I think the crops in the dirt count more than the dirt itself. If you reversed the agricultural operations and planted pine trees in the Midwest and more row crops in the south, I'm betting the B&C entry trend would also reverse. Soil plays a huge factor, no doubt, but pine trees don't provide nutrition to help deer reach their potential.
Soil and genetics are the footing and foundation of growing big deer. It'll take more than sticking corn or beans in poorer soil to consistently grow high end bucks.
I think you missed my point. Good soil is an essential building block but how much benefit do deer get if it's planted in pine plantation. After the canopy shades the ground, that great soil doesn't produce much food for a deer. Soil is good, but the crop grown is more important.
I'll take crop land with marginal soil over great soil with pine trees any day of the week. George Mann killed some impressive deer in Alabama. Those deer had plenty to eat.
