You are wrong. I don't care where it came from. I'm just talking about extracting what's different in these units than all the others. Is it better habitat or is the genetics strand just better historically in those areas? The whole point of this whole thread, supposedly, was about the great job CO was doing with their management. I was trying to delve off deeper into the subject, but that appears to be lost in this crowd. One or three dead deer over 11 years doesn't do anything. Figuring out what's different in those areas and manipulating the other areas, if possible, to resemble these results is a game changer.
Ok first you have to realize some mature deer won't make it beyond 200". So a 348" buck obviously had every single thing align perfectly for it to get there. Genetics, feed, age, etc.
Now look at Colorado as a whole. Not only has it kicked out 3 monster bucks in 11 years. It has also taken #1 in the record books for the amount of bucks entered in the last 10 years.
Why are these bucks coming from low point units? Well from what I heard all 3 were killed on public. All 3 were killed in low point units. Every year huge bucks are killed in a low point unit. Not 300" huge but 220"+ huge. My cousins and uncle killed 3 nice bucks in a low point unit this year. 2 of them over 180".
My theory is that if you wait 20 years to draw say 44 you are going to be in shape, have good optics, get as much intel as possible from previous hunters, which they will share since they won't ever have the tag again. Be able to shoot as far as necessary, etc. Basically be as ready for the hunt as possible. Maybe even hire a high dollar guide. You might show up 3 days early and hunt as hard as possible because its an OIL hunt. You are going to pass up 170"-180" deer hoping for that 190"-200"+ buck. Because most hunters are doing the same a lot of the top end bucks get killed every year.
Now lets say you draw a 0-1 point unit which there are a decent amount of. Most guys are not going to treat it the same. They aren't showing up 3 days ahead of time. They might skip a week here or there on a treadmill. And they aren't passing up 160" deer because that is a good looking deer. "Especially in a 0-1 point unit" which you hear a lot of. So after hunting for a couple days most hunters are done. They filled their tag, went back to work, etc. And are more than happy with their success they just had in a 0-1 point unit. The few truly big bucks slipped through again because the few hunters left hunting slept in, weren't in the right area, etc. Not a lot of hunters are going to give their 0-1 point hunt the same level of determination they are going to give their 20 point hunt. They know they will be able to hunt it next year or the year after so they leave a little on the table.
Even though there are 5X the tags in the 0-1 point unit as there is the 20 point unit the 0-1 point unit isn't getting hunted as hard. There are a few guys that hunt a low point or otc unit with the same determination as they do a high point unit. Look at Robby the thread starter. But most hunters do not.
That is my theory on why the absolute giants are coming from the lowest point units. As for what Colorado is doing better? They are letting bucks grow up. Its as easy as that.