Tricks that you use when "field judging" whitetail antlers?
07-28-2008, 04:05 PM
#53
Typical Buck
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Becker County, MN
Posts: 550
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
A lot of people are mentioning spread but I don't pay much attention to that as it is probably the least important factor in overall size.
A buck with a tall rack and good mass is what I look for.
Also, a good way to judge beam length is by how close the tipsextend out in relation to the nose on a side view of the rack. If they are close to the nose the buck has good beam length.
A buck with a tall rack and good mass is what I look for.
Also, a good way to judge beam length is by how close the tipsextend out in relation to the nose on a side view of the rack. If they are close to the nose the buck has good beam length.
07-28-2008, 04:12 PM
#54
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,867
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
i have never seen a deer with ear like the picture above when it is a fawn
ORIGINAL: RDHunter
You were using the ears and eyesas reference to judge mature whitetails , I have read in one of those hunting books that when they'er born , there ears and eyes will be the same size as to when they get older.
ORIGINAL: buckeyebuckhntr
I was not aware that the eyes and ears do not grow at all.... Can you prove this to me? I really don't believe their ears do not grow.... The eyes maybe.... I just don't see the ears not growing.
Not sure whatyour reply had to do with my post anyhow as it was still correct
Hey buckeyeboy
Hate to break the news to ya but the eyes and ears are the same size from the they'er born , there snout , head , body and everthing else will continue to grow.
Hate to break the news to ya but the eyes and ears are the same size from the they'er born , there snout , head , body and everthing else will continue to grow.
Not sure whatyour reply had to do with my post anyhow as it was still correct
07-28-2008, 04:18 PM
#55
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 9,445
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
This was told to me by a P&Y measurer that measures anything I get and who is also a good friend so he's not going to BS me at all.
Tine length and big end forks is what matters the most when scoring a whitetail. Mass, inside spread, main beam length doesn't add up nearly as much as tines do. Tall tines usually will score high. A wide rack with short tines isn't going to do hardly anything. Mass measurements as well aren't always a huge factor but they do make more of a difference then main beam length and inside spread being you have 8 measurements. Tall tines and big end forks, tall G1's mean everything.
Pretty much the same as you said Cooter.
Tine length and big end forks is what matters the most when scoring a whitetail. Mass, inside spread, main beam length doesn't add up nearly as much as tines do. Tall tines usually will score high. A wide rack with short tines isn't going to do hardly anything. Mass measurements as well aren't always a huge factor but they do make more of a difference then main beam length and inside spread being you have 8 measurements. Tall tines and big end forks, tall G1's mean everything.
Pretty much the same as you said Cooter.
07-29-2008, 09:31 AM
#56
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
I'll go back and read the other replies......but the way I "attempt" to field judge.....is I know what 106" looks like. "Most" that we're asked to guess on are larger than that......so I just figure "how many" (inches) "more".....and do the math. It gets tricky when you get into the really big numbers....becuase I have NO reference point .
.
07-29-2008, 10:19 AM
#57
Typical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: McDonough, GA
Posts: 754
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
I try to keep it simple. You can do all of these really fast.
1) Good mass - about the diameter of the eye at the base.
2) Tall tines - high off the head
3) Good beam length - sweeping forward at or near the nose.
4) Good spread - a couple of inches outside the ears.
5) Number of points if I have time
Of course, there will be no need to do any of this on a super buck. You'll see it and immediately you will know. It's the border line bucks we have to judge, whatever your standard is!
1) Good mass - about the diameter of the eye at the base.
2) Tall tines - high off the head
3) Good beam length - sweeping forward at or near the nose.
4) Good spread - a couple of inches outside the ears.
5) Number of points if I have time
Of course, there will be no need to do any of this on a super buck. You'll see it and immediately you will know. It's the border line bucks we have to judge, whatever your standard is!
07-29-2008, 10:31 AM
#58
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2006
Location: IA/WI/IL
Posts: 1,482
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
I am a math minor and there is no way I am doing any addition in my head with a bow in my hand. I look for the pot-belly, roman nose, massive frame (and sometimes but not always, neck) and swaggering walk of a older buck. As for antlers, I can generally judge the 10" range a deer will fall in if I have a few seconds to look at it. I put deer into +/- 5" ranges in my head and it works for me. I have measured quite a few deer and seen more - to me it is just building on memory.
The one trick that was already mentioned on here is to look at how far the beams come out(and wrap around) in reference to the nose.
The one trick that was already mentioned on here is to look at how far the beams come out(and wrap around) in reference to the nose.
07-29-2008, 10:42 AM
#59
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TX Panhandle
Posts: 620
RE: Tricks that you use when field judging whitetails?
Buckey, there is a book by John Wooters called "hunting Trophy Bucks" or something like that which has a pretty good chapter on field judging whitetails. Lots of good tricks, I will have to go brush up on it before season.
I read a study on the scores of P&Y and B&C whitetails one time, and what I came away with was this. Single greatest factor on average was number of points, second was tine length, and third was main beam length. Inside spread and mass usually aren't woth messing with too much except in a general perception kind of way.
An eye, at 1 1/2" diameter, equals a circumference of about 4 3/4", so if his bases are bigger than his eyes then his bases should be at least 5" or so.
I use ear tip to ear tip of 17", and a ear length of 8" for our area. Main beams out to the nose equals about 25" or so.
I read a study on the scores of P&Y and B&C whitetails one time, and what I came away with was this. Single greatest factor on average was number of points, second was tine length, and third was main beam length. Inside spread and mass usually aren't woth messing with too much except in a general perception kind of way.
An eye, at 1 1/2" diameter, equals a circumference of about 4 3/4", so if his bases are bigger than his eyes then his bases should be at least 5" or so.
I use ear tip to ear tip of 17", and a ear length of 8" for our area. Main beams out to the nose equals about 25" or so.
