Even though California has the biggest population and some of the biggest cities in the country, 97 percent of its land is rural. And about 24 percent of it is protected as public wilderness.

Don’t get it twisted: The classic big-buck destinations are still great. Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois still produce giants every year. Texas deer hunters still kill more whitetails than anyone else. And ...

Given their abundance in American backyards, gardens and highway corridors these days, it may be surprising to learn that white-tailed deer were nearly extinct about a century ago. While they ...