State biologist Howard Kilpatrick generally recommends the northeastern and northwestern regions (Litchfield and Windham counties) as trophy hotspots. This he attributes to quality habitat and relatively low hunting pressure, and this region has some of the state's largest public lands.

During the past five seasons, more 150-class or better bucks -- a total of 17 -- came from Tolland than any other county. During the same time frame, many counties produced 10 or more 150-class bucks, including Middlesex County (central), Fairfield (southwestern), Windham (eastern), Litchfield (western), Hartford and New Haven (both central) counties.

For more information, contact the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, State Office Building, Hartford, CT 06115. Or you can call (203) 424-3011.

MAINE
For many years, the Pine State was the destination for serious trophy buck hunters in New England. Maine hunters continue to harvest many of the biggest deer in the region. The overall harvest was up from 2005, as was the buck harvest.

Over the last five seasons, the Bay State has produced more NBBC record-book bucks than any other New England state.

In 2005, just fewer than 15,000 bucks were harvested. But in 2006, hunters took 16,149 bucks -- a substantial increase, though still down from just more than 17,400 in 2004 and a high of 20,000 as recently as 2002.

Al Wentworth is president of the Maine Antler and Skull Trophy Club. According to him, great bucks exist in all three of Maine's regions -- northern, central and southern.

The northern section of the state boasts vast, unpopulated territories with limited numbers of deer. But if you cross paths with a buck, it could by one of those massive-racked 200- pound bruisers.

The southern section of the state is more densely populated with both deer and humans. It produces many trophy bucks, but also offers the best chance to simply fill your tag.

The central region -- which includes everything from the Penobscot River to the Kennebec River and from the lower sections of Somerset and Piscataquis counties to the northern sections of Penobscot County -- offers the best of both worlds, with reasonably good deer densities and plenty of open land to hunt.

The statewide harvest of 16,149 antlered bucks) in 2006 was within 1 percent of the projected buck harvest, with a little more than half of the WMDs reporting a higher harvest than projected.

The top five buck-producing WMDs (per square mile) during 2006 were (in descending order) districts 24, 21, 29, 22 and 23. All are in central and southern Maine.

Among the 16,149 antlered bucks taken in 2006, roughly 8,326 (or 51 percent) were 1 1/2-year-olds (yearlings). More than 1,776 (11 percent) were mature bucks, 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 years old. It was estimated that in 2006, over 172,000 hunters took to the woods to hunt deer.

Overall, 71 percent of the deer registered were by residents. Estimates of success vary, with resident (including landowner) any-deer permit holders having a 26.8 percent success rate overall, versus 22 percent for non-resident hunters.

Maine's statewide post-hunt deer population was estimated at 218,700, or 7.6 deer per square mile during 2006.

For more information, contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State Street, Augusta, ME 04333. Call (207) 287-5248, or visit the MDIFW at www.state.me.us/ifw/homepage.htm.