Boone and Crockett Records: Insights for Trophy Deer Hunting in Minnesota

When Minnesota’s firearms deer season begins a half-hour before sunrise on November 7, hunters are eager for a chance at trophy bucks. Many hope for a situation where a sizable buck is within shooting range. Historical data can help hunters increase their chances of success.

Records by Boone and Crockett (B&C) document when and where record-book bucks have been killed over the past century. This data includes temperature at the time of the hunt, the rifle or shotgun caliber used, shot distances, and barometric pressure.

Here are some key findings:

• Most trophy whitetails in Minnesota have come from St. Louis, Otter Tail, Houston, Goodhue, and Winona counties.
• The common temperatures during successful hunts hover around 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The .30-06 Springfield and .270 Winchester are the most used calibers for trophy hunts.
• About 60% of trophy bucks were shot at under 60 yards; 80% at under 100 yards.
• Hunters have more success on private land than public.

November 7 marks the start of a historically fruitful period for trophy buck hunting. During 2006-2015, 316 whitetail entries were recorded, the most in any decade. However, the highest scoring bucks were from decades earlier: 1918, 1961, and 1954 for typical bucks, and 2023, 1974, and 1973 for non-typical bucks.

St. Louis County, despite its record number of entries, has seen fewer recent sightings due to factors like wolf populations and environmental changes. The highest scoring bucks in this county date back to 1964 and earlier.

Otter Tail County, lying between prairie and forest, registered 54 entries between 2000 and 2025, more than twice as many as St. Louis County in the same period. Meanwhile, Houston County saw a dip in trophy entries post-2010, possibly due to efforts to curb Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

As this year’s opener approaches, hunters equipped with the right knowledge and tools have a fair chance. Whether you find yourself hunting in Otter Tail County or Jackson County, remember the tradition, and the luck of the crescent moon shining as it has for generations of hunters.