The Daily Insight
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What is a good score for mule deer?

Scores above 145 points would indicate a trophy mule deer buck. The Pope and Young Club accepts typical scores greater than 145 points and non-typical scores greater than 170 points. The Long Hunters accepts typical scores greater than 146 points and non-typical scores greater than 175 points.

What is considered a big mule deer rack?

Dressed, they range between 200 and 285 pounds, which figures out to be around 260 to 350 pounds on the hoof. While I love the record books, there are other “inches” that constitute a big mule deer. The pedicles from which the antlers grow typically gain diameter as the buck ages.

How do you count points on a deer antler?

Measure each protrusion from the area where it leaves the main beam to its tip. If it measures at least 1 inch in length from the main beam, it is counted as a point.

What is a Boone and Crockett mule deer?

Under the Boone and Crockett Club’s scoring system, the gross score for a typical mule deer is the sum total of measurements of his inside spread, length of his main beams, length of points, and eight mass or circumference measurements. By definition, a typical mule deer will have four points per side, plus eye guards.

Do brow tines count on a mule deer?

The most logical reason is because the abundance of mule deer, which traditionally has been counted using one side only, minus the brow tine or eye guard. A typical mule deer is four points on one side with brow tines. Whitetails, on the other hand, are typically counted using all the points on the antlers.

How long are mule deer ears?

20 to 22 inches
On the average mature mule deer buck, with its ears in an alert position, he will have an ear span of 20 to 22 inches tip-to-tip. But I have measured large specimens with ear tip to tip spans up to 26 inches.

What is the heaviest mule deer ever killed?

Heaviest Whitetail Ever Killed. On a cold November day in 1926, Carl Lenander Jr. dropped a monstrous Minnesota buck with a single shot. Field-dressed, the deer weighed 402 pounds. The state Conservation Department calculated its live weight to be 511 pounds.

How to field judge mule deer?

Width. While many hunters will not settle for anything smaller than a 30 inch spread,this is not the case for all hunters.

  • Length. A buck with 4-inch or longer brow tines is typically (but not always!) considered a good buck. Then quickly move down the tines to try to estimate.
  • Mass. While there are a lot of ways to measure mass quantitatively,it is not really practical in the field for most hunters.
  • Symmetry. It is of course each hunters call to determine whether he/she is wanting a typical vs. non-typical buck.
  • Never Judge from the Back. Oh have I been fooled by this! It’s easy to get excited about a buck as he is walking away from you.
  • Velvet. Bucks in velvet may indeed look bigger on the hoof than when they are actually scored.
  • Junk. Don’t forget to factor in any of the stickers and trash coming from those antlers!
  • What is the largest mule deer buck ever shot?

    361 6/8 Inches. Net Score:

  • 355 2/8 Inches. Scoreable Points:
  • 22 1/8 Inches (Inside) Mass:
  • How does a mule deer survive?

    As such, mule deer must use stored body fat to survive. During winter, an adult deer may lose up to 20 percent of its body weight, and as much as 40 percent of its daily energy comes from body fat. A deer’s winter survival depends on the weather, its stored fat reserves, and its ability to conserve energy.