mule deer field judging

muleyslayer52 · Aug 31, 2015

When field judging mule deer what do you use for the length of the ear? Width from ear-tip to ear-tip.

I was using an ear length of about 9" and a width of about 22" from ear-tip to ear-tip.

Is this too far fetched???

For example my target buck has rounded ears versus pointed.

How far off am I??

My guesses:

main beam: 24
G1: 4
62: 15
G3: 9
G4: 10
H1: 6
H2: 6
H3: 5
H4: 4

=83
x2=166
+23

=189 gross

Is this too far fetched of a guess???

slcmuley · Aug 31, 2015

>When field judging mule deer what
>do you use for the
>length of the ear? Width
>from ear-tip to ear-tip.
>
>I was using an ear length
>of about 9" and a
>width of about 22" from
>ear-tip to ear-tip.
>
>Is this too far fetched???
>
>
>For example my target buck has
>rounded ears versus pointed.
>
>How far off am I??
>
>My guesses:
>
>main beam: 24
>G1: 4
>62: 15
>G3: 9
>G4: 10
>H1: 6
>H2: 6
>H3: 5
>H4: 4
>
>=83
>x2=166
>+23
>
>=189 gross
>
>Is this too far fetched of
>a guess???
>
>
>

I'm coming up with these differences to your estimate...
G1 3.5
G2 12
G3 8
G4 7

175" + the 4" cheater 179"

Great buck! The main beam may be longer than we both think.

sageadvice · Aug 31, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Aug-31-15 AT 10:13PM (MST)[p]I killed a nice 28" muley in Wy a few years ago, his ears measured 24"

I took some of my better bucks that had ears measure as narrow as 21" and as wide as 26" and my pard swears that some of his AZ high desert monsters had donkey ears, inches wider than that.

When looking head on at a big mature buck, i always used 24" as a base unless it strikes me that they just look different one way or the other.

Good thread!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

ColoradoOak · Aug 31, 2015

I think you're a little heavy on mass and a little long on the G1 and G4 measurements. I'd probably guess about 10" lower, but could be wrong.

zekers · Aug 31, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Sep-01-15 AT 04:58AM (MST)[p]I use a 10" ear, 22" spread. You're right on the 15" G2 on the left, subtract on the right. No way does he have 42" of mass, more like 38". I think you're close on a lot of measurements, just adjust for side to side deductions. I get 185.

Edit
He's better than that, I just ran the video instead of the still photo. Pushin 40" mass and both g2's match. Your total is right on I think. Kill him!

DBG3285 · Sep 1, 2015

I think everyone is selling him slightly short. I think you will find this deer to be in the 190s 194-196. I think you are high on your g1 measurement. but I think his ears will be more that 22 and I think everyone is selling him a little short on his mass.

I would say go kill him and get the facts. he is a nice buck

huntin50 · Sep 1, 2015

I think that buck is 190 if I had to choose a number, then I would choose slightly more than less of 190.Shoot him and well find out.

ridgetops · Sep 2, 2015

I'm sure you have a 190"+ buck there. Good luck to you.

fullthrottle · Sep 2, 2015

>
>I'm sure you have a 190"+
>buck there. Good luck to
>you.

Agree, that buck is easily over 185+, and I would guess he is closer to the 190+ mark. Mass, beams, spread. He's a stud.

ICMDEER · Sep 2, 2015

I'd shoot him, but I don't think he'll make 190. He's a stud, but I'd say around 185. Please whack him and give us an honest score.

sageadvice · Sep 2, 2015

I said a month ago that this buck would Net All Time Book by the time he's done, i believe he will. I also said that in a year like this, no reason that he wouldn't put on some additional inches and i believe the clips show that he has done that as well, finishing out rather nicely.

Get that guy, 198 gross, 191 Net Typical. Good luck!!!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

muleyslayer52 · Sep 2, 2015

clip from this morning

sneakem · Sep 3, 2015

I get 182 on the frame with 4" extra for 186.... I generally use 8" for the ears (not including the butt of the ear) I find that to be a safe estimate, If I used 9- 10 inches I would find that I would have been disappointed more often...
http://fenderimages.com/

hunter567 · Sep 3, 2015

I like to use the width of the eye guards. On nearly every buck I've killed they are 8 inches apart. Some may differ and some don't have eye guards but thats what I like to do.

timberhunter_ · Sep 9, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Sep-09-15 AT 08:52PM (MST)[p]most of my field judging on big deer i have been on is very fast. when i judge off a photo or video i try to resemble what i would do in the field. after ten seconds of looking at the first vid i put the deer in the 185ish range. I have scored thousands of antlers and hung on to deer antlers from the time I could walk. watched deer in the winter range and picked up there sheds and scored them to see how close i am. some I'm really on the money with and some not so much. i never try to convert inches from the animal to approximate inches on the antler because most of the time in the field i have to make a split second decision and trying to add up inches for me just doesn't work. it has cost me a couple big deer not just pulling the trigger but in the long run its better to under judge than have ground shrinkage. getting good at field judging takes huge time and experience, and some deer will always surprise you.