2000? you were a mite younger ,,,,,,,that makes it even FINER!
When I was that age there were NO deer in or near our neck of the woods . Our big game was Red Fox. Country was covered up in Quail & Rabbits,,,few Pheasants.
Now the quail and pheasants are gone ,,,coyotes have put a grand hurting on the foxes and whistlepigs. Plenty of deer and turkeys there now too.