How To Score A Mule Deer On The Hoof

This is usually a small measurement because. My good friend marlon holden, the gray light hunter is discussing his technique for scoring mule deer on the hoof.

Lance Krueger Photography on Instagram “With ears laid

The way to learn is to estimate on the hoof and verify with a tape.

How to score a mule deer on the hoof. It’s still a good benchmark, but a true monster buck may or may not be over 30. I’ve found that big mule deer are four years or older. By 2 ½ brisket and shoulder muscle are starting to develop.

If you find a buck that lacks mass, move on and keep looking. If you manage your local population by trying to pass up young bucks and take enough does, scoring deer you harvest can help you monitor the. There you have it, the process is really pretty simple.

The primary ingredient of being a good mule deer hunter is good mule deer. It is not a winning game to try to learn to visually measure live deer from looking at dead deer, though it is better than nothing. (score of antler 1 x 2(if antlers are symmetrical)) + (spread) = score of buck.

Mule deer are one of the most deceptive animals when it comes to accurately trying to judge their antler score while on the hoof. I list age first because without it, it is very difficult for any buck to become big. It usually takes about 60 days to dry the antlers.step 2, make sure the antlers are dry and the skull plate is intact if you want to request an official measuring by a boone and crockett representative.

Look at the main beams—do they end above the deer’s eyes and seem short, or do they reach forward and upward, with good curve and length? Antler diameter (heaviness) while i love the record books, there are other “inches” that constitute a big mule deer. The major features that make up a b&c score for mule deer and blacktails are:

Take the measurement from the front of the antlers. This is the distance between the tip of the right antler and the tip of the left antler. Scoring a few mule deer racks can also help you when field judging deer because it gives you a better understanding of what measurements make a 160″ class buck versus a 190″ class buck.

Thin necks meeting the chest very high up. Dressed, they range between 200 and 285 pounds, which figures out to be around 260 to 350 pounds on the hoof. Buck score + aging deer of the hoof scoring bucks on the hoof and in the field is important, but not nearly as important as aging deer on the hoof.

The pedicles from which the antlers. If the buck is relatively symmetrical, you will simply be able to score one antler and multiply it by two. Add all your numbers together to come up with a gross score.

Write down all your measurements on your score sheet or using the boone and crockett club online form. The previous two years we’d hit the end of the season, when the rut would be peaking—but the weather was awful. Here is my definition of what makes up a “big” mule deer:

This is the easiest range to estimate the age of a deer due to the deer’s body shape at this young age. All the other factors are synonymous with being a good ( insert species here) hunter. This deer, courtesy of wikipedia, has a similar inside spread, but he has much heavier main beams.

This is the biggest mule deer i’ve ever seen on the hoof…or in the truck. By taking this shortcut and adding the measurement of the spread credit, you will arrive at a rough estimate of the buck’s score. Needless to say at this point, the first rule of judging antelope on the hoof is:

Mule deer may not have as much going on above their heads as other members of the deer family, like elk and moose, but judging them in the field can be just as tricky. Step 1, dry the antlers thoroughly before you try to score them. Very tall and leggy looking.

One of the first signifiers of an older buck is antler mass. The score of a deer is also a useful piece of biological information. You can’t shoot what isn’t there regardless of how good your skills are.

At 200 yards, you are going to be able to make out the curved main beam from base to end with your naked eye. Scoring can help field judging. Never in my wildest dreams did i ever think i would kill a 200+ typical muley and also qualify for the record book.

The next day after we slept in, coby rough scored him at 208. When you go to cabela’s, which animals do you look at? This is only necessary if you are trying to make it into the boone and crockett official records.step 3, go to the boone and crockett website.

Ignoring the back two abnormal points, this deer is going to score around 185″+ and is clearly a. If you master the other factors you have already figured out my first ingredient on your own. Genetics, age and nutrition all are involved in how an animal develops.

No brisket and little in the way of shoulder muscle.

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