The Southeast State with the Largest Whitetail: A Comparison
Whitetail deer are the most sought-after and widespread game animal in North America. Every year, hunters across the continent chase these elusive and majestic creatures, hoping to harvest a trophy buck. But where can you find the largest whitetails in the Southeast? Which state has the best potential of producing a record-breaking typical or non-typical rack? Let’s examine some data and facts to answer these questions.
How to Evaluate a Whitetail
Before we compare the state rankings, let’s review how to evaluate a whitetail deer. There are several scoring systems that hunters use to assess their deer, such as Boone and Crockett (B&C), Pope and Young (P&Y), Safari Club International (SCI), or Buckmasters. Each system has its own rules and criteria, but they all use similar methods of measuring the antlers.
The basic measurements of a whitetail antler are:
- Main beam length: The length of the main antler from the base to the tip, following the curve of the beam.
- Tine length: The length of each tine or point from its base to its tip, measured perpendicular to the main beam.
- Inside spread: The distance between the two main beams at their widest point, measured perpendicular to the skull.
- Circumference: The smallest circumference of each main beam between the base and the first tine, between each tine, and between the last tine and the tip.
The typical score of a whitetail is the sum of these measurements for both antlers, plus the inside spread. The non-typical score is the typical score plus any abnormal points that are not part of the normal pattern of a whitetail antler.
For example, a typical 10-point buck with 25-inch main beams, 10-inch G2s, 8-inch G3s, 4-inch G4s, 4-inch circumferences, and a 20-inch inside spread would score 160 inches (25 + 25 + 10 + 10 + 8 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 20 = 160).
A non-typical buck with the same measurements plus two abnormal points of 5 inches each would score 170 inches (160 + 5 + 5 = 170).
The Best Southeast States for Whitetail
Now that we know how to measure a whitetail, let’s see which Southeast states have produced the largest ones. We will use the B&C scoring system as our reference, since it is one of the most widely recognized and respected systems in North America. We will also focus on typical whitetails only, since they are more common and consistent than non-typicals.
According to B&C records, these are the top five Southeast states for typical whitetails:
Georgia
Georgia starts our list, having one of the best deer populations in the Southeast with 1.2 million estimated whitetails in the state. Georgia also has 1.2 million acres of public land that is open for hunting, which is 3.3% of the state’s land.
The largest typical whitetail ever recorded in Georgia scored 202 inches. It was found by James Arthur Hester in Fulton County in 1998. It ranks as the fifth-largest typical whitetail in B&C history.
Georgia has produced a total of 227 typical whitetails that made it into B&C records. The average score of these deer is 165 inches.
Arkansas
Arkansas comes in fourth place, having a deer population of about one million whitetails. Arkansas has over three million acres of public land that is open for hunting, which is about 14% of the state’s land.
The largest typical whitetail ever recorded in Arkansas scored 200 1/8 inches. It was taken by William L. Loyd in Lee County in 2018. It ranks as the fourth-largest typical whitetail in B&C history.
Arkansas has produced a total of 247 typical whitetails that made it into B&C records. The average score of these deer is 163 inches.
Mississippi
Mississippi takes the bronze medal, having a deer population of about 1.5 million whitetails. Mississippi has over two million acres of public land that is open for hunting, which is about 7% of the state’s land.
The largest typical whitetail ever recorded in Mississippi scored 205 2/8 inches. It was taken by Tony Fulton in Winston County in 1995. It ranks as the third-largest typical whitetail in B&C history.
Mississippi has produced a total of 179 typical whitetails that made it into B&C records. The average score of these deer is 166 inches.
Kentucky
Kentucky claims the silver medal, having a deer population of about one million whitetails. Kentucky has over 1.6 million acres of public land that is open for hunting, which is about 7% of the state’s land.
The largest typical whitetail ever recorded in Kentucky scored 204 2/8 inches. It was taken by Stephen L. Smith in Logan County in 2004. It ranks as the second-largest typical whitetail in B&C history.
Kentucky has produced a total of 1,009 typical whitetails that made it into B&C records. The average score of these deer is 167 inches.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin wins the gold medal, having a deer population of about 1.8 million whitetails. Wisconsin has over seven million acres of public land that is open for hunting, which is about 20% of the state’s land.
The largest typical whitetail ever recorded in Wisconsin scored 206 1/8 inches. It was taken by James Jordan in Burnett County in 1914. It ranks as the largest typical whitetail in B&C history.
Wisconsin has produced a total of 1,770 typical whitetails that made it into B&C records. The average score of these deer is 169 inches.
As you can see, the Southeast states have some impressive whitetails to offer. However, none of them can beat Wisconsin when it comes to producing the largest typical whitetails in the country. Wisconsin has the most entries, the highest average score, and the world record buck.
Of course, this does not mean that you cannot find a trophy buck in other states. Whitetails are adaptable and can grow big antlers in any suitable habitat. You just need to do your research, scout your area, and hunt hard.