Hunters looking to find a good place to hunt can examine the number of hunters in an area, the success rates, deer densities and almost any kind of number they want to get their hands on. "Those statistics are helpful for finding large areas where there's a healthy herd, but they are too broad for pinpointing the exact area you want to hunt," said Dan Perez of Whitetail Properties Television.

The data accompanying this article is based on last year's harvest information and is not necessarily a predictor of this year's top performers. On the flipside, it doesn't mean you should avoid these areas because of the perception that all sorts of hunters are going to flock to the area.

That said, if you look through your back issues of Minnesota Sportsman, you'll find a lot of the same permit areas mentioned year after year. Good deer-hunting habitat will produce deer year after year. There is always some variation, but analyze the last five years of these tables and you'll see some major commonalities.

Numbers should only be part of a pre-hunt game plan, because the best hunting location is that spot you've scouted out ahead of time, Perez said. "Ideally, you've been watching it regularly the last several months and have a good idea of the deer activity and patterns. Don't expect to show up opening morning at a new location and find a great place to hunt."

In every set of numbers for a permit area there are stories. Not just about deer but about hunters. Archers and firearms hunters accessing large tracts of land don't have to worry much about hunting pressure, but firearms hunters on smaller private lands and those on public lands have to adjust any good game plan around hunting pressure.

Perez said deer sign is not the only thing to look for on public land: "Where are the ATV trails? Where are the logging trails people walk in on in the morning? Make sure to study aerial maps of your area and determine the multiple access points to the area you hope to hunt."

Just like you can pattern bucks around their feeding and bedding areas, you can pattern hunters around their stand placements and entry points. Combine the data and you can put yourself into an area where you won't have a ton of hunters messing up your hunt, and you'll be positioned in a place where those other hunters will channel deer your way.

"If you sat down and figured it out now, this close to the hunt, you'd be surprised with how well you figure things out," Perez added. "But this is a long-term approach to deer hunting, and while you hunt this year, you should be already planning for next."