ESPN  

Comment in the ESPN Conversation section at bottom of page.

The Midwest, behind readers' perceptions of its deer and duck hunting, pulled ahead of the Southeast in the final weeks to take Who's Got Game.

ESPNOutdoors.com asked our readers which region is best for a variety of outdoor endeavors in order to tell you "Who's Got Game." Over the past eight weeks, we hit the major categories of game and compiled the results.

The Midwest was the final leader with 414 points, followed closely by the Southeast with 397. The Northeast had 215, the West 138 and the Southwest 106.

Behind bass fishing results, the Southeast grabbed the early lead, although experts like three-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam disagreed with our voters as to the best overall bass fishing region.

"It's in the North, by far," VanDam says. "I fished everywhere and we can't fish in the winter, but from early spring and until the ice goes on in the fall, we catch them big time, large and small, quantity and quality."

Through trout, catfish and saltwater, the Southeast led. Then came the hunting questions.

The Midwest started to gain with a big victory in deer hunting. Tom Miranda, host of "Advantage Adventures" and "Whitetail Country" as well as "Strategies in the Wild" on ESPN2, agreed with our readers' choice.

"Hunting the small island woodlots surrounded by crops is like a chess game, and when you see a mega-Midwest buck, you know you've outsmarted one of the most crafty animals on the planet," he said. "Because of population and pressure, these deer go nocturnal and can live on the edge of town in the suburbs and never be seen.

"Mature Midwest bucks carry their mass and because of their food source are delicious eating, unlike some deer in certain other areas."

The birds put the Midwest over the top with victories in turkey, upland game birds and ducks. We asked Phil Robertson, a.k.a., The Duck Commander, about our readers' choice.

"They were correct," said Robertson, a duck hunting icon who received his moniker from his own duck call. "Based on my traversing the United States of America over the last 50 years in pursuit of the wily mallard, I have come to a conclusion that any of the first-tier or northern states — from Washington all the way across to Maine — they're the best. And the ones from probably Washington state to the Dakotas, that stretch right there."

That's the Midwest, and that's Who's Got Game.

Here is the breakdown of the five regions:

Northeast
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.

Southeast
West Virginia, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Virginia.

Midwest
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Southwest
Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

West
Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Hawaii.

Here are the categories: (See results below)

• Which region has the best smallmouth bass fishing? (NE 39 points, MW 26, SE 23, W 6, SW 5) Northeast wins best smallmouth region

• Which region has the best largemouth bass fishing? (NE 8 points, MW 10, SE 54, W 13, SW 15) Southeast wins best largemouth region

• Which region has the best overall bass fishing? (NE 13 points, MW 13, SE 49, W 8, SW 16) Southeast tops for overall bass fishing

• Which region has the best trout fishing? (NE 26 points, MW 18, SE 13, W 39, SW 5)
West is best for trout fishing

• Which region has the best catfishing? (NE 5 points, MW 27, SE 53, W 2, SW 9)
West is best for trout fishing

• Which region has the best saltwater fishing? (Sorry, Midwest!) (NE 13 points, MW 0, SE 65, W 12, SW 10)
Sun shines on Southeast saltwater anglers

• Which region has the best fishing for other species (i.e. bream, walleye, perch, pike, etc.)? (NE 28 points, MW 47, SE 16, W 4, SW 4)
Midwest voted best for other species of fish

• Which region has the best overall fishing? (NE 15 points, MW 22, SE 45, W 10, SW 4)
SE voted best overall fishing, but McKinnis disagrees

• Which region has the best deer hunting? (NE 14 points, MW 57, SE 15, W 7, SW 8)
Voters, Mirandi agree on Midwest

• Which region has the best turkey hunting? (NE 17, SE 32, MD 37, SW 10, W 4)
MW, SE are no turkeys

• Which region has the best duck hunting? (NE 12, MW 46, SE 28, W 7, SW 7 )
Duck Commander agrees with readers to head to Midwest for ducks

• Which region has the best upland game bird hunting? (Dove, quail, pheasant, grouse, etc.) (NE 9, SE 12, MW 62, SW 8, W 8)
Midwest has best of birding, makes up ground on Southeast

• Which region has the best large-game hunting? (Elk, bear, etc.) (NE 14, SE 5, MW 23, SW 7, W 51)
Midwest has best of birding, makes up ground on Southeast

• Which region has the best small game hunting? (Rabbit, squirrel, etc.) (NE 21, SE 32, MW 36, SW 6, W 6 35)
Readers confuse Fudd on where to hunt 'wabbits'

• Which region has the best overall hunting? (NE 13, SE 16, MW 49, SW 8, W 12)
Midwest takes overall hunt

ESPNOutdoors.com kept a running tally on the poll voting, awarding points to each region based on the percentages of votes in each category.

Saltwater results:

Northeast 13 percent (73 votes) = 13 points

Midwest 0 percent (0 votes) = 0 points

Southeast 65 percent (363 votes) = 65 points

West 12 percent (67 votes) = 12 points

Southwest 10 percent (56 votes) = 10 points

Catfish results:

Northeast 5 percent (30 votes) = 5 points

Midwest 27 percent (162 votes) = 27 points

Southeast 53 percent (317 votes) = 53 points

West 2 percent (13 votes) = 2 points

Southwest 9 percent 53 votes) = 9 points

Trout results:

Northeast 26 percent (145 votes) = 26 points

Midwest 18 percent (99 votes) = 18 points

Southeast 13 percent (72 votes) = 13 points

West 39 percent (217 votes) = 39 points

Southwest 5 percent (26 votes) = 5 points

Overall bass results:

Northeast 13 percent (84 votes) = 13 points

Midwest 13 percent (86 votes) = 13 points

Southeast 49 percent (315 votes) = 49 points

West 8 percent (50 votes) = 8 points

Southwest 16 percent (103 votes) = 16 points

Largemouth results:

Northeast 8 percent (64 votes) = 8 points

Midwest 10 percent (81 votes) = 10 points

Southeast 54 percent (435 votes) = 54 points

West 13 percent (105 votes) = 13 points

Southwest 15 percent (120 votes) = 15 points

Northeast wins smallmouth:

Northeast 39 percent (328 votes) = 39 points

Midwest 26 percent (219 votes) = 26 points

Southeast 23 percent (195 votes) = 23 points

West 6 percent (51 votes) = 6 points

Southwest 5 percent (42 votes) = 5 points

Other species results:

Northeast 28 percent (278 votes) = 28 points

Midwest 47 percent (466 votes) = 47 points

Southeast16 percent (158 votes) = 16 points

West 4 percent (40 votes) = 4 points

Southwest 4 percent (40 votes) = 4 points

Overall fishing results:

Northeast 15 percent (120 votes) = 15 points

Midwest 22 percent (176 votes) = 22 points

Southeast45 percent (361 votes) = 45 points

West 10 percent (80 votes) = 10 points

Southwest 7 percent (56 votes) = 4 points

Deer hunting results:

Northeast 14 percent (104 votes) = 14 points

Midwest 57 percent (424 votes) = 57 points

Southeast 15 percent (111 votes) = 15 points

West 7 percent (52 votes) = 7 points

Southwest 8 percent (60 votes) = 8 points

Turkey results

Northeast 17 percent (110 votes) = 17 points

Midwest 37 percent (241 votes) = 37 points

Southeast 32 percent (208 votes) = 32 points

West 10 percent (65 votes) = 10 points

Southwest 4 percent (26 votes) = 4 points

Duck results

Northeast 12 percent (48 votes) = 12 points

Midwest 46 percent (190 votes) = 46 points

Southeast 28 percent (114 votes) = 28 points

West 7 percent (29 votes) = 7 points

Southwest 7 percent (30 votes) = 7 points

Upland game bird results

Northeast 9 percent (41 votes) = 12 points

Midwest 62 percent (296 votes) = 62 points

Southeast 12 percent (59 votes) = 12 points

West 8 percent (38 votes) = 8 points

Southwest 8 percent (40 votes) = 8 points

Large game results

Northeast 14 percent (78 votes) = 14 points

Midwest 23 percent (128 votes) = 23 points

Southeast 5 percent (28 votes) = 5 points

West 51 percent (285 votes) = 51 points

Southwest 7 percent (39 votes) = 7 points

Overall hunting

Northeast 13 percent (92 votes) = 13 points

Midwest 49 percent (360 votes) = 49 points

Southeast 16 percent (120 votes) = 16 points

West 13 percent (96 votes) = 12 points

Southwest 8 percent (59 votes) = 8 points

Total points:

Northeast 215 points

Midwest 414 points

Southeast 397 points

West 138 points

Southwest 106 points