Jefferson County
A few years ago, few people would have thought of Jefferson County as a place for big deer. However, the Red Hills soils of south Georgia extend into Jefferson County, providing forage with better-than-average nutrition for deer to feed on. And here, hunt clubs are managing for quality deer.

Additionally, this area lies far enough away from Tallahassee that the rampant growth taking place in Gadsden and Leon counties hasn't reached this far -- yet.

Leon County
Despite increasing urbanization, there are still places here to find a big deer. That's particularly true in the northern portion of the county around the quail-hunting plantations.

Despite its urban character, Leon County is part of the northern tier that features better soils than much of the rest of the state. Here, good land management, including burning and the planting of food plots, can create habitat that's ideal for deer.

Gadsden County
Gadsden County is traditionally one of the places where hunters find big deer. The combination of good soils, large tracts of undeveloped land, and a substantial agricultural base continues to provide good conditions for big deer.

Despite the county's proximity to the state capital and its increasing urbanization, this remains a good place to look for big bucks, particularly if you can get onto private land.

It is worth noting that Gadsden did produce the state-record typical rack that scored 168 5/8 Boone and Crockett Club points. But Larry Furr took that buck 30 years ago, in 1977.

Madison County
Much of what you'll find in Jefferson County also applies to Madison County. Although this has not traditionally been a place that hunters thought of for big deer, a number of factors have placed the county in the spotlight.

The county has good soils, particularly north of Interstate 10, and hunt clubs are managing for bigger deer.

Madison County produced the largest whitetail taken in Florida last season. Sylvia Green downed a buck that scored 163 7/8 B&C points and claimed No. 3 on the all-time list of typicals from the Sunshine State.

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