Last season, South Texas' LaSalle County led the state with 36 typical TBGA entries and 11 non-typicals, the second-biggest of which was a non-typical taken by New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte that scored 182 6/8. Webb County also had a strong showing with 31 typical entries and one non-typical.

Other South Texas counties and their entries: Kleberg, 22 typicals, six non-typicals; Dimmit, 22 typicals, four non-typicals; Maverick, 15 typicals, six non-typicals; and Kleberg, 17 typicals, two non-typicals. Combined those counties again proved the region is the hotspot for hunters hoping to bag their biggest buck. The region tallied 241 total qualifiers.

The region also produced the largest TBGA entry, a Hidalgo County buck taken by David F. Coleman that scored 213 3/8. The second-largest buck also was taken in South Texas; a Zavala County brute harvested by Alberto Bailleres scored 206 6/8.

What might have been an average year for South Texas as far as TBGA entries are concerned was a good year for other portions of the state. Kerr County, with 24 typicals and 14 non-typicals, had the second-highest number of entries for any county while having the highest number of non-typical qualifiers. Another Edwards Plateau county that had a strong showing for the region was Coryell County, which had 10 typical and four non-typical qualifiers. The top Edwards Plateau buck was a San Saba County beast taken by Mariah Gary scoring 202 2/8.

The Cross Timbers region had a solid year for big deer last season with 159 entries, the second-most in the state. Reagan County (21 typicals, three non-typicals) and Shackelford County (14 typicals, two non-typicals) were the top places in that region for big bucks. Throckmorton County (11 typicals, two non-typicals) also had a solid showing. The largest Cross Timbers bucks were Bosque County non-typicals taken by George Singleton and Ray A. Murski that scored 199 2/8 and 198 1/8, respectively. The region also produced the largest TBGA typical, a Hamilton County monster scoring 176 2/8 taken by Glenn Christian.

Like South Texas, the Pineywoods may have had an average season by most standards, but the eastern part of the state had two counties near the top of the list when it comes to high numbers of big bucks. Houston County (22 typicals, two non-typicals) and Trinity County (19 typicals) again proved sufficient moisture can result in big hauls of big horns. San Jacinto County produced the top Pineywoods non-typical, a buck scoring 189 6/8 taken by John Eric Meekins. The top East Texas typical buck was taken by Chris Ricks in Angelina County and scored 163 7/8.

The Post Oak Savannah region may have had one of the lowest numbers of TBGA entries, but Anderson County (12 typicals, four non-typicals) was tops in that portion of the state for harvesting a big whitetail, as evidenced by Jack Brittingham's 202 3/8 non-typical.

In the Coastal Prairies region, Colorado County led the way with 23 typicals and one non-typical entered into TBGA. The top Coastal buck, scoring 183 7/8, was harvested in Karnes County by Dan Watson.

The Panhandle and Rolling Plains regions again had the lowest number of TBGA qualifiers, but Hemphill County in the northeast Panhandle proved to be as good for finding a big buck as most other areas in the state. Hemphill had eight typical and four non-typical entries, including the third-largest non-typical, a 203 3/8 buck taken by Everette Newland.

WHAT IT MEANS
After a tough season in 2006-07 for most Lone Star State hunters, this deer season should offer welcome relief. Sufficient moisture at the right times promoted fawn development and survival, so future seasons should see deer numbers stay steady or even rise; it also helped the food sources that can aid whitetails in adding to their headgear and body size.