Photo by Mark Werner

Mention "Illinois" with the word "trophy" in the same sentence to a deer hunter and odds are high the discussion will include Pike County. That chunk of real estate has become synonymous with record-book bucks, and for good reason.

What most hunters don't seem to realize -- and Illinois residents are no exception -- is that Pike County may not necessarily be the best place to bag your wallhanger. Huh?

That last sentence will have some hunters rolling their eyes into the back of their heads -- but keep reading. The trophy records provided by Tracy Shafer of the Illinois Big Buck Recognition Program tell a story, and the tale is interesting, indeed.

From South Beloit on the Wisconsin border to Cairo at the whip-tail end of the peninsula where the mighty Mississippi River swallows the Ohio River, every county in our state -- all 103 of them -- has produced trophy bucks. Even Ford County on the bottom of the big-buck list has chalked up two magnificent animals over the years that have scored over 200 inches.

So what's a hunter to do?

Read the data and reconsider your odds.

WHAT IS A TROPHY
Placing a tag on your dream buck starts with setting parameters that define these criteria. For a huge percentage of sportsmen and sportswomen, finding a rack that scores high enough to qualify for Pope and Young certification would be more than satisfactory. A score of 125 inches will do that.

Others want a bit more prestige on their wall and will shoot for the Boone and Crockett Club stamp of approval. Meeting their requirements raises the bar and necessitates a minimum score of 160 inches.

The problem with both of these goals -- if you want to call them problems -- is that you can, almost literally, throw a dart at an Illinois map and hit a place that will eventually be visited by a deer meeting either of these qualifications.

Throughout the life of the Illinois Big Buck Recognition Program, the scoring categories of 125 inches through the 160s have been well represented. It is not until we get into the range of 170 and higher that the prospects truly become narrower. At this elevated level the hunter must become more selective in order to improve his or her odds for success.

Looking at big-buck figures over a shorter time period illustrates this point. The second set of parameters represents trophy entries over the last five years. Through this most recent time period, 81 counties produced deer scoring at least 150 inches, a more exclusive group of 51 gave up bucks in the 170 range, and only 23 coughed up a monster that scored in the 190 category.

A number of factors contribute to rocking-chair headgear. Fortunately the trends are indicating a positive movement upward for those seeking the top end of the trophy scale.

SHORT & LONG TERMS
The three most important elements that contribute to large rack development are genetics, nutrition and age of the deer. How these factors interplay has significant impact upon the potential for finding your trophy in any given area.

Some counties simply do not produce all that many high-scoring racks. The fact that an occasional 200-inch behemoth is taken even within these lesser producing areas, however, is indicative of the presence of the necessary genetic code.