SE KY has some really quality deer, but so does the same type of terrain here in East TN. I actually found through camera surveys that last year TN had more mature bucks then across the border. The habitat is a little better on our side, and there is much less hunting pressure.

The biggest reason there aren't more mature deer killed here versus KY is hunting pressure. There are alot more folks hunting the KY side versus the TN side. I guess the TN folks are not willing to fight the steep terrain to try and kill deer like those who live north of the border.

There is nothing wrong with the soils and habitat on either side. Both are adequate for growing some really quality deer, the limiting factor is hunting pressure and terrain.

SE KY has some really quality deer, but so does the same type of terrain here in East TN. I actually found through camera surveys that last year TN had more mature bucks then across the border. The habitat is a little better on our side, and there is much less hunting pressure.

The biggest reason there aren't more mature deer killed here versus KY is hunting pressure. There are alot more folks hunting the KY side versus the TN side. I guess the TN folks are not willing to fight the steep terrain to try and kill deer like those who live north of the border.

There is nothing wrong with the soils and habitat on either side. Both are adequate for growing some really quality deer, the limiting factor is hunting pressure and terrain.

I don't really know why East Ky has been producing more high-scoring bucks than East TN, but I do not think the answer is because of soil. More harvest pressure in KY doesn't make a lot of sense either to me. Setterman mentioned he had experienced more hunting pressure on the KY side of the line. However, on the TN side of the line the rifle/muzzleloader seasons are over twice as many days and the buck limit is 3x higher.

Here's what I think, but these thoughts shed more insight as to why more high-scoring bucks come from East KY than would be expected, say compared to West KY or West TN.

In most situations, AGE trumps SOIL in producing high-scoring antlers. We know that many of the B&C bucks coming from the best-soil areas of West KY are only 3 1/2 years old. But it may be that an average 5 1/2-yr-old buck from East KY has antlers comparable to an average 3 1/2 or 4 1/2 form West KY. Perhaps since the habitat is tougher hunting in most of East KY compared to agriculturals areas of West KY, relatively more East KY bucks advance into the older age classes?

Another factor I believe may be the the really huge one that's overlooked most:
Antler high-grading by hunters.

This generally should be happening to a higher degree in more open farmland areas (where larger antlered younger bucks are more readily seen and specifically targeted). It may be that less antler high-grading is the single largest factor in why East KY is producing relatively more high-scoring bucks than expected.