Rack Score

[chato]

I am relatively new to hunting. Can anyone give me an estimate on what a deer like this one would score? His rack is tall but narrow.

 

[dave29]

Not much... He's in velvet so that always make them look bigger. I'd guess maybe net 100-110 max.

 

[HuntMeister]

Hard to tell with that one photo but making some assumptions I would say no more than 110".

 

[hammer24]

Just looking at his right side I see 45 inches of tine length (4+9+9+2+23 main), plus 15ish more in mass that puts him 60"ish for his right side alone. I don't think his left side is quite as good, but let's just call it 60 too. We are now to 120 before adding the inside spread. He's narrow and tall, so even a 14" spread will put him over 130.

 

[42769vette]

Id call it 115-120

 

[Hookeye]

A max of 130 gross.

 

[Gluemanz28]

70 to 90 pounds of meat. you can't eat antlers

 

[42769vette]

70 to 90 pounds of meat. you can't eat antlers

And a steak doesn't look good on the wall. I have absolutely no issues with people that strictly hunt for meat. I don't see why they have issues with me who kills does for meat, and lets the bucks grow up.

 

[snapping turtle]

I let those bucks go but not everyone has the same needs in season.

A buck itself self is a trophy to many. I understand that. Back in the 1980's a good season might have been seeing a buck.

 

[Gluemanz28]

And a steak doesn't look good on the wall. I have absolutely no issues with people that strictly hunt for meat. I don't see why they have issues with me who kills does for meat, and lets the bucks grow up.

Taxidermy fees are too high and I don't have a good spot to hang it. I do however have my own cemmercial grinder, tenderizer and dehydrator. I also have the sleeves for the grinder to stuff cases. I haven't hunted in several years though :-(

 

[phylodog]

I hunt horns for the challenge. I enjoy the hunt itself much more than the kill. I passed on quite a few bucks last year because they weren't one of the three we were after and we didn't take any does off of the farm so my season yielded no venison. My hunting partner got the number 1 buck on the farm after I had to go back to work.

I did get to spend 140+ hours sitting in stands though so I consider it a highly successful season. I've got 23 days set aside for this season and if I end up with no venison again I'll still consider it a success. We hunt the biggest and most mature bucks on the farm because they present the biggest challenge. Add in the fact that we hunt as a team with one of us filming the other and it becomes a pretty extreme challenge and I love it. If I get a buck I'll eat him and we may take a couple of does this season but for me, it's mainly about being out there.

 

[Hookeye]

I might shoot a 100" 8 pt this yr.

With my recurve.

Only know of one P&Y in the area, didn't lease the ground I wanted to this yr (2 kids in college).

 

[chato]

Thanks for the responses. That gives me a better idea. I'm trying to hone in my guesstimation skills so bouncing these photos off others is helping me get there.

 

[cyprant]

I'm no pro, but I would guess 125" maybe smaller. I hunt for does usually, so some one with more knowledge will be along shortly...

 

[chato]

I do eat my deer, so I'll take what I can get, but I still like to shoot something with a nice rack if possible. I'll let you guys know how I do this year. Anybody have some nice photos of prospective bucks this year?

 

[yote hunter]

Less then 120", I would give him another year myself... Just my 2 cents...

 

[chato]

Any ideas on the age if the deer I posted? Not sure if the photo shows enough detail to tell. I've heard teeth can help tell the age?

 

[patience0830]

Decent buck for the area. 3 1/2 , -4 1/2 yrs old probably. Not the best mass I ever saw but good tine length. Can't see far side well enough to make a good guess at green score.

 

[chato]

How do you come up with 3-1/2 to 4 1-/2? I thought he might be, but not sure what the basis is for making this guess. He seems to have a pretty good sized body and I know the rack is tall with decent mass, but what are you looking at specially when judging his age?

 

[vwarren]

130" gross prob net 115"