DALE, man i hope this is going to be your year on the deer, i killed my first deer in 1977, that was 30 years ago since then i have killed over a 100 deer, you can do the same thing but you have to get out in the spring and fall and scout the deer, you can not go opening day without scouting the land you are hunting and kill a buck, yes some hunters luck-up and luck does have alot to do with it, the right at the right time, but it a rare thing, it takes time in the woods and stand placement, i plant spring/ summer food plots and fall/winter food plots here on my land to keep and hold the deer, it takes alot of time and money to do this but over the past 10-12 years of doing this it has paid off big time, i can go into one of my food plot feilds most any day and see deer, i live in mississippi we a very long deer season, oct-1-07 thur feb-01-08 if you hunt all the seasons its one of the longest in the country. DALE, why i asked where you lived was the 4x4 rule or law on bucks, penn i have heard had a great herd state wide of deer, most of the time i see a side by side rule its out west, this is our state law on deer hunting, buck deer is one per day 4 point or better, not to exceed three per season, antlerless/does is one per day not to exceed three per season,except that two additional does may be taken with a bow. alll the above is gun,blow,muzzler-loader season here, but here in mississippi we can hunt with the nef/hr 45/70 handi-rifle in primitive season, any nef/hr handi-riflre 38 caliber or larger with scopes is legal. so dale if you want to shoot a deer with your handi-rifle come on down we may trade out a hunt, i also have alot of turkey on this place.