ZONE 5
Zone 5 lies in southeastern Indiana and is the first zone to inhabit the Southern Plains and Lowlands areas. The glaciers of the northern part of Indiana didn't make it this far south and it is for this reason that the hills and hollows of southern Indiana exist today.

Also, these "knobs" that were not touched by the glaciers of the past are heavily wooded these days. This is one reason that the area has produced so many fine bucks over the years. Whitetails tend to have more escape cover in this area of the state, and the record books reflect this fact.

The zone produced seven of the top 40 bucks in Hoosierland in 2006. Overall, Zone 5 accounted for 31 entries for the year compared with 37 the year before. Archer Chris Robbins harvested the top overall archery non-typical for the year in Switzerland County. This B&C bruiser scored 213 6/8 and is the new state record in the HRBP record book.

Ranking No. 1 for the year in the firearms non-typical category was Ohio shotgun hunter Johnny Thacker's 215 0/8 Franklin County B&C buck. Another great B&C non-typical, ranking No. 3 for the year, was taken in Jennings County by Greg Hopper with a shotgun. His buck scored 202 7/8.

HRBP scorer Chris Fischvogt killed the No. 5 archery non-typical. This Jennings County beauty scored 190 4/8. Gregory Stewart Sr. took his No. 6 ranking archery non-typical for the year in the same county, which scored 178 4/8. Tobey Woolwine killed the No. 7 archery non-typical for the year in nearby Dearborn County, which scored 167 4/8.

The top typical for the zone, and ranking No. 10 for the year in the firearms typical category, is William Field's 168 3/8 Jennings County buck.

Jennings and Franklin counties tied for first place in the zone with seven entries apiece. Switzerland County accounted for five entries, while Dearborn and Ripley both tallied in three entries apiece. Jefferson County accounted for two entries, while Randolph, Fayette and Franklin counties chipped in one apiece.

ZONE 6
This south-central zone also lies in the Southern Plains and Lowlands area, and like its neighboring zone to the east is heavily wooded. The hills, knobs and hollows here are also famous for producing many outstanding bucks over the years. Zone 6 produced 60 entries for 2006 compared with 61 the year before; it also produced a record 10 of the top 40 bucks for the year statewide.

Shotgun hunter Richard Vierling killed the top typical in the state for the year. This Harrison County B&C monster scored 181 2/8. Denis Petit killed another B&C giant while hunting in Parke County. It scored 176 0/8 and ranks No. 4 for the year in its firearms category. The No. 8 typical in that same category was harvested by shotgun hunter Steven Buckallew in Parke County. His buck scored 168 6/8.

Chris Thomas took the No. 4 shotgun non-typical from Parke County, which scored 198 3/8. The Nos. 5, 6 and 7 firearms non-typicals for the year were also taken in Zone 6. A 193 7/8 buck was killed by handgun hunter Merrill Wiseman Jr. in Harrison County; a 193 0/8 buck was taken by shotgun hunter Westley Austin in Crawford County; and shotgun hunter John Vowell harvested a 192 0/8 buck from Greene County.

Chris Brotherton killed the No. 2 archery typical for the year. This Putnam County B&C brute scored 173 7/8. George Alexander killed the No. 3 bow typical in Morgan County, which scored 165 0/8. The No. 4 bow typical for 2006 was killed by Jeremy Hill in Perry County and measured 163 6/8. Another great typical, a 165 5/8 Washington County buck, was killed by shotgun hunter Robert Carl.

Parke County led the way for the zone, and tied Pike County for statewide honors, with eight total entries. Greene County produced seven entries, while Dubois and Putnam counties both produced six entries each. Orange and Perry counties both produced five entries for the season.

Harrison and Crawford counties tallied four each, while Jackson and Lawrence counties chipped in three each. Washington, Morgan, Martin and Bartholomew counties registered two apiece. Rounding out the zone were Owen and Scott counties with one entry each.

ZONE 7
This zone lays in the southwestern most corner of the Southern Plains and Lowlands region and is also a part of the southern Indiana hill region. With heavy stands of timber, rugged hills and intermixed farmland, the area produces some outstanding bucks.