When one ponders the suburban Atlanta counties of DeKalb, Gwinnett and Rockdale, typical images include shopping centers, subdivisions and sprawling arteries of asphalt and concrete. But amid all this development are strips and patches of woods that contain whitetail deer, and many of them are handsome trophies.

Lee Johnson congratulates his son, Johnny, on his 147 2/8 P&Y buck from DeKalb County. Photo courtesy of Lee Johnson.

In fact, since the turn of the century, numerous trophy whitetail bucks have come from these suburban counties, taken by savvy hunters who know where and how to hunt the elusive urban whitetails.

Georgia Sportsman, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association co-sponsor the Georgia Big Deer Contest every year. Outstanding bucks taken in the state the previous season are tallied and awards are given to the top-scoring antlers. The bucks are scored according to the Boone and Crockett and the Pope and Young clubs' scoring systems.

Every year, there are big bucks taken from suburban Atlanta environs, including these three counties from the east side. Since 2000, there have been 24 bucks that have met the minimum score for the contest. Archery-killed bucks must score 120 P&Y points and gun-killed bucks need to top 145 B&C points to qualify.

The contest recognizes the top entrants by gun and bow in typical and non-typical categories. Since 2003, DeKalb, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties have had the top buck in at least one category every year.

Tri-County Records
In 2003, the largest buck taken by gun was a beast from Gwinnett County. The buck scored 176 1/8 B&C and was taken by Duane Sudderth of Buford. That buck qualified for the B&C all-time record book.

The following year, Taylor McCann arrowed a whopper whitetail in DeKalb County that claimed the non-typical archery category award. His 174 7/8-inch monster was taken early in September of that year and was the highest scoring buck in the state.

The 2008 deer season produced two category-winning bucks from these east Atlanta counties. DeKalb County claimed the top spot in the Non-Typical Archery category with Rusty Osborne's 187 4/8 brute.

But the crown jewel was taken in Rockdale County. Devin Key of Stockbridge was hunting in the rain on Oct. 24 when he spotted a giant whitetail with a bushel of points on its head. Key put it down with a well-placed shot with his 12-gauge shotgun.

The 24-point buck's rack has back-sweeping drop tines on its non-typical frame. Key's Rockdale buck scored a whopping 211 5/8 B&C points placing it in the top 10 all-time in Georgia buck history. Racks bearing in excess of 200 inches of antler are rare in the Peach State, with fewer than 20 ever having been taken in Georgia.

Last season not only produced Key's mega-buck, but there were six others from these counties entered in the contest. Gwinnett County produced a 149 2/8-inch firearms buck for Dustin Ledford and a 146 3/8 bow kill for Jerry Mann. DeKalb bow hunter Terry Garmon entered a 142 2/8 monster, Brian Mitchell arrowed a 137 2/8 whopper, and David Sherrill bagged a buck scoring 134 4/8.

I also bow-killed a 122 2/8-inch DeKalb buck that qualified for the competition, but did not enter it. My 9-pointer was shot from the ground in a privet thicket at 12 yards.

Along with Duane Sudderth's giant Gwinnett buck in 2004, there were three others scoring in the 150s taken that season in the east Atlanta tri-county area. Additionally, Eric Sanders of Covington bagged a 152 6/8 B&C buck in Rockdale in 2000.

DeKalb County is open only to archery hunting during the entire season. Gwinnett and Rockdale allow firearms hunting during their respective seasons. Firearms hunting is restricted in that the hunter must be certain distances from roads and houses, meaning there are some areas where a gun simply cannot be used.