Score Him

[soupcreek]

Here is a buck my brother photographed last week while doing some pre-season scouting in a wilderness area near 6th Avenue in Helena, Montana. We don't get too excited about seeing deer in town any more, but this one was worth a second look.
What do you guys think of him? How wide? Score? Will he grow much in the next 6-7 weeks? This photo was taken on the 12th of July.
Thanks,
Soup

 

[SneakAttack]

Dead deer!


'It's all about the gut pile'

 

[kilowatt]

You and eelgrass need to get together and start your own herd of "backyard" Bucks.

Brian

 

[SureShot]

I'll guess 26" wide with a score today of around 175-180. I don't think he'll get any wider, but he could definitely add another 10" or so on score before he's through.

He'd be in big trouble if I saw him in my wilderness area.

 

[larrbo]

It looks as if this buck is a pet in your backyard. Does he do tricks for you?

 

[legacy]

168 5/8"

 

[cabinfever]

I'm coming up with 176. I think your looking at a 180 buck by the time he's done growing. Set out a bucket of oats and hang a tree stand and it's a done deal.

Mike

 

[Tuffbucker]

Great looking buck!! I would drop the hammer on him in heart beat. Im guessing he will end up somewhere in the 180's by the time he is done growing!!

 

[elkhutnAZ]

181 3/8 if you keep some cracked corn out for him to finish off strong, great buck, Thanks,Andy

 

[Packout]

I would say mid-high 170s today and he could easily put another 15-20 inches on top of that. Look at how balled up his tips are, they are still going to grow more.

 

[MrB]

I agree with Sureshot, 175" and 25-26" wide.
A nice lawn orniment for sure.
Mike

 

[BOHNTR]

With over a month left of growing, that buck should NET at least in the mid-180's. Nice looking 25-26" buck with good tine length. Thanks for psoting the photos.

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[outtabreath]

speaking of pet tricks..... See if you can just get him to jump in your freezer. Tell him to leave his hat at the door though!

 

[oneshotonekill]

I'm say right now 26 wide, 178 net right now...when october comes, i'm saying 194 gross..and 185 net, cuz he is growin' a inline fifth point thats gonna be a big deduction.

one shot

 

[ASUCoues]

I am not a mule deer expert but that buck looks kind of young to me. Maybe it is his summer coat but other than his rack, he doesnt look like a really old/mature deer. Am I wrong? CB

 

[paul]

High 170's, still a young deer. nice!!

 

[Gator]

27" and high 170's finished out about the same in width and add 12-18 inches could go high 180's for a rchery buck he is GREAT for a rifle buck he's GREAT Bang.
Feed him good some cracked corn, soybeans and cubes He's good to go in about 6 weeks. Get a good backpack it hard to pack them that far LOL.

 

[UTmonsterslayer]

i think he is 27-28" wide. 195+ when he's done. pushin the book.

 

[MTQuivers]

Short G2 but who cares! He will easily go in the mid 180's-190's by opening day. Just sit on the roof and let the air out of him.
P.S. If you close the fence on the way to the roof the tracking will be easy!

 

[berto]

sad but true, but there are only a few ways a buck like this will be "taken":

1) someone hits him as he tries to cross the street to bed down on the shady north side of the neighbors house for the day. fish and game picks up the body, has him shoulder-mounted, and displays him in their headquarters office

2) a newspaper delivery person aggravates the rutting buck until he traps the person underneath a car for at last 15 minutes. then fish and game will come shoot the buck, have him shoulder-mounted, and display him in their headquarters office

or

3) someone takes their dog for a walk during the muley rut. the buck becomes aggravated by the barking dog, as well it should, as the walker passes by and attacks their dog and kills it. fish and game will come shoot the buck, have him shoulder-mounted, and display him in their headquarters office

 

[cohntr6]

Great buck!! 27-28" wide. 181 and growing!! I wouldnt be suprised if he ends up to be a 190 buck hard horn.
maybe some does will take him outside of town to a lucky hunter in november.
Keep track of him, would love to see him out of velvet.
Jeff

 

[cabinfever]

Soupcreek, I hope you don't feel like i'm highjacking your post but this pic of this buck is one that allows him to be field judged quite eaisly due to the many angles you got.
Early, I posted what I thought he scored with a couple of quick calculations, but after a closer look, here is what I came up with.
LEFT SIDE
Main beam=24
G1=1
G2=14
G3=10
G4=11
H1-H4= 18 OF MASS
TOTAL=78

Since he's so symetrical I'd give him 78 for the other side as well. Throw in a 22 inch inside spread and you have your final score 22+78+78=178

Now by the time he's done growing I think he could add 2 inches to his G2's and G3's and that inline could end up 2-3 inches long which would put him at a gross score of 188. Throw in 2 inches that I may not be accounting for and you have yourself a 190+ buck. I think symetrical 4 points that are in the velvet are at first glance hard to score. At first glance I put this buck at 185. I have heard of a lot of tricks to quick scoring a buck. I think the best way is to look at his G2's and main beams 1st. These are the two tines that box in the frame and are generally the longest. If his G2's are over 17 and and his main beam is 26 or bigger than all you have to do is check to see how level his g3 and g4's are with his MB and G2 (and of course you need to make a quick check for how low the g4 & g3 branch off of the G2 and main beam). If they are even a few inches of being level or (even better--bigger!) pull the trigger fast cuz your looking at a 190+ buck.
I know score isn't everything. That buck isn't the kind that would get scored unitl after he was dead.

Mike

 

[Huffmad]

looks like Babe has resurfaced!LOL

no matter what he scores just a great buck.

 

[oneshotonekill]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-18-06 AT 04:39PM (MST)[p]Don't know, but it looks like on the right side (as he is facing you, left side antler) looks like he might have a cheater poking up. Anyways, if cabinfever is true with his measurements, well his estimate...i think my practice scoring bucks is coming in handy. I scored him right at 178 right now, and 194 gross and 185 net when he is all said and done.

one shot

 

[muledeernut]

Very nice buck for this early. I think that I will score him at backstrap. Enough said Muledeernut

 

[Tenmile]

Hey Guys. I'm soupcreek's little brother and the guy who took these photos. I thought I'd include a couple more pictures of this buck and another smaller buck that was with him.

Anyone familiar with Helena, MT knows that the mule deer are like vermin here. They estimate 300-400 deer live in the city limits year-round. The deer have eaten every single bloom on my wife's roses bushes this year and my back yard is always full of deer poop. The Montana FWP is actually selling over-the-counter tags for mule deer does in the Helena valley this year, though I don't know that it will do much good because most of the deer never leave the city limits.

Personally, I think this buck looks way to healthy to have been raised in the city. I am guessing that he meandered down from the Davis gulch area (these pics were taken near the corner of 6th and Davis Street). Maybe he'll wander back up into the hills before fall, assuming some idiot doesn't poach him first. It seems like that happens every year or two here in Helena.

 

[redelkarcher]

couple of good lookin bucks no matter where they are hangin' out. Thanks for sharing
redelkarcher>>>--------------------->

 

[frontshedhunter]

Thats a freakin hog buck . Nice pics

frontshedhunter

 

[sagehnter]

any light truck or SUV will do for him. If you catch him in the middle of the road just try and use parked cars as blockers to herd him into the middle of your bumper. Just kidding! To bad a deer like that has to be livin in town though. If it were me I'd have to put a rag next to the window to wipe the drool off my face. thanks for sharing

sagehntr