If you hunt these areas, or anywhere on western Alabama's private land, be aware that some of the best hunts to be had there happen in mid-December. The deer here were stocked from a source in North Carolina and have an earlier rut date than the typical January rut of Alabama strain deer.

As for the Black Belt, Cook said, factors that make it a creditable producer of big bucks include the more-fertile soil and the chunks of property larger than will be found elsewhere in the state. Bigger parcels under single ownership make some really strong deer management possible in this region.

"In theory at least, when your soil is better, you should grow better deer," Cook reasoned. "The lower tier of the state with poorer soils -- places like Geneva, Covington and Baldwin counties -- struggle a little more to produce nice deer, but we still hear of nice bucks being taken in those places every year, too."

The same is true in northeast Alabama, where Jackson and Madison counties produce quite respectable numbers of bucks despite small tracts of land and lots of hunting pressure.

OTHER PLACES TO TRY
Given record prices for gasoline, it's hardly surprising that several WMA managers reported diminished participation at their areas last year -- especially at those requiring a lot driving to access such as Black Warrior and, to a lesser extent, Barbour. This year's even higher gas prices suggest that the trend's unlikely to change.

Still, those two WMAs offer excellent places to try for a buck in 2008-09, Cook said. "The antler restriction and how long Barbour has been on it makes it a very attractive place to hunt for people looking for a quality buck," he pointed out.

Cook added that Black Warrior, the state's largest WMA, gets almost no hunting pressure when you consider the size of the area -- a whopping 97,953 acres -- and noted, "Part of it went to 4 points per side last season."

Freedom Hills and Lauderdale, in the northwestern corner of the state, are said to be WMAs that are coming on strong.

The state's system of WMAs continues to be the most economical "hunting club" a sportsman could ever join. For the price of a $16 WMA permit, you can hunt thousands of acres all across the state, some of it managed for high-quality bucks.

If hunting WMAs seriously is in your future, you need to know about the WMA report published each spring by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, a goldmine of data that can help you pick the areas you want to hunt and determine the very best times to hunt them. Offering insights into live weights, antler development and other factors that can help you assess the shape that the deer are in wherever you want to hunt, it's invaluable reading for a public-land whitetail enthusiast. Access the report at www. outdooralabama.com: Click the link for Research/Management; on the next page, click on Publications.

In working WMA hunts over the years, Cook has noticed that those who spend the most time on the areas take the most bucks. He recommends hunting as they hunt -- picking out three or four WMAs and skipping around to hit all of them.