"I think the interest in management is evident in the fall every year when all these different seed blends are sold at feed and seed stores in every county in the state," Cook offered. "These seeds are marketed on the basis of improving the deer herd and hunters are buying them."

It is not just the well-to-do hunters with access to private plantations who are striving to grow quality bucks. The same thing is happening on the state's public lands at an increasing pace. Five WMAs -- Barbour, Covington, Freedom Hills, Lauderdale and Lowndes -- have now gone to QDM, mainly at the request of the hunters who use the areas.

"I think some of the other WMAs will get on the bandwagon and join this movement eventually," Gray suggested. "Barbour WMA is the finest example I know that shows the difference it can make. When you analyze the number of 3-year-old bucks being killed to the number of acres hunted, Barbour is doing as well or better than a lot of intensively managed private plantations."

"There is no doubt that the age structure improves tremendously when you begin protecting your younger bucks and taking more of your does," Cook noted.

TO KILL A BUCK
While conditions to grow good bucks seem to be improving throughout the Cotton State, the bucks are still as cagey as can be and they can be frustrating to hunt.

TOP WMAs FOR TROPHY POTETNTIAL
Key	WMA
1.	Sam R. Murphy
2.	Black Warrior
3.	Martin/Skyline
4.	Oakmulgee
5.	Cahaba River
6.	Mulberry Fork
7.	Lowndes
8.	Barbour
9.	Scotch

"The best advice I can give hunters is to put in a lot of time," Cook said. "No matter what part of the state you're hunting in, you've got to spend time hunting. You can't expect to kill one the first time out. The successful hunters year in and year out are the ones who put in the time."

It is also important to maximize your time in the woods at the right time of the season.

"The first couple of weeks are always going to be good, since the deer haven't been pressured a lot yet and are still somewhat in their normal routine," Cook said.

In most parts of the state, there is a slow period in December after the deer have been chased a little and begin to adjust their routines.

"Then just prior to and during the rut is real good," Cook stated.

The No. 1 mistake Gray sees is hunters positioning themselves where they want the deer to be, not where the deer actually are.

"The deer are not going to be on the food plots the first few weeks of season, if the woods are loaded with acorns," he mused. "If it's one of those falls when there's been a drought and there's not much food in the woods, then we've had a little rain and the food plots look good, yes, the food plot hunting will be exceptional."

But he said hunters who want to be successful have to spend the time on the ground to figure out what the deer are doing and then capitalize.

Both Cook and Gray said it could be hard for hunters to abandon old faithful spots that have produced for them in years past.

"But if you go and go and it's not working, you don't need to be afraid to try something else," Cook said.

The Black Belt of Central Alabama and various pockets in North Alabama continue to be the main producers of top-end racks in Alabama. But both biologists noted that good deer can be grown everywhere in the state, if hunters are willing to pass on young bucks and let those animals get some age.