Coming off a record deer harvest in 2006, prognosticators wondered what the 2007 season would hold for deer hunters in the Sooner State. "Generally, after a big harvest total, the following year has a slight decline," observed Mike Shaw, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's deer expert. "When you take as many deer as we did during the 2006 season, you have to allow the overall herd to bounce back a bit."

Although last season's deer harvest did slump a bit, as predicted, the current season is shaping up to go down in the records as phenomenal.

Personally, I saw good numbers of deer during the 2007 archery season but failed to connect. However, I did redeem myself by taking a nice buck during blackpowder season. The highlight of my season came when I took my wife hunting during the gun season, and she saw the most deer she has ever seen. Although Donna didn't see a buck she wanted, she did pass up on 10 smaller bucks, all of which will be bigger this season.

Last season left Okies stoked for the next one. Several factors point to a tremendous 2008 hunting season. Before you take to the woods, read on to learn, and study, the areas with the highest deer densities. That should put the odds in your favor this season.

TOP COUNTIES FOR BUCKS
Many counties in our state produce a significant number of bucks for horn-hunters year after year. Interestingly, these counties offer much diversity in landscape, their scenery ranging from tallgrass prairies to heavily wooded forests. Though some of the top counties ritualistically remain the same, there are some surprises, with some counties recording their highest herd numbers on record.

For archers, the top buck-producing county is no surprise; it's Cherokee, in the northeast part of the state known as Green Country. Archers took 230 bucks last season in this heavily wooded county.

Ranking second with 180 bucks last season was Southeastern Oklahoma's Pittsburg County. As usual, arrow slingers harvested bow trophies in the hilly, forested region encompassing the McAlester Army Ammunition Depot and in the deer-rich areas surrounding the southern end of Lake Eufaula. Friends there tell me deer numbers are increasing and they hope hunters will take more does.

Ranking third was Rogers County with 158 bucks taken, and narrowly edging out Osage County with 155 antlered deer. Both are sited in our northeastern region. Rounding out the list were Atoka and Mayes counties with 110 and 109 bucks, respectively.

The top county for bagging blackpowder bucks was again the ever-popular Cherokee with 729, followed closely by Pittsburg County with 721 bucks. Of note: Cherokee Wildlife Management Area hosts several hunters each season during draw hunts, and then reopens for general public use. Osage was the third top county for frontloaders with 620 bucks, while Pushmataha County reported 580 bucks. Sequoyah and Atoka counties followed with 554 and 533 bucks respectively.

The best bet for taking a buck during gun season is Osage County. Our largest county in size nearly doubled the kill of the next highest spot with 1,820 bucks. That's where I took my first buck, next to a place once owned by Hollywood actor and native Oklahoman, the late Ben Johnson.