GW: Anti-hunting whackos are sure hate this post, but who cares? Certainly not the real conservationists – hunters – who want, and ensure, that healthy, stable populations of game exist in the first place.
MISSOULA, Mont. (Oct. 30, 2012) In commemoration of its 125th anniversary, Boone and Crockett Club has released an historic list of the Top 125 trophy counties across the U.S. The list is based on Boone and Crockett big-game records/trophy data going back to 1830 and long used by conservationists to gauge outstanding habitat, strong recruitment of game animals into older age classes, sustainable harvest objectives and other elements of sound wildlife management and fair-chase hunting.
Consistent trophy production over time is proof that conservation measures are working exceptionally well, and the 125 counties on this list stand out as historic models of success, said Boone and Crockett Club President Ben Wallace. But the good news extends well beyond the list. Trophy production appears to be trending upward with many species and across much of North America. In fact, last year our records program had 979 new entries, compared to 372 just 30 years ago.
He added, “That kind of growth is gratification for hunters, whose leadership, funding and hard work have been the driving force behind conservation since Theodore Roosevelt founded Boone and Crockett Club back in 1887.”
A few counties are recognized on the list for multiple categories of trophies.
Boone and Crockett Club’s Top 125 trophy counties:
1. Wyoming, Carbon County 282 pronghorn in B&C records
2. California, Mendocino County 190 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
3. California, Trinity County 185 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
4. Wyoming, Sweetwater County 183 pronghorn in B&C records
5. Wyoming, Fremont County 153 pronghorn in B&C records
6. Nevada, Clark County 142 desert sheep in B&C records
7. Wyoming, Natrona County 142 pronghorn in B&C records
8. Montana, Granite County 134 bighorn sheep in B&C records
9. South Dakota, Custer County 134 bison in B&C records
10. Montana, Sanders County 132 bighorn sheep in B&C records
11. Arizona, Coconino County 128 pronghorn in B&C records
12. New Mexico, Socorro County 117 pronghorn in B&C records
13. Nevada, Washoe County 114 pronghorn in B&C records
14. New Mexico, Rio Arriba County 113 typical mule deer in B&C records
15. Wyoming, Teton County 108 Shiras moose in B&C records
16. Texas, Hudspeth County 106 pronghorn in B&C records
17. California, Humboldt County 100 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
18. New Mexico, Mora County 99 pronghorn in B&C records
19. Oregon, Jackson County 93 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
20. Arizona, Pima County 92 typical Coue whitetail deer in B&C records
21. Arizona, Yavapai County 92 pronghorn in B&C records
22. Nevada, Humboldt County 89 pronghorn in B&C records
23. Wisconsin, Buffalo County 86 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
24. New Mexico, Catron County 79 pronghorn in B&C records
25. New Mexico, Colfax County 79 pronghorn in B&C records
26. Montana, Blaine County 73 bighorn sheep in B&C records
27. Montana, Teton County 70 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
28. Oregon, Clackamas County 70 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
29. Arizona, Yuma County 67 desert sheep in B&C records
30. Colorado, Eagle County 67 typical mule deer in B&C records
31. New Mexico, Lincoln County 67 pronghorn in B&C records
32. Wyoming, Teton County 67 bison in B&C records
33. California, Siskiyou County 66 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
34. Wyoming, Sublette County 61 Shiras moose in B&C records
35. Montana, Fergus County 54 bighorn sheep in B&C records
36. Idaho, Idaho County 53 cougar in B&C records
37. Minnesota, St. Louis County 53 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
38. Oregon, Harney County 51 pronghorn in B&C records
39. Arizona, Coconino County 50 typical American elk in B&C records
40. Arizona, Mohave County 50 desert sheep in B&C records
41. Texas, Webb County 49 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
42. Washington, Lewis County 48 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
43. Wyoming, Lincoln County 48 typical mule deer in B&C records
44. Arizona, Gila County 47 black bear in B&C records
45. California, Humboldt County 47 Roosevelt’s elk in B&C records
46. Colorado, Mesa County 47 typical mule deer in B&C records
47. Oregon, Lake County 47 pronghorn in B&C records
48. Texas, Dimmit County 47 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
49. California, Tehama County 46 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
50. Montana, Deer Lodge County 46 bighorn sheep in B&C records
51. Montana, Missoula County 46 bighorn sheep in B&C records
52. Nevada, Nye County 46 desert sheep in B&C records
53. Texas, Maverick County 46 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
54. Colorado, Moffat County 45 pronghorn in B&C records
55. Colorado, Garfield County 44 typical mule deer in B&C records
56. Oregon, Clatsop County 43 Roosevelt’s elk in B&C records
57. Arizona, Coconino County 41 typical mule deer in B&C records
58. Arizona, Pima County 41 desert sheep in B&C records
59. Oregon, Lane County 41 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
60. Oregon, Linn County 41 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
61. Montana, Ravalli County 41 bighorn sheep in B&C records
62. Montana, Lewis & Clark County 40 bighorn sheep in B&C records
63. Texas, La Salle County 40 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
64. Utah, Weber County 40 Shiras moose in B&C records
65. Wyoming, Lincoln County 40 Shiras moose in B&C records
66. Arizona, Apache County 39 typical American elk in B&C records
67. Montana, Lincoln County 39 Shiras moose in B&C records
68. Colorado, Gunnison County 38 typical mule deer in B&C records
69. Montana, Rosebud County 38 pronghorn in B&C records
70. Nevada, Elko County 38 Rocky Mountain goat in B&C records
71. Wisconsin, Price County 38 black bear in B&C records
72. Idaho, Bonneville County 37 Shiras moose in B&C records
73. Minnesota, St. Louis County 37 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
74. Utah, Garfield County 36 bison in B&C records
75. Wisconsin, Trempealeau County 36 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
76. Colorado, Montrose County 35 typical mule deer in B&C records
77. Arizona, Coconino County 34 non-typical mule deer in B&C records
78. Colorado, Delta County 34 typical mule deer in B&C records
79. Colorado, Jackson County 34 Shiras moose in B&C records
80. Iowa, Allamakee County 34 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
81. Washington, Pierce County 34 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
82. Wisconsin, Bayfield County 34 black bear in B&C records
83. Wisconsin, Sawyer County 34 black bear in B&C records
84. Wyoming, Campbell County 34 pronghorn in B&C records
85. Colorado, Montezuma County 33 typical mule deer in B&C records
86. Wisconsin, Buffalo County 33 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
87. Washington, Pend Oreille County 32 Shiras moose in B&C records
88. North Carolina, Hyde County 32 black bear in B&C records
89. Wyoming, Albany County 32 pronghorn in B&C records
90. Arizona, Gila County 31 typical Coues whitetail deer in B&C records
91. Illinois, Jo Daviess County 31 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
92. Montana, Beaverhead County 31 Shiras moose in B&C records
93. Montana, Flathead County 31 Shiras moose in B&C records
94. New Mexico, Rio Arriba County 31 non-typical mule deer in B&C records
95. Oregon, Columbia County 31 Roosevelt’s elk in B&C records
96. Oregon, Marion County 31 typical Columbia blacktail deer in B&C records
97. Wyoming, Park County 31 typical American elk in B&C records
98. Iowa, Clayton County 30 typical whitetail deer in B&C records
99. Oregon, Wallowa County 30 bighorn sheep in B&C records
100. Wisconsin, Baron County 30 black bear in B&C records
101. Wyoming, Carbon County 30 typical mule deer in B&C records
102. Arizona, Maricopa County 29 desert sheep in B&C records
103. Colorado, Rio Blanco County 29 cougar in B&C records
104. New Mexico, Rio Arriba County 29 cougar in B&C records
105. New Mexico, Taos County 29 bighorn sheep B&C records
106. Utah, Kane County 29 typical mule deer in B&C records
107. Washington, Clallam County 29 Roosevelt’s elk in B&C records
108. Illinois, Pike County 28 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
109. Nevada, White Pine County 28 typical American elk in B&C records
110. Illinois, Fulton County 26 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
111. New Mexico, Catron County 26 typical American elk in B&C records
112. Minnesota, Itasca County 25 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
113. Arizona, Apache County 24 non-typical American elk in B&C records
114. Arizona, Pima County 24 non-typical Coues whitetail deer in B&C records
115. Illinois, Adams County 24 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
116. New Mexico, San Juan County 24 typical American elk in B&C records
117. California, San Bernardino County 23 desert sheep in B&C records
118. California, Solano County 23 tule elk in B&C records
119. California, Trinity County 20 bighorn sheep in B&C records
120. Iowa, Van Buren County 19 non-typical whitetail deer in B&C records
121. Montana, Park County 17 bison in B&C records
122. Texas, Culberson County 16 desert sheep in B&C records
123. Washington, Chelan County 15 Rocky Mountain goat in B&C records
124. Washington, Okanogan County 15 Rocky Mountain goat in B&C records
125. Idaho, Caribou County 1 grizzly bear in B&C records (1900)
Native North American big game species tracked by Boone and Crockett Club but not included in the Top 125 counties include Alaska brown and polar bear; barren ground, central Canada barren ground, Quebec-Labrador, mountain and woodland caribou; Dall’s and Stone’s sheep; Alaska-Yukon and Canada moose; Sitka blacktail deer and muskox. These species are recorded by geographic location rather than by county.
The Top 125 list is based on Trophy Search, a searchable online database available to subscribers. Users can sort B&C archival data in infinite ways to identify trophy trends and locations. An annual subscription is $50. Boone and Crockett Club Associates can receive a discount. Order online at www.boone-crockett.org or by calling 888-840-4868.
