Seems like a lot of really nice deer were taken in the southeast this year. Everyone I've talked to seemed to have had a good year and though I didn't hunt as much as I would have liked, I've seen some really nice bucks this year.

Here's one my brother took while hunting with his son on our annual mens family trip in Western Alabama. This deer had a great rack, awesome mass, humongous bases, and was truly an old mature buck. Estimated he weighed about 190# which is a hoss for a southern whitetail. He shot it with a model 111FYAK in .270 (youth rifle) that he bought used and then he topped it with Leupold standard rings and bases and a made in USA 3-9x50 Redfield Revolution with the "accurange" reticle. A darn nice setup and shoots 130gr Federal power shock (cheap blue box) into one ragged hole. I'm sure this big boy didn't ask how much cash he had in the rig or the ammo. A nice high shoulder shot anchored him in 3 steps at about 225 yards. They were hunting a green field on a tract that was clear cut 18 months ago. My brother and his son are both some of the luckiest hunters I know and my relatves do a fantastic job of habitat management. They say you cant eat the antlers to which I reply big ol deer have big ol backstraps