Species: Whitetail

States Whitetail are available to On Your Own hunters

Whitetail Deer

Whitetail deer are called “America’s Deer” for good reason. They are found in most every state, in most every habitat, and co-exist with man and the changing surroundings better than any other big game animal. Whitetail deer are found in great supply in all but a few of the most arid states. Given the tremendous number of whitetails in this country, every On Your Own hunter has whitetails within a days drive, and most often within an hours drive.

The beauty of whitetail hunting is a reflection of their abundance - that beauty is how easy it is for non-residents to obtain tags. In most states, whitetail hunts can be achieved with over-the-counter tags, and even where limited tags are required for non-residents, the tags are often under-subscribed. There is little reason for the On Your Own hunter to not be whitetail hunting each year.

There are many subspecies of whitetails. The common trend is that the further north you go, the larger the body size, and in many instances, antler size.

The Southwestern states of Arizona and New Mexico are home to the smallest subspecies of whitetail. They are a true whitetail, but are most commonly known as Coues deer. They are much smaller in body size and antler. They are considered one of the most difficult deer to hunt, and any buck is a trophy.

As opposed to his mule deer cousins, the majority of whitetails occur on private ground. On Your Own hunters need to secure access to enjoy these private ground deer, but that is often secured with a little homework. And, all states have plenty of public hunting areas, and many of the western states hold good whitetail hunting on the national forests.

Whitetail grow big by getting old and having great feed. Nowhere do animals get better feed than the midwestern states. And, the limited rifle hunting, along with private property management, has resulted in great improvements to the age structure of most whitetail herds.

If you were going to look for a huge whitetail to hang your On Your Own tag on, you would be best served to search the agricultural states. From Kansas and the Dakotas, east to Ohio and Indiana, down to Kentucky and Missouri, and all states in between, would be a great starting point. Boone and Crockett records show that Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, and Kentucky are the leaders in record book entries. Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio are not far behind.

Most hunters know the value of the November rut for finding big whitetails. Most states restrict that time frame to archery hunting only. This provides improved escapement of older class bucks, and better trophy. States allowing rifle hunting in the rut put pressure on herds, allowing bucks to gain age, only when protected by private property or vast wild expanses.

If there is better table fare than a fat whitetail doe, I am not sure what it would be. The hunter willing to take a doe will find himself welcomed on most private land. Doing so is not only good for management, but good for the body and the freezer.