RE: How do I score live Mule deer?
OK, I'll step up and actually answer your question.
First, know how bucks are scored by B&C. I know people who will throw numbers around on bucks but don't actually know what measurements are taken.
Next, start looking bucks over. In the field is good, but unless you're on good winter range, it's hard to view alot of trophy-sized deer on the hoof. The next best thing is mounted deer. Go around to sporting goods stores. The employees sometimes think I'm a little strange; I'll stare at a mounted buck for twenty minutes sometimes, viewing them from different angles and so forth. Two measurements I look for is 1) ear width. Most mature bucks have ears from 18-22" wide, tip to tip. When you see a buck in the field, try to figure out how wide his ears are. From there, you can figure out his inside/outside spread. If it looks like a young buck, think closer to 18" on the ear width. An older buck with a wider forehead will be closer to 22, but that doesn't hold true in all cases. 2) Next, I look for the distance from the eye to the tip of the buck's nose when viewed from the side. I don't hear about this measurement as much from other hunters, but it works well when you have to make a snap judgement in the field. This measurement too can vary greatly, but just figure if a buck has forks as deep as his eye-to-nose measurement, he's a decent buck.
If your're looking for good B&C score, don't get too wrapped up in width. Tine length matters more, infact David Long states that most record book typicals have an outside spread less than the magical 30 inch mark.
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