8 million deer. There are some very nice bucks taken here every year, but there is also a very high population, and a liberal bag limit, plus a good amount of public land.
Montana
Eastern Montana currently has a very high Whitetail population. There are also some very respectable bucks in this area to be taken. Some public land is available. The northwestern part of the state, as mentioned above, also has a high Whitetail population.
Weapons
Centerfire Rifle
Some of the most popular centerfire calibers for Whitetail deer hunting are the: .30-06 Springfield, .30-30 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .243 Remington. Many states have a requirement that a rifle must be at least .223 caliber to take deer hunting. Not all states allow centerfire rifles for deer hunting. Ohio and Indiana are two such states. There are many different bullet types to choose from for centerfire rifle calibers. A handloader has an even larger still selection from which to choose. Some makers of popular, well constructed bullets are Nosler, Winchester, Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Barnes, Bearclaw, A-Frame, and Remington.
Blackpowder Rifle
Blackpowder rifle calibers generally range from .36 caliber all the way up to .58 caliber. The .45 caliber is generally considered a minimum caliber to be used for deer hunting. Many states have a special season just for blackpowder rifle hunters. Be sure to check the regulations for blackpowder rifle deer hunting in your state, as some states allow certain accessories and types of blackpowder guns and other states do not. A few of the more popular blackpowder rifle makers are Thompson/Center, Connecticut Valley Arms, Knight, and Traditions. There are a few basic types of bullets for blackpowder hunters to choose from. The round ball and sabot-type bullets both have strong followings.
Shotgun
Shotguns for deer hunting have seen some new and far-reaching advancements in technology recently. Some states do not allow centerfire rifles for deer hunting, and many hunters in those states use rifled-barrel shotguns loaded with slugs. Many still also use slugs with a smoothbore shotgun. Some states allow the use of buckshot for deer hunting, and others do not.
Pistol
Today there exist quite a few different types of pistols that are adequate for or built exclusively for big game hunting. Many still hunt with revolvers in the .45 Colt, .357 magnum, .41magnum and .44 magnum calibers, plus a variety of wildcat calibers. There are an array of different single shot hunting pistols now, some with interchangeable barrels chambered in popular centerfire calibers, to allow the use of more than one caliber with the same pistol. Some hunting pistols have bolt actions and long barrels.
Compound Bow
There are a myriad of different compound bow companies and bow styles. Compound bows, as a whole, have progressed tremendously in design over the last several years, resulting in increased speed, accuracy, strength, and a number of other things. Most states have a special season just for bowhunters. Some bowhunters hunt deer with guns as well - some hunt exclusively with the compound or other type of bow. Generally, states have either set a minimum bow poundage for deer hunting, or some sort of requirement as to how far the bow can shoot an arrow. However, as compound bows have become more efficient, some states have taken a second look at how they set their minimums. It's difficult to recommend a minimum poundage anymore, since there are so many different styles of compound bows. It is generally believed that a good minimum of kinetic energy for deer hunting with a compound bow is around 40 ft. lbs. Some of the more popular compound bow makers are Martin, Hoyt, High Country, and PSE. Some of the more popular broadhead lines used by compound bowhunters are made by New Archery Products, Satellite, Rocky Mountain, Wasp, Muzzy, and Bear.
Recurve Bow
The recurve bow was made popular in large part by Fred Bear, who was one of the first to build and sell recurve bows. Some recurves are made of all wood, some are laminated with wood and other substances. Metal recurve bows are even produced now. Many bowhunters hunt with recurve and the compound bow. They are both very different types of hunting tools, each with their own advantages and dis-advantages. Some people make their own recurve bows. Many compound bow makers also make recurve bows. The recurve bow is a classic hunting tool, used by many bowhunting deer hunters today. Some popular broadheads used by recurve bowhunters are made by Zwickey, Magnus, Patriot, Bear, and Grizzly.
Longbow
The longbow dates very far back, being used for a long time by indian tribes before bowhunting ever became popular as a sport. Many bowhunters make their own longbows, and a few major bow manufacturers also make longbows. The longbow is also a very classic hunting tool, and, like the other bow types, has its advantages and dis-advantages. Some popular broadheads used by longbow hunters are the same as used by recurve bowhunters, made by Zwickey, Magnus, Patriot, Bear, and Grizzly.
Crossbow
The crossbow shoots shortened arrows, called bolts. It is fired from the shoulder, much like a rifle. Some states allow the use of crossbows for deer hunting, but many do not, except in the case of handicapped persons.
Outfitters & Guides
The following outfitters & guides all
offer Whitetail deer hunts.
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