C
coloradobowhunter
Guest
So I cant remember what they say, if a deer is at full alert how wide are his ears is it 26 or 28 inches?
kawboy
Very Active Member
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It all depends on age, I have seen them as wide as 25 in. But when guessing in the field I never count it as any wider than 20 inches. That puts my estimates closer to actual width, also limits ground shrinkage
I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!
I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!
txhunter58
Long Time Member
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LAST EDITED ON Aug-29-10 AT 06:26PM (MST)[p]I use 20 inches too.
This buck is a mature one with a 28-1/2" main frame width. I measured his ears as mounted in this picture and get 19-1/2"
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
This buck is a mature one with a 28-1/2" main frame width. I measured his ears as mounted in this picture and get 19-1/2"
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
Roy
Moderator
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Not a dumb question by any means! Great question - just a dumb misconception that if a buck is out past his ears he is 30 inches wide - one that has caused a lot of ground shrinkage and some unhappy hunters. What has been said is right. The buck on my wall is 24" wide and his ears are 21" - they can range anywhere from 19 to 23 but around 20 to 21 is probably about the average.
UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)
UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)
swbuckmaster
Long Time Member
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it can also depend on what part of the country you are hunting in. example the bookcliff deer have tiny ears. 18-20 inches where the wasatch front bucks can have huge ears 22-25 inch ears with big bodies to with them..
There are no big bucks in Utah! LOL
There are no big bucks in Utah! LOL
N
never_satisfied
Guest
I have measured my last 4 utah deer. They have all been about 3-4 years old and are all 22 inches wide when I lay there ears down
C
coloradobowhunter
Guest
WOW!!!! Thanks guys for all the input!!!! I am glad that you guys got back to me! I am heading out for 5 days on thursday First time huntin muleys with a bow! Heading to unit 66 here in Colorado!! I will keep 20 inches in the back of my mind.
A
ADDICT
Guest
+1
Desert mulies are closer to 18" on average from the deer I've seen. Northern muler deer mature bucks can be 25+ but I would guess conservatively 20-22" to avoid disappointment or ground shrinkage!
Desert mulies are closer to 18" on average from the deer I've seen. Northern muler deer mature bucks can be 25+ but I would guess conservatively 20-22" to avoid disappointment or ground shrinkage!
Clyde Hollinger
Active Member
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SWB- Well I'll beg to differ with ya on Bookcliff's bucks... lol.. J/K Normally there pretty small from what I've seen as well. The buck I killed out there last year had 25" ears and really had me fooled. But he was a big ol' bodied bugger so I took that into consideration too. Here's a pic of him on the hoof and on the ground. He measured out at 27" outside, and was aged at 6 years old.
B
bucktaxi
Guest
Mule deer individual ears length vary from (notch to tip) 7 1/2" to 9 1/2". The width between ear canals on the skull is around 4 1/2". Knowing those measurement you have to take into account the forward angle of the ear when in full alert. Usually the tip to tip spread will be between 18" and 21". Occasionally you'll see them wider.
swbuckmaster
Long Time Member
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>SWB- Well I'll beg to differ
>with ya on Bookcliff's bucks...
>lol.. J/K Normally there
>pretty small from what I've
>seen as well. The
>buck I killed out there
>last year had 25" ears
>and really had me fooled.
> But he was a
>big ol' bodied bugger so
>I took that into consideration
>too. Here's a pic
>of him on the hoof
>and on the ground.
>He measured out at 27"
>outside, and was aged at
>6 years old.
>
>
That is a nice buck for the rifle hunt! Congrats
So your saying it has a 27" outside spread. if that is correct I look at the buck alive and it looks like it is 3 inches wider then its ears on each side. So to me that would say the same thing I was saying. small ears or 21 inch ears. I am also saying the fronts bucks on average are way larger or even larger then the the nice buck you harvested.
There are no big bucks in Utah! LOL
>with ya on Bookcliff's bucks...
>lol.. J/K Normally there
>pretty small from what I've
>seen as well. The
>buck I killed out there
>last year had 25" ears
>and really had me fooled.
> But he was a
>big ol' bodied bugger so
>I took that into consideration
>too. Here's a pic
>of him on the hoof
>and on the ground.
>He measured out at 27"
>outside, and was aged at
>6 years old.
>
>
That is a nice buck for the rifle hunt! Congrats
So your saying it has a 27" outside spread. if that is correct I look at the buck alive and it looks like it is 3 inches wider then its ears on each side. So to me that would say the same thing I was saying. small ears or 21 inch ears. I am also saying the fronts bucks on average are way larger or even larger then the the nice buck you harvested.
There are no big bucks in Utah! LOL
UTmonsterslayer
Active Member
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- 325
I, too, have measured the ears on my last 3 deer(Southern UT). Be careful, a buck's ears are going to be wider when they are laying flat,sagging(dead) as opposed to when a buck is alert and looking at you. My last 2 bucks have been 23" wide, and were just a touch outside of the ears. But, when I measured the ears, you could easily get 24" inches. Stick with 21-22" and you'll be won't be sorry. A lot of the whopper bucks I've seen look like thev've got whopper ears as well, but I am yet to put one on the ground! Good luck to you!
