Hardeman County hunters had the best success in 2007 with a harvest of 5,817 deer. Giles County finally moved from its seemingly perpetual third spot to a second-place finish among the top 10. Giles County hunters harvested 5,076 deer. Fayette County also made a move forward to the third overall spot with a take of 5,064 whitetails.

Henry County was in unfamiliar territory with its harvest of 4,943 deer, down from the 2006 total of 5,399. The top five was rounded out with Lincoln County's 4,260 deer tagged. The sixth spot went to Franklin County, where hunters bagged 3,667 whitetails. Montgomery County was in familiar territory with a take of 3,635 deer.

The only other change in the top 10 statewide was that Madison County dropped off the list, and McNairy County's 3,580 deer put it on the top 10 list -- in fact, in eighth place. The ninth position fell to Weakley County with a harvest of 3,560 animals. The last spot in the top 10 went to Carroll County with a harvest of 3,527 whitetails.

Looking closer at the region-by-region top harvests, Hardeman was, of course, No. 1 in Region I with its harvest of 5,817. Fayette County was second in that region with 5,064 deer. Henry County was third in Region I with a take of 4,942 deer. The fourth spot there went to McNairy's harvest of 3,580. The fifth spot in Region I was held by Weakley's harvest of 3,560 whitetails.

In Region II, Giles was the top deer producer, followed by Lincoln's 4,260 whitetails and Franklin County's take of 3,667 deer. The fourth spot in Region II was garnered by Montgomery County's 3,635 deer harvested. The last and fifth position in Region II went to Wayne County's harvest of 3,472 whitetails.

TENNESSEE'S BEST DEER-PRODUCING COUNTIES STATEWIDE TOP 10
COUNTY	ANTLERED	ANTLERLESS	TOTAL
1. Hardemen	2,904	3,013	5,917
2. Giles	2,630	2,446	5,076
3. Fayette	2,475	2,589	5,064
4. Henry	2,355	2,587	4,942
5. Lincoln	2,160	2,100	4,260
6. Franklin	1,745	1,922	3,667
7. Montgomery	1,821	1,814	3,635
8. McNairy	1,623	1,957	3,580
9. Weakley	1,809	1,751	3,560
10. Carroll	1,692	1,835	3,527
TOP EAST TENNESSEE COUNTIES
REGION III
COUNTY	ANTLERED	ANTLERLESS	TOTAL
1. Roane	1,498	1,053	2,550
2. Jackson	1,096	817	1,913
3. Cumberland	930	909	1,839
REGION IV
COUNTY	ANTLERED	ANTLERLESS	TOTAL
1. HAWKINS	1,605	863	2,468
2. Claiborne	930	405	1,335
3. Sullivan	859	445	1,304

The numbers drop significantly in Region III, but are just as important to the hunters there. The top spot in Region III was held again this year by Roane County's 2,550 deer taken. The second position was held once again by Jackson County with a harvest of 1,913 whitetails. The Region III third spot was overtaken by Cumberland's harvest of 1,839 deer. The fourth spot in the region was filled by McMinn County's production of 1,822 deer. Rhea County fell from its familiar third position in Region III to fifth with a harvest of 1,722 deer.

Hawkins County continues to be the best in Region IV with a harvest of 2,468, but was overtaken by Roane County in 2007 as the top eastern county overall. The second spot in Region IV was again held by Claiborne County with its harvest of 1,335 deer. Sullivan County was again third in Region IV with a take of 1,304 whitetails. The fourth position was grabbed by Greene County hunters with their harvest of 1,228 deer. The last and fifth position in the region, respectively, went to Johnson County with a harvest of 1,143 whitetails.