Arlo Kane, an FWCC wildlife biologist, has worked in northwest Florida for 18 years, most of that time developing plans for landowners who want to manage their deer herds. Kane said one obvious reason for the bigger deer in eastern Washington and north Jackson counties can be summed up in one word -- agriculture.

Contrary to what some hunters might think about a property needing to be mostly forested woodland, roughly 2/3 of Philip Adkison’s farm is under cultivation. He grows row crops such as peanuts, corn and soybeans, as well as wheat, oats, ryegrass and clover -- all of which deer can utilize.

They have 300 head of cattle on the farm, most of them brood cows and Charlois bulls. They’re able to grow everything they need to feed their cattle, Adkison pointed out.

Kane said that crops like the ones Adkison grows are typically high in protein, which deer need during the summer months when they develop antlers and put on weight. Whitetails feeding on agricultural crops get a nutritional boost that deer elsewhere don’t receive.

Across the Panhandle, most of the agriculture lies north of I-10. That’s where the region’s most fertile soils are found. This area has been farmed ever since settlers first arrived in the 1800s. According to Kane, another factor that has come into play over the last 20 years is an emphasis on quality deer management.

“Everyone is doing quality deer management now,” he noted. “They learned a long time ago they couldn’t shoot everything that walked. They’re letting their bucks get older, and it’s paying dividends.”

Kane added that bucks reach full maturity when 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 years old. At that age, they typically have the best antlers and largest body size. He pointed out that Adkison’s 11-point and the other huge bucks killed in the area were without question mature deer.

On areas where they do practice quality deer management, Kane said that usually only a fraction of the mature, older bucks are killed. The reason is that when they are hunted, they change their habits.

“You would think that hunters would kill more of these deer, but they quickly change their routine when hunting season starts,” he said. “A lot of these bigger deer, such as Adkison’s, are killed during the rut when they do the unexpected and leave cover as they search for does.

“But it’s not uncommon for someone to kill one of these deer, and that’s the first time anyone has ever seen the deer, even though the buck has been there for years.”

Many hunters are using trail cameras to see what kind of deer they have and, just as importantly, when those animals are moving. The cameras can be particularly helpful in trying to determine which areas to hunt, or rule out.

Meanwhile, Philip Adkison is looking forward to the upcoming 2007-08 season. He knows he killed the buck of a lifetime for Florida. For the next several hunting seasons, he’ll be spending time with his two young sons in the woods, much as his father did with him.

Find more about Florida fishing and hunting at FloridaGameandFish.com.