Here at F&S, we really want you to tag a great buck. Every year, after all, we name the best days to hunt during the best part of deer season, and we share the top tactics to use when you're out there. We've also told you the top states to bag the buck of a lifetime. But, of course, a state is a big place. So, now we're drilling down deeper and naming the best counties to tag a trophy. We spent way too many hours geeking out over B&C and P&Y records data to assemble the following list of the 10 counties that have produced the highest total number of record-book entries from 2000-2023. If your goal is to put a buck in one—or both—or the books, these are the best places to start.
1. Buffalo County, Wisconsin
1,029 Total B&C and P&Y Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 87
B&C Nontyps: 20
P&Y Typicals: 889
P&Y Nontyps: 53
It’s one thing to rise to the top of any category or competition; it’s another to stay there for years and years. But that’s just what Buffalo County has done, dominating the whitetail record books in all categories for decades, even as other places have seen their stars rise. Located on Wisconsin’s so-called “West Coast” (the Mississippi River courses along Buffalo’s western slope), this scenic slice of the Badger State is a mix of farmland and wooded bluffs that seems perfectly designed for growing monster deer. Toss in a hunting populace that’s been managing for mature bucks for years, and you’ve got the No. 1 big-buck county in all of the country.
2. Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
545 Total Entries
B&C Typicals: 39
B&C Nontyps: 10
P&Y Typicals: 469
P&Y Nontyps: 27
Buffalo County gets all the ink, but its neighbor to the south, a county with a name few can pronounce and fewer can spell, isn't too far behind. While some of the bluffs aren’t quite as steep, Trempealeau County's habitat is essentially the same, and the county has been cranking out great deer for a very long time. It takes a 170-inch buck to crack Trempealeau's the top P&Y 15 typicals, and the top nontypical bowkill–a giant that scored 232-4/8 inches—was tagged in 2016. We’ll probably make a few folks mad for shining a light on western Wisconsin’s best kept secret, but others will be happy to see getting the credit it deserves.
3. Pike County, Illinois
466 Total Entries
B&C Typicals: 19
B&C Nontyps: 17
P&Y Typicals: 394
P&Y Nontyps: 36
Another spot with a big reputation, Illinois' Pike County gained notice when it was included in the Prairie State’s “Golden Triangle” of top trophy counties (Pike, Brown, and Adams) back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While the area saw a slight dip in trophy production a while back, it seems to have rebounded nicely, and Pike remains one of the country’s top trophy producers. Outside of the Wisconsin counties above, there’s no better place to hunt if your goal is to kill a P&Y buck. Lightly populated with a gorgeous blend of farmland and timber, Pike has all the right stuff for growing mature deer.
4. Houston County, Minnesota
236 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 23
B&C Nontyps: 17
P&Y Typicals: 176
P&Y Nontyps: 20
Even I was surprised to see this southeastern Minnesota county slip into the Top Five—and I not only live right down the road, I even hunt there! While I’ve known about Houston’s knack for growing great bucks for many years, I honestly had no idea how well it stacked up nationally until I dug into the record books. Like its neighbors across the Mississippi River (Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties), Houston features steep bluffs covered with acorn-dropping oaks and some rich dirt that cranks out bumper corn and soybean crops. Houston County has been a consistent trophy producer for long time, but it's been especially good lately: Its top B&C nontypical, a 232-⅞-inch monster, was killed in 2022, and its P&Y numbers for the last few seasons can hold their own with any place in the country.
5. Fulton County, Illinois
223 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 18
B&C Nontyps: 23
P&Y Typicals: 162
P&Y Nontyps: 30
Ironically, Illinois’ second-best trophy-producing county is not in the famed Golden Triangle. But that snub doesn't keep Fulton County from cranking out world-class nontypicals, including the largest hunter-killed buck in history, the Luke Brewster giant. Fulton is the undisputed B&C nontyp leader, with 23 entries. (Pike is in second, with 17). Fulton bowhunters have also crammed the P&Y books with typicals and huge nontyps. Only Wisconsin’s Buffalo boasts more P&Y nontypical entries. Located in west-central Illinois and full of prime farmland dotted with dense woodlots big enough to host a giant deer, Fulton is sure to keep putting trophies into the books for years to come.
6. (Tie) Allamakee County, Iowa
186 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 28
B&C Nontyps: 10
P&Y Typicals: 138
P&Y Nontyps: 10
You were probably wondering when the Hawkeye State was going to toss its hat in the ring. Given Iowa’s storied reputation for big bucks, it’s a slight surprise that their top-producing county is this low on the list. There are several possible explanations for that, but the most likely is that, unlike the counties placing above it, this one significant restricts nonresident numbers, and fewer hunters means fewer bucks killed, means fewer entries. That doesn't change how good the hunting is here. Like some of the other leaders, Allamakee County lies hard against the Mississippi River and features rugged bluffs mixed with rich farm ground—a recipe for growing huge deer.
6. (Tie) Adams County, Illinois
186 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 16
B&C Nontyps: 15
P&Y Typicals: 133
P&Y Nontyps: 22
Back to Illinois’ Golden Triangle we go, with a county that can’t keep up with some of its neighbors in sheer volume of P&Y bucks, but can certainly hold its own when it comes to quality. The county's top nontypical bow buck, taken by Steve Dewitt in 2006, scored 226-⅞ inches, and the top typical taken by Frank Welsch in 2003 netted a solid 175-4/8. Located just north of famous Pike County, Adams is the western-most county in the state and features prime habitat against the big river.
7. Licking County, Ohio
180 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 14
B&C Nontyps: 22
P&Y Typicals: 124
P&Y Nontyps: 20
Licking County is another state I was sure would rank higher on this list, but one of the chief attractions of the Buckeye State is that great trophy buck hunting is spread out across multiple counties rather than concentrated in one or two. But, of course, there are standouts and Licking County is one. The top P&Y typical taken by Steve Trickle in 2001 grossed 192 inches and change—a truly jaw-dropping buck. And with 22 nontyps in the B&C books, Licking County can hold its own in any discussion of the best places to hunt for a world-class gnarly buck.
8. Dubuque County, Iowa
171 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 16
B&C Nontyps: 17
P&Y Typicals: 123
P&Y Nontyps: 15
Back to northeast Iowa for a look at the second-best county in the Hawkeye State. This is another semi-surprise, as so much recent attention has been paid to the state's southern tier of counties that lie along the Missouri border. I’ve hunted that southern tier and know how good it can be, so I’m guessing that hunters there are simply entering a smaller percentage of big bucks killed. That’s perfectly fine with the folks in the northeastern corner of the state, who are happy to populate the record books with giants.
9 Warren County, Iowa
148 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 21
B&C Nontyps: 19
P&Y Typicals: 86
P&Y Nontyps: 22
Finally, we drop down to southern Iowa, where a county that doesn’t get a ton of ink is quietly stuffing bucks into the record books. In a state known for big gnarly bucks, Warren County stands out as the top county for B&C nontyps. While its top-end nontyps aren’t the best Iowa has to offer, the sheer volume is nothing to sneeze at: Warren County's 19 B&C and 22 P&Y entries place it among the top counties in the U.S for a record-book nontypical. And unlike Allamakee and Dubuque Counties, where rugged bluff country can be difficult to hunt, Warren is much tamer terrain.
10. (Tie) Maverick County, Texas
134 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 67
B&C Nontyps: 23
P&Y Typicals: 38
P&Y Nontyps: 6
You knew that Texas—known for producing giant deer and certainly the birthplace of modern trophy management—had to make the list eventually, right? The only thing keeping Texas from being much, much higher on this list is a rather lukewarm showing in the P&Y books, a fact for which I have no clear explanation. What I do know is that Maverick County is among the very top counties in the U.S. to kill a B&C typical, and that the quality of those animals is as good as anywhere. Maverick County hunters have five typicals in the state’s Top 15, including the #2 and #3 bucks, both over 190 inches. There simply aren’t many places like that in this world.
10. (Tie) Meigs County, Ohio
134 Record-Book Entries
B&C Typicals: 15
B&C Nontyps: 6
P&Y Typicals: 106
P&Y Nontyps: 7
An interesting contrast to the county it ties with, Miegs cracked the Top 10 for a strong showing in the P&Y books. It has put 106 bucks in the typical category, with a 181-⅞” giant, taken by Chuck Bumpus in 2013, topping the list. Located in the extreme southeastern corner of the Buckeye State, the eastern and southern borders of Meigs is the Ohio River. More than one biologist has pointed out the strong connection between big rivers and big deer, and in the case of this county it certainly makes sense. Rivers make for rich dirt full of minerals, which are proven producers of great crops—and giant whitetails.
Where Is Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi...?
As much as I was surprised to see come counties landing higher or lower on the list above than I expected, I was shocked that some incredible big-buck-producing states aren't represented at all. As I mentioned above, I think it boils down to two. Some states are so consistently good across a whole bunch of counties that no one county stands out. Also, I suspect that the culture of submitting bucks for record-book entry is stronger in some places compared to others. In the end, the counties above aren't the only good big-buck locals by any means. But every one of them is a hell of of place to take your shot at a record-book whitetail.
