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White-tailed Deer Facts 2

White-tailed deer are one of the most widely studied wildlife species in the US. As a result, there are more known facts about whitetail than any other species, game or non-game. For example, researchers have already identified at least 25+ subspecies of white-tailed deer spanning from coast to coast! Although most are very similar, each is somewhat different in terms of physical characteristics and in behavior.

Below are 5 facts about the amazing white-tailed deer:

1. Well-nourished white-tailed bucks begin growing new antlers each April. The timing regarding new antler growth can vary with an individual buck’s body condition, but is influenced by environmental conditions. Antlers can grow more than 1/2″ per day.

2. When temperatures drop to single digits (farenheit), whitetail deer are often more nocturnal and also tend to move during the mid-day hours.

3. The large ears of white-tailed deer can rotate 180 degrees and pick up high-frequency sounds very well.

4. The entire molting process for whitetails is slow and gradual, usually taking several months to complete. From early spring to late summer, a deer’s coat transforms from a dense grey pelage (fur) to a thin but deeply-colored auburn.

5. However, when hunting in early fall, hunters will notice that the deer’s coat has changed from reddish to grey. This fall color change occurs much more rapidly, often within only one to two weeks!

Want more information? Check out these addtional white-tailed deer facts.

Rusty Blackhaw: Excellent Deer Browse

Deer Food: Rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)

Class: browse; highly preferred by white-tailed deer

Description: Rusty blackhaw grows as a shrub or small tree with irregular branches, a short trunk and a spreading, irregular crown. It occurs in forest understory and in open areas on moist or dry soil. It’s not uncommon in the Southeastern US and is a component of good whitetail habitat

Rusty Blackhaw is Food for Deer

The leaves of rusty blackhaw have short, rusty, hairy leafstalks and are rusty-hairy beneath, especially along the veins, turning red in the fall, and from this description you can determine that it’s aptly named. The leaves are used as browse forage by white-tailed deer.

The bark is rough, forming rectangular or square plates. The fruit of rusty blackhaw is bluish-black when mature and is eaten by some birds and mammals. It is also edible, the pulp having a sweet, raisin-like taste.

Rusty Blackhaw Photos:

Scoring Equipment for Boone & Crockett Method

Prior articles have covered the necessary measurements to properly score a white-tailed buck using the Boone & Crockett Scoring system, so now it’s time to cover all the necessary equipment you will need. You can either purchase of the items individually, buy a scoring set from any of the many outdoor retailers, or get an “official” set from Boone & Crockett.

First, anyone interested in scoring deer will need a 1/4 inch steel tape to measure the antlers. This is mandated by the rules, and no other instrument can be used to measure the antlers — except a flexible steel cable can be used to measure the points and main beams. However, you still need the tape to measure the cable length.

And yes, you need to get a flexible steel cable as it is the most accurate for taking both the beam and point (tine) measurements, and we know you want every 1/8″ you can get! Also, you will need an “alligator” clip or other device to securely mark the cable. If you buy a scoring set, all of the necessary equipment should be included, but many of you can probably gather up most of the equipment needed right out of your work bench.

Lastly, you will need a score sheet (below) to ensure that you take and record all of the necessary measurements, and remember to take each . If it looks like your trophy will make “book,” then it’s time to find and Official Boone & Crockett Scorer! However, keep in mind that no offical measurements can be taken until a mandatory 60 day drying period has elapsed.

Boone & Crockett Score Sheet:

— Please note that the Boone and Crockett Club score charts are protected by copyright laws. The score charts reproduced in this section are for personal use only and not acceptable for entry in the Club’s Awards Program. Official score charts can be obtained from official measurers or the Club’s headquarters at a nominal price.

Big South Texas Buck Harvested on Las Raices Ranch

Deer hunter Marko Barrett of San Antonio, Texas, made Muy Grande Deer Contest history with this record-breaking Webb County white-tailed buck he entered in the All-Around Men’s Division of the contest in 2007. The buck scored roughly 273 gross Boone & Crockett points with 34-points and a 25 1/2-inch spread. The mature buck was still in velvet when it was harvested off the 4,000 acre Las Raices Ranch. Marko harvested the huge white-tailed buck using a rifle from a brush blind at about 120 yards. Now that’s a Texas-sized buck!

Barrett describes the deer as a 7 year old that he had been watching for years. This year, the ranch received “56 inches of rain and counting” which pushed this deer well over his historical best score. Barrett thinks that he will score somewhere in the 270’s when “he is stripped of velvet and dry”.

Barrett describes Las Raices Ranch management program as an “all native deer” operation without breeding facilities. The ranch does feed protein year-round and “use multiple feeders so the dominant buck won’t keep the others from the feed.”

Barrett says things have been crazy since he shot the buck with all of the emails and phone calls. However, that is what “buck fever” is all about.

Congratulations to Marko Barrett and the ranch’s great habitat management! In addition, thanks to Marko and the Las Raices for the great photos. They have proven what good genetics, habitat management, and harvest management can do!

Mass and Beam Measurements

Throughout the previous parts of this series on how to score white-tailed deer using the Boone & Crockett method we have gone over scoring terminolgy and have examined all the factors that impact gross and net scores, in addition to classifying typical and nontypical white-tailed deer antlers. By this point, you know that the widest inside spread between beams, beam lengths, circumferences, and point (tine) lengths all add together to give a gross B&C score. We also discussed how deductions are calculated and how this impacts net score.

Now at this point, I’m going to tell you exactly how to take the main beam measurements as well as mass (circumference) measurements. First, make sure you have the proper scoring equipment, then take the the right beam length by measuring from the bottom of the burr to the very tip of the beam (see diagram below). Repeat this process on the left beam. Record these measurements to the nearest eighth and beam measurements are completed.

Now, let’s discuss taking mass measurements. There are always 4 mass measurements taken on each the left and the right antlers. The H1 measurement is the smallest circumference between the burr and the G1. Check the circumference at several locations between the burr and base of the G1 and record the smallest circumference.

The H2 measurement is the smallest circumference between the G1 and G2. The H3 measurement is the smallest circumference between the G2 and G3. The H4 measurement is the smallest circumference between the G3 and G4. If the antlers you are scoring are from a typical 10-point (or more) rack, the measurements are simple to take.

However, if you are scoring an 8-point rack, there is no G4! In this case, the H4 measurement must be taken from half-way between the G3 and the tip of the main. Simply measure the main beam from the center of the G3 to the tip of the beam, divide by 2, and mark the beam this distance from the end. Take your H4 circumference and your mass measurements for that side are completed.

Keep in mind that on a 9-point rack with 4 normal points on one side and 5 normal points on the other, the H4 on one side will be taken between the G3 and G4, but the H4 on the other side will be taken between the G3 and the tip of the beam. With an unmatched (unpaired) point, a sizeable deduction will likely be evident between the right H4 and left H4 (the G4 will be deducted from the net score as well). As I mentioned earlier, symmetry is good and asymmetry is bad when it comes to Boone and Crockett scores and white-tailed deer.