Joseph Ebel's archery non-typical from Tompkins County was one of the top five taken in the Northeast last year! Photo courtesy of Joseph Ebel.

During the course of the year, I get the opportunity to write about many of the biggest bucks taken throughout New York and New England.

It's fun to recap a hunting season with an in-depth look at the best bucks taken during each segment of the long New York's hunting season -- by archery, firearm and muzzleloader.

Last year, several bucks were taken that ranked among the very best taken in all of the Northeast during 2006.

That isn't really unusual, because New York consistently produces many of the region's best bucks. Year after year, you can't beat the Empire State when it comes to trophy buck potential.

According to the Northeast Big Buck Club -- the regional scoring and record-keeping organization for New York and New England whitetails -- deer hunters had a banner year when it came to harvesting big bucks.

The NBBC scores bucks for all of New England and New York, and its scorers scour the region in an effort to uncover the year's biggest trophies.

This article was written in March 2007, and some bucks may not yet have been scored.

Some hunters wait to get their buck scored until after it comes back from the taxidermist. Others just forget about it -- or don't even realize they have a record-class buck till someone else mentions it.

The aim of this article is to call attention to the best bucks that have surfaced so far, and to help New York's hunters get a sense of their overall success last season.

Also, keep in mind that the NBBC records reflect the gross Boone and Crockett score (before deductions).

According to NBBC records, New York's hunters took four (or 27 percent) of the region's 15 best bucks, including the biggest firearms non-typical buck, the largest archery non-typical buck and the largest muzzleloader typical buck.

Here's a look at some of 2006's best bucks from New York, along with a comparison of results from the 2005 season.

As a bonus, I'll show you how New York's best archery, muzzleloader and firearm bucks compare to the best bucks taken throughout New England in 2006.

That should give us a great perspective on this past season!

THE MASTROIANNI BUCK
During the past few years, archers have taken an increasing percentage of this state's best bucks.

That trend continued in late October 2006, when Lewis County archer James Mastroianni arrowed a great-looking 17-point non-typical.

Mastroianni's buck grossed 179 2/8 and netted 166 6/8 Pope and Young points. This rack was wide, at 24 3/8 inches inside, but it has short beams of 18 5/8 and 21 3/8 inches.

A little-known Boone and Crockett scoring rule requires that the inside spread "credit" cannot be more than the length of the longer main beam.

Due to this rule, therefore, this buck lost three inches of its inside spread.

Scoring issues aside, there's plenty to admire about this rack, particularly its eight abnormal points. Six of those points are 5 7/8 to 9 6/8 inches long!

Its wide rack, great character, and big body (it field-dressed at 205 pounds) make this archery buck very impressive.

As if having shot the top archery buck of the year wasn't enough, Mastroianni went on to shoot a 163 6/8-inch 10-pointer during the gun season in Schoharie County!

Many other good bucks fell to New York's archers last year.

For example, Joseph Ebel shot a non-typical 16-pointer in Tompkins County that scored a whopping 174 1/8 inches gross and netted 169 3/8 inches P&Y.

Daniel Nugent arrowed a 164 7/8-inch 10-point typical buck in Wyoming County.

Meanwhile, R. Scott Peck shot a 163-inch 10-pointer in Steuben County. Finally, Joseph Randazzo took a 10-pointer in Westchester County that grossed 152 2/8 inches and dressed 210 pounds.

As you can see, archers all across New York State downed some amazing bucks in 2006.

Now let's look at how archers did throughout the Northeast last season.