I took my largest buck ever while hunting with a muzzleloader. The buck's gross score approached 135, and I was proud of my accomplishment. That buck's score is now my standard; I won't shoot a buck with smaller antlers.

Call me a trophy hunter if you like, I'm simply trying to discipline myself to the standards laid out for myself. In the past, like a lot of Oklahoma deer hunters, I shot the first legal buck I saw. But no more, I now shoot only mature bucks that sport hefty racks.

Last season, I passed on several small bucks and was forced to eat "tag soup," even though 2008 was an incredible season for many Sooner State deer hunters. Trophy bucks were taken statewide. By lowering the buck limit to two, the state forced most deer hunters to become more selective and pass on small bucks. In the process, more hunters are shooting real wallhangers.

Nearly 50 bucks last season qualified for the Cy Curtis record book. Five of those were worthy of recognition by Boone and Crockett. An archer even took the largest buck ever killed in our state with a recurve bow.

For Oklahoma deer hunters who would label themselves as trophy hunters, these are the good ol' days! What follows is a rundown of some of the state's top deer counties. Read on and maybe you'll find out where to go hunt your own trophy buck!

QUEST FOR A TROPHY BUCK
A famous whitetail authority once said that big bucks are where you find them. Another expert noted that you can't take big bucks on property lacking the potential to grow them. So where does a serious deer hunter look for a monster buck in Oklahoma?

First, I believe you have to define what makes a buck a trophy to you. Some hunters consider a deer taken after a long, difficult hunt a trophy, while others only want a buck with enormous antlers. Some hunters -- like my friend Mike Chain -- are drawn to bucks with unusual headgear. Still others might define a trophy as a buck with a huge body. Several of our counties yield deer heavier than what's considered normal.

In reality, a trophy truly is in the eyes of the beholder. Though big antlers look impressive in a mount, an animal doesn't have to sport a giant rack to be a trophy. Case in point: My wife Donna's first buck had a petite 6-point rack. I mounted it for her nonetheless because, as her first big-game animal, it was a prize to her.

The bucks we'll consider as trophies for the purposes of this article will be bucks that qualify to be recognized in the state's deer awards program. Next, we'll look at the particular spots in the Sooner State that yield deer big enough to qualify for the Cy Curtis records list.

CY CURTIS RECORDS
The Cy Curtis records book -- named for the man that many think of as being most pivotal in the state's whitetail restoration program -- was created to recognize our state's outstanding deer. There are several categories for entry.

A typical buck must net a minimum score of 135, while a non-typical must score 150 after deductions. There also is a category for both typical and non-typical mule deer, as well as an open category for deer that are found dead.

If you kill a deer you believe worthy of scoring, contact the ODWC at (405) 521-3851 for the name of a scorer near you.

BOONE AND CROCKETT
The Holy Grail of whitetail records is no doubt the Boone and Crockett Records of North American Big Game. To appear in the pages of this prestigious register, a typical white­tail must net a minimum of 170, a non-typical 195.