Hunt Planner: Midwest whitetail lessons

Updated: May 2, 2005, 8:23 PM ET

Hunt Planner: Midwest whitetail lessons

Region offers crash course in hunting big whitetails with bow

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By Lynn Burkhead
ESPNOutdoors.com associate editor

Hunt hard and smart in the Midwest and you could bring home a monster whitetail.

At some point on the drive back to Texas last November, I suddenly understood.

Understood that is, the strange statement made to me a few months earlier by my good friend Ronnie Cannon, a whitetail guide for Hopewell Views Hunting Club in Illinois' famed Pike County.

"I always describe Pike County as the crack cocaine of deer hunting," Cannon said. "It's addictive. Once you experience it, it's hard to go back home. It's probably the best fair-chase bowhunting in North America."

Last year, after experiencing another autumn blitz of rutting Midwestern whitetails, it was in fact, hard to go home.

As I settled back into the pick-up's passenger seat as my pal Scott Unclebach drove south and west, it suddenly made perfect sense.

"Scott," I muttered, "Give me a week every year of bowhunting these Midwestern whitetails in November and I'll never have to hunt deer anywhere else."

Is the deer hunting really that good in the American heartland? You bet it is.

Last November, with chilly damp autumn conditions gripping Pike County, Unclebach and I saw trophy whitetails on the prowl each and every day.

Hunt Planner facts

Species:Whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Range: The various subspecies of the whitetail deer are found across nearly all of the United States (except for a few areas in the far West) and much of Canada and Mexico. The diminutive Coues' whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) is found in portions of southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Mexico.

Population: Numbering as low as 400,000 to 500,000 in 1900, the whitetail deer today is the most populous big game animal on the North American continent. Estimates place current deer numbers somewhere between 20 and 30 million.

Hunting seasons: Whitetail deer hunting seasons can run anywhere from late August into February in various places around the North American continent. However, the heart of the autumn whitetail deer hunting season typically occurs in October, November, and December across much of the whitetail's range.

Rut: While peak rut dates can vary greatly across the whitetail's range, most breeding typically occurs sometime in October, November, or December. In some extreme southern areas, including the fabled brush country of South Texas, the peak of the rut can extend into early January.

Top states and provinces:

Alberta: While this province's deer population is only 231,000 strong, Alberta makes up for a lack of quantity with tremendous quality. Bucks are world class huge here: the province has a B&C record typical of 204 2/8 inches; a non-typical B&C record of 279 6/8 inches; a P&Y record typical of 197 1/8 inches (Note: Wayne Zaft's 2001 Alberta typical had a potential world record entry score of 206 7/8 inches before Pope & Young panel scoring reduced the final numbers down to 172 5/8 inches); and a P&Y non-typical record of 241 2/8 inches. This Canadian province may be the North American continent's best bet to produce the next world record whitetail.

Wisconsin: With an estimated deer population of 1.4 million whitetails, a deer density ranging from 15 to 45+ deer per square mile, and plenty of record book support, there aren't many better places to deer hunt than the Badger State. In fact, Wisconsin leads all states and provinces with some 5,093 all-time Pope & Young Club entries. Throw in the fact that Wisconsin has seven of the Top 10 overall record book (Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett entries combined) counties in North America since 1991, and it's easy to see why the state is a can't-miss pick for deer hunters. In fact, Buffalo County is statistically the best record book county in all of North America. How big can whitetails get in Wisconsin? Well, the 206 1/8 inch James Jordan buck taken in 1914 in Burnett County was the continent's largest typical whitetail for most of the 20th century until Milo Hanson's 213 5/8 inch Saskatchewan buck took the throne in 1993. Even the appearance of chronic wasting disease in recent years has failed to slow down the state's vaunted deer hunting tradition.

Illinois: With a deer herd of 700,000 to 800,000 whitetails, the Land of Lincoln can make a strong case for deer hunting's throne. In fact, from 1980 through 2001, no other state produced as many Boone & Crockett Club entries as Illinois did (509 bucks). The state also has 3,749 all-time Pope & Young Club entries, second only to its neighboring state to the north. Those bucks include the current P&Y world record typical, the 204 4/8 inch Mel Johnson buck taken from Peoria County in 1965. Don't think that world-class giants are a thing of the past - Jerry Bryant's 304 3/8 inch crossbow buck from Fulton County has just been panel-scored as the Boone & Crockett Club's fourth-best all-time non-typical and the second largest buck ever taken by a hunter. While just about any county in Illinois can yield a whopper, the famed "Golden Triangle" of Pike, Adams, and Brown counties is among the best. Pike County's mixture of rolling, timbered hills and protein-rich agricultural lands along the Mississippi River in west-central Illinois is statistically the second best overall record book whitetail county since 1991.

Iowa: While the Hawkeye State's deer herd (315,000) isn't quite as big as some of its Midwestern neighbors, Iowa can also make a strong bid for the continent's best deer hunting location. To start with, try Tony Lovstuen's 2003 non-typical whitetail, a 307 5/8 inch buck dubbed the "Iowa Walking World Record" buck. That whitetail, the largest ever taken by a hunter, was tagged last Sept. 29 in Monroe County. But the big bucks don't stop there either. Iowa boasts eight of the Pope & Young Club's Top 20 typicals and the state is second only to Illinois in the number of Boone & Crockett entries recorded from 1980 to 2001 (507). With limited deer tags, firearms seasons falling outside the peak of the autumn rut, and a history of world class whitetails, it's our take that Iowa is the United State's best bet to produce the next world record whitetail.

Kansas: With a deer herd of 320,000 whitetails, the Sunflower State's claim to fame might not be Dorothy, Toto, and those ruby-colored shoes. Instead, it just might be a whirlwind of whitetails since the state has produced 10 of the Top 20 non-typical whitetails found in the Pope & Young Club record book. The state is no slouch for world class typicals either, as evidenced by bowhunter Brad Henry's 193 7/8 inch whitetail taken in 2002 and Dennis P. Finger's 198 2/8 inch buck taken in 1974 with a firearm. With Kansas having produced 235 Boone & Crockett entries from 1980 to 2001, seventh best in the nation, the Sunflower State could easily produce a world record typical or non-typical buck some day.

Texas: Everything is big in Texas, including the state's massive whitetail herd estimated at 3.8 million deer last year. In fact, the state's 2002 deer harvest (436,949) is more than many state's entire deer populations! But the Lone Star State isn't just known for it's quantity of deer - quality runs deep between the Red River and the Rio Grande River too. The state boasts the famed "Brady Buck," a former B&C world-record non-typical taken in 1892 that measured 284 3/8 inches. Big bucks still fall with regularity today, as evidenced by the 159 official B & C entries tagged between 1980 and 2001, ninth best during that span. Texas is 10th in overall Pope & Young Club entries as well, with 852 archery book bucks taken through 2002. It's also important to note that many B&C and P & Y caliber bucks taken during those timeframes are not eligible for either record book since they were tagged behind a high fence, a common practice in the state. With lengthy seasons that stretch from October into January and a temperate late fall and winter climate, Texas is hard to beat for whitetail fanatics.

Minnesota: With 1,557 overall Pope & Young Club entries (fifth best overall) and 293 Boone & Crockett trophy bucks from 1980 through 2001, (fourth best overall), the deer hunting compass often points to the North Star State. Toss in a deer herd numbering 1.14 million at last count and world class state record bucks measuring 202 0/8 (typical record); 268 5/8 (non-typical record); 197 6/8 (typical archery); and 222 5/8 (non-typical archery); and Minnesota easily makes our Top 10 list.

Kentucky: The Bluegrass State has quietly become one of the continent's best record book whitetail states, producing ten or more Boone & Crockett caliber bucks annually in recent years. In 2002, the state gave up 25 such bucks, topped by Ben Brogle's fantastic 260 1/8 inch state record non-typical. In 2001, Kentucky also gave up a massive typical buck to rifle hunter Robert Smith, a typical given a 204 6/8 inch B & C entry score. With a herd of 600,000 deer, Kentucky could also grab world record whitetail headlines some day soon.

Saskatchewan: Home to Milo Hanson's current Boone & Crockett Club typical whitetail king, the 213 5/8 inch buck taken in 1993 near the hamlet of Biggar proves that this Canadian province is a must-visit place on any deer hunter's career itinerary. With 350,000 deer and reports of massive racked brutes falling almost every autumn, Saskatchewan is among deer hunting's best.

Ohio: With 2,178 overall Pope & Young entries through 2002 (fourth best overall) and 199 Boone & Crockett entries from 1980 through 2001 (eighth best overall), the Buckeye State is obviously known for more than championship college football. Throw in a deer herd of 575,000 whitetails into the mix and the Buckeye deer hunting recipe gets even better. Finally, toss in world class racks like Mike Beatty's massive non-typical, a year 2000 buck that sported a reported initial entry score of 304 6/8 inches (final panel scoring has not occurred so far) and it's easy to see why Ohio rounds out our whitetail hunting Top 10 list.

Honorable mention: With sizable deer herds, plenty of big trophy bucks, and strong deer hunting traditions, a deer hunter can't go wrong when visiting the states of Indiana, Missouri (home to the picked up Boone & Crockett Club world record non-typical, the 333 7/8 inch "Missouri monarch"), Nebraska (home to Del Austin's 279 7/8 inch Pope & Young Club world-record non-typical buck), New York and Pennsylvania.

Methods of hunting:

Stand hunting: Without a doubt, most deer are shot by hunters perched high in treestands each year. In fact, a Pope & Young study during the Club's 23rd recording period found that more than 75 percent of the whitetail entries during that span were shot by hunters hanging in tree stands. Even where tall trees aren't common - like in Texas - stands like tower blinds, tripod stands, and pop-up ground blinds still account for the lion's share of whitetails being harvested by hunters. Keys in stand hunting include: being downwind of where a whitetail is expected to pass by, being located near food sources or travel routes, and having an entry/exit route that allows a hunter to access the stand without spooking deer.

Still hunting: Hunters wearing hunter orange and having good optics can quietly and slowly work their way through prime whitetail country, ready to capitalize if a shooting opportunity presents itself. Bowhunters are also able to employ still hunting measures, as well as the occasional spot-and-stalk in open prairie country.

Driving: Akin to driving a field for pheasants, "standers" take positions along deer trails, funnels, or escape corridors to get a shot at a whitetail trying to elude "drivers" working their way through deer holding cover.

Calling/rattling: Calls imitating buck grunts and snort wheezes, along with the sounds of does and fawns, can be used at certain times of the fall to lure in a big buck. Using a set of antlers to simulate a buck fight — rattling — can lure in a curious or dominant whitetail. This aggressive technique is one of deer hunting's most exciting hunting methods.

Decoying: The use of a doe decoy and a small, subordinate buck decoy during the pre-rut leading up to the peak of the rut can produce explosive results as dominant bucks rush in to protect their romantic turf.

Hunt the rut: Hunting travel corridors and food sources during the peak of the whitetail rut can lead to the autumn's most exciting deer hunting action. Hit the peak of the rut just right, and a magical time of watching big bucks throw caution to the wind in pursuit of lady love can result.

Trophy field judging tips

Symmetry: For a high scoring typical, look for racks that look very similar or even identical from side to side.

Mass: Trophy whitetails will typically have first circumference measurements of four inches or better. Oftentimes these first mass measurements will be in the five to seven-inch range. Trophy bucks will try to carry that initial mass throughout the rack.

Number of points: In both typicals and non-typicals, the more points a buck has, generally the better off the score will be. While a massive record book eight-point whitetail is truly an impressive trophy, most of the time, true monster bucks will sport at least 10 mainframe points.

Brow tines: If a buck possesses good G-1 brow tines of four inches or better, he's off to a good start.

Tine length: Look for a series of long typical tines (G-2, G-3, G-4, etc.) measuring seven inches or better. When such tines measure 10-inches or better, you are looking at a great buck. When they measure 12-inches or better, a true blue monster buck is on the prowl.

Main beam length: Look for main beams measuring 20 to 25-inches or more.

Inside spread: While many hunters look for wide racks extending well outside a deer's set of ears, the truth is that many trophy whitetails possess inside spread measurements between 17 and 20 inches. In fact, a 201 0/8 inch typical in the Boone & Crockett record book has an inside spread of only 15 5/8 inches! A big spread is nice, but if a record book buck is your goal, be sure that the buck in question also has excellent mass, point numbers, tine length, and long main beams.

Trash points: Trash, kicker, or sticker points are detrimental to a typical buck's final score. Of course, they'll also help add to a non-typical buck's final numbers.

Score is sometimes relative: Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a deer's score isn't necessarily a true measure of how great a whitetail buck is. If the buck is a heavy, mature bodied deer that has a rack that causes you to gasp as the adrenaline flows, get ready to pull the trigger or unleash an arrow.

(Sources: "The Bowhunter's Handbook" by M.R. James; "Bowhunter's Encyclopedia" by Dwight Schuh; Various conservation, newspaper, and state agency websites; Boone & Crockett Club Records of North American Big Game, 11th Edition; Boone & Crockett Club's 24th Big Game Awards; Pope & Young Club Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 5th Edition, Pope & Young Club's 22nd and 23rd Recording Period Statistical Summaries; and ESPNOutdoors.com files.)

Those deer included an upper 140s buck that I unleashed an arrow at and a true-blue 190 class typical monster that unfortunately eluded Scott as the deer chased a hot doe in a cornfield not far from the banks of the Mississippi River.

After pointing the truck northeast for three straight autumns, each deer encounter in the Midwest has provided yet another lesson in my continuing bowhunter education.

Here are a few of the lessons that I've learned:

Play the wind

Sure, it's one of deer hunting's oldest axioms. But it's also the sport's truest principle, even in this era of scent eliminating products.

If you want to bag a big whitetail, you must beat his nose first, and the surest way is to play the wind right.

It's still just as important today as it was in October 1965 when Mel Johnson felt the wind in his face while sitting alongside a Peoria County, Illinois beanfield.

That's of course where he arrowed the famed 204 4/8 inch world record typical whitetail that still sits atop the Pope & Young Club throne nearly four decades later.

I learned the value of that lesson myself in November 2002 when I heeded the advice of Cannon and avoided a red-hot funnel that screamed out with big buck sign.

It took all week to finally get the right wind direction for the stand, but the results were worth the wait when on the final day of my hunt, I tagged a gnarly looking non-typical I had dubbed Morph.

Hunt the edges

This lesson was first learned in the aftermath of my late October 2001 visit to Pike County.

A bowhunter with only one good whitetail to his credit at that point, I was like an over-eager puppy in a bagful of bones when I hit the Illinois woods that were choked with pre-rut rubs, scrapes, and heavily worn trails.

What did I do? I invaded the woods, found the hottest sign, marched to the bottom of cover-choked draws, and hung a stand.

Sure, I saw some big bucks that week, but never near my stand.

Why?

Because with corn-flake dry conditions, not to mention the human scent that I was putting down, I was unwittingly alerting every whitetail for miles as to my presence every time I climbed into a stand.

Be passively aggressive

When Unclebach and I arrived in Illinois last year, our previous whitetail goof-ups led us to set up a number of stands on the outer edges of the timbered hills and draws.

After a couple of days of carefully observing deer movement, we fine-tuned those stand locations even more, moves that gave both of us opportunities to shoot a prime Illinois whitetail.

When you roll into any prime whitetail country, the temptation is to try and hunt hard and fast from the word go.

But keep in mind that it only takes a brief second for a deer hunt to go from dullsville boring to the hunt of a lifetime.

The key is to make sure you eventually get yourself into position for that to happen, not to take yourself right out of the ballgame before it has even really begun.

Hunt all day

One of those fine-tuned stand locations mentioned above produced the sighting of several good whitetail bucks, all traveling more or less the same route as the Illinois rut continued to kick into high gear.

On the second day that particular stand location was hunted from, my decision to wait 'em out by carrying my lunch to the stand in my backpack proved to be a good one.

Prepare for every shot

Less than an hour after eating my mid-day turkey sandwich, I looked up to see a fine 10-point buck pushing 150 inches of antler slowly moving in my direction.

When the solid typical paused behind some nearby cover, I calmly came to full draw and prepared to write the ending to this Midwestern deer hunting story.

Unfortunately, I'm neither the perfect outdoor writer nor the perfect bowhunter.

When the buck resumed his travels down the trail, I let my arrow and broadhead combination fly, producing what appeared to be at first glance, a good pass through shot.

Unfortunately, the steep shot angle caused me to only get one lung, leading to a protracted and difficult recovery of the buck.

This leads me to yet another whitetail lesson learned — and a soon-to-be-released story in this Hunt Planner series — the lesson of making absolutely sure that every conceivable shot possibility has been adequately covered in a hunter's pre-season preparation.

Sometimes joyful, sometimes painful, the deer hunting lessons that the whitetail-rich Midwest teach a hunter never cease.

With the continent's biggest and best whitetail herds on the prowl in those states, there's always another lesson to learn.

Top 10 typical Boone & Crockett whitetails

(Score, hunter, location, year.)

1. 213 5/8, Milo Hanson, Biggar, Saskatchewan, 1993
2. 206 1/8, James Jordan, Burnett County, Wisconsin, 1914
3. 205 0/8, Larry W. Gibson, Randolph County, Missouri, 1971
4. 204 4/8, Mel Johnson, Peoria County, Illinois, 1965
5. 204 2/8, Stephen Jansen, Beaverdam Creek, Alberta, 1967
6. 202 6/8, Bruce Ewen, Barrier Valley, Saskatchewan, 1992
7. 202 0/8, John Breen, Beltrami County, Minnesota, 1918
8. 201 4/8, Wayne A. Bills, Hamilton County, Iowa, 1974
9. 201 0/8, Wayne G. Stewart, Kittson County, Minnesota, 1961
10. 200 2/8, Peter J. Swistun, Whitkow, Saskatchewan, 1983
10. 200 2/8, Brian S. Damery, Macon County, Illinoius 1993

Top 10 non-typical Boone & Crockett whitetails

1. 333 7/8, Picked Up, St. Louis County, Missouri, 1981
2. 328 2/8, Picked Up, Portage County, Ohio, 1940
3. 307 5/8, Tony Lovstuen, Monroe County, Iowa, 2003
4. 304 3/8, Jerry Bryant, Fulton County, Illinois, 2001
5. 295 6/8, Tony Fulton, Winston County, Missouri, 1995
6. 284 3/8, Unknown , McCulloch County, Texas, 1892
7. 282 0/8, Larry Raveling, Clay County, Iowa, 1973
8. 281 6/8, James H. McMurray, Tensas Parish, Louisiana, 1994
9. 280 4/8, Joseph H. Waters, Shawnee County, Kansas, 1987
10. 279 6/8, Neal J. Morin, Whitemud Creek, Alberta, 1991

Sources: Boone & Crockett Club Records of North American Big Game, 11th Edition; Boone & Crockett Club's 24th Big Game Awards; and Boone & Crockett Club website.

Top 10 typical Pope & Young whitetails

1. 204 4/8, M.J. Johnson, Peoria County, Illinois, 1965
2. 197 6/8, Lloyd Goad, Monroe County, Iowa, 1962
2. 197 6/8, Curt Van Lith, Wright County, Minnesota, 1986
4. 197 1/8, Don McGarvey, Edmonton, Alberta, 1991
5. 195 7/8, Barry Peterson, Anoka County, Minnesota, 1995
6. 195 2/8, Kent Anderson, Rock Island County, Illinois, 1999
7. 194 2/8, Robert L. Miller, Jones County, Iowa, 1977
8. 194 0/8, Stuart Clodfelder, Logan County, Colorado, 1981
8. 194 0/8, Steven E. Tyer, Johnson County, Iowa, 1994
10. 193 7/8, Brad Henry, Wabaunsee County, Kansas, 2001

Top 10 non-typical Pope & Young whitetails

1. 279 7/8, Del Austin, Hall County, Nebraska, 1962
2. 269 7/8, Randy Simonitch, Pike County, Missouri, 2000
3. 262 7/8, Dale R. Larson, Pottawatomie County, Kansas, 1998
4. 257 0/8, Kenneth B. Fowler, Reno County, Kansas, 1981
5. 250 6/8, Kenneth R. Cartwright, Miami County, Kansas, 1994
6. 250 4/8, Andrew French III, Alexander County, Illinois, 2000
7. 249 6/8, Clifford Pickell, Greenwood County, Kansas, 1968
8. 246 3/8, Richard Stahl, Anderson County, Kansas, 1992
9. 245 5/8, Robert E. Chestnut, Vermilion County, Illinois, 1981
10. 245 4/8, Douglas A. Siebert, Chase County, Kansas, 1988

Note: Ohio bowhunter Mike Beatty's 304 2/8 inch non-typical whitetail taken in Nov. 2000 could supplant the Austin buck as the P & Y #1 pending future panel scoring.

Sources: Pope & Young Club Bowhunting Big Game Records of North America, 5th Edition and Pope & Young Club's 22nd and 23rd Recording Period Statistical Summaries