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Buck Shot By Bowhunter While Locked Up

We’ve all heard instances were two white-tailed bucks were found locked-up during a fight and found dead, but most of us are not lucky (or unlucky) enough to stumble across such an occurence. However, in the hunting video above, a bowhunter (and recruited camera man) finds two nice whitetail bucks tangled together.

In the video, keep an eye on the buck on the left. After the camera zooms in, you can see the arrow hit the buck directly in the lungs and that gets the deer going again. The video ends as the struggling stops, so not sure how what happens after that.

Typical and Nontypical Whitetail Antlers

Prior articles have discussed normal and abnormal points with regards to deer antlers, but today we are discussing typical and nontypical white-tailed deer antlers. Every set of antlers is classified as typical or nontypical and can be scored as either a typical or non-typical rack. This may sound confusing, but there are advantages to scoring certain sets of antlers one way or the other.

For the purposed of Boone & Crockett Club, typical antlers are those that look like “normal” buck antlers, such as a 10-point buck that has 5-points per side with matched G1s, G2s, G3s, and G4s. Typical means the antlers have antler points in the typical locations where points are found and the conformation on the buck’s rack are typical in nature.

Typical and Nontypical White-tailed Antlers

Take, for example, the set of antlers above. Appears to be from a healthy buck, one that most of use would have been more than happy to use a tag on. One of the great things about whitetail bucks is that no two are the same. Some will look “normal” while others fall into the freak show category.

All are unique and rather amazing when you think about it, since antlers are grown and shed year after year. With as many different types of antler configurations out there, antlers are still score only 2 ways when it comes to the Boone & Crockett Club system.

Typical White-tailed Deer Antlers

Nontypical white-tailed buck antlers, on the other hand, are sets of antlers that do not look normal. These can be slightly odd looking, such as having unmatched points (say 4-points on one side and 6 on the other) or can be a totally freakish buck with 34 points going in every direction with points off points.

Typical and Nontypical White-tailed Antlers

Nontypical White-tailed Deer Antlers

The most important thing to remember regarding scoring both typical and nontypical antlers is that having a typical, symmetrical frame is very important for the net score. When scoring a typical 8-point, for example, each point is measured and compared to the paired point on the other side of the rack. The left G1 is compared to the right G1, the left G2 to the right G2, and G3 to G3. The difference between in length between G1s is where deductions take place. The same is true for circumferences (H) as well as the main beams.

For the gross score, all the point lengths, inside spread, beam lengths, and circumferences add up for total inches. To get the net score on a typical rack, the differences in paired points, circumferences, and beam lengths are deducted. If all the points are the same length, all the circumferences are the same, and the beams are the same length, the gross and net score will be identical because there are no differences between antler sides, no deductions to be had.

For the gross score on a nontypical white-tailed deer rack, all the point lengths, inside spread, beam lengths, and circumferences add up for total inches. To get the net score on a nontypical rack, the differences in paired points, circumferences, and beam lengths are deducted. Abnormal points still add to the net score on a nontypical rack.

Typical and Nontypical White-tailed Antlers

If there is an abnormal point on a typical set of antlers, then that point will be deducted from the net score. Why? Because it is abnormal. It does not matter if it’s a “kicker” off another point or a buck that has 5-points on one side and 6 on the other. Five of the points will be typical because they are matched, but the 6th point will be “abnormal” so to speak. In some cases, good judgement may be needed to properly score your buck and determine which points are normal and paired and which ones are abnormal.

Boone & Crockett Scoring Terminology

What’s a G2, G3, etc.?

The majority of hunters know that the Boone & Crockett Club measuring system is the most common way to score white-tailed deer antlers, but many don’t know how to properly score a harvested buck. Of course, hunters also score shed antlers or dead bucks they have found somewhere.

In order to correctly score a buck you first need to understand how to take the required antler measurements, and that calls for the clarification of some B&C terminology. It’s relatively simple once you learn the lingo, but not something that’s easy to recall unless you score deer on a regular basis.

Learning the proper terms will help tremendously when discussing antlers in general and specific measurements with another hunter that is experienced with scoring deer antlers. Otherwise, one will not understand they other and that just means at least one of you will be completely lost — kind of like going anywhere without knowing the native language. Knowing what terms refer to will not only help you “get it,” but lend you and others confidence that you know what you’re doing.

Boone & Crockett Scoring Terminology

Boone and Crockett Terms

Point – To be a point the projection must be at least one inch long, with the length exceeding width at one inch or more of length. All points measured from tip of point to nearest edge of beam. The beam tip is also counted as a point, but it is not measured as a “point” since its length is included in total beam length.

Boone & Crockett Scoring Terminology

Abnormal Point – Abnormal points are those non-typical in their location, such as points originating from a normal point, the bottom or sides of the main beam, or extra points beyond the normal pattern of points. For an example of an abnormal point, look at item E in the photo below. There are two examples.

Boone & Crockett Scoring Terminology

Burr – The end of a buck’s antler that flattens out at the at the base of the head.

Beam Length – The measurement from the bottom of the burr to the tip of main beam. Item F in the photo is an example of the main beam measurement.

Gs – The letter G is used to name normal antler points. G1 refers to the first point on an antler. This is typically the location of the brow tine (if the brow tine is missing, the G1 is missing). G2 is the next tine, then G3, and so on (see photo above). A normal 8-point buck would have a G1, G2, and G3. A normal 10-point buck would have a G1, G2, G3 and G4. The end of the main beam IS NOT referred to as a G, although it does count as a point.

Hs – The letter H is used to refer to circumference of a buck’s antler. H1, H2, H3, and H4 refer to the locations on an antler where circumference, or mass, measurements are taken. Regardless of the number of points, only 4 H (circumference) measurements are taken on any buck. Circumferences are taken at the narrowest place as in the photo above. In the example above, the H1 measurement for a buck’s right antler would be the smallest circumference between the burr and G1. The H2 measurement would be the smallest circumference between the G1 and G2.

Eighths – You’ve probably noticed that deer scored using the B&C method have scores such as 134 5/8 or 176 2/8. Keep in mind that all measurements are taken to the nearest eighth inch. Record 1/2 inch as 4/8 inch and it will make the math easier, especially if you don’t have a calculator!

Scoring White-tailed Deer Using Boone & Crockett Method

The single most well known method for scoring white-tailed deer is the Boone and Crockett Scoring method. The Boone and Crockett score, or B&C as it has come to be abbreviated, is so common that when someone ask, “what’s he score,” it’s already assumed the score is based of the Boone and Crockett system. The system is not only used to rank harvested deer, but by managers to monitor the progress of their deer management programs.

Although there are other methods to score deer antlers, the Boone and Crockett system does a very good job at measuring key antler parameters. The factors that contribute to a buck’s score are mass (circumference), beam length, tine length, and inside spread. Thus, heavier antlers have higher mass measurements than thin-horned racks, longer beams are better, more and longer tines add inches, and bucks with larger inside spreads get added inches and higher scores.

There are, however, deductions when scoring antlers using the B&C scoring method. Deductions are based on antler symmetry, or better yet, how different a buck’s right and left antler may be from one another. Right or wrong, the Boone and Crockett method results in higher net scores for (antler) sides that mirror one another. This is true for both typical and non-typical antlers, and we will discuss this in further detail in the future.

Hunters refer to the total un-deducted score as the “gross score” and the score after antler deductions as the “net score.” The more symmetrical the antlers, the smaller the difference between the gross score and net score (because of fewer deductions). Most deer hunters tend to use gross score in conversation about their harvest, and this is because it refers to the total, un-adjusted measure of a buck’s antler size.

Now that we’ve talked about some of the general scoring terms, in the future we will focus on each of the key measurements and more specific antler scoring terminology when using the Boone and Crockett scoring system.

Scoring topics:

– Boone and Crockett Scoring Terminology

– Typical and Nontypical Antlers

– Mass and Beam Measurements

– Measuring Tine (Point) Length

– Scoring Equipment Necessary for Antler Measurements

– Step by Step Scoring Using Boone and Crockett Scoring Method

Want to locate a Boone and Crockett Club Official Measurer?

Email the Club at bcclub@boone-crockett.org and specify the state in which you are seeking a measurer. A list of measurers will then be sent back to you. If you do not have email, call (406) 542-1888

Bobcat Attacks White-tailed Deer – Photos

Will a bobcat attack a full-grown white-tailed deer? Yes! And these game camera photos prove it. I’ve always figured that the biggest threat a bobcat could impose on a whitetail was while the deer was still a fawn, and I still believe this to be true. But maybe bobcats kill more deer than we thought. The bobcat is an effective predator, but the larger coyote takes more deer.

In these photos, you will notice that the deer is still battling the deer after two minutes have passed. This seems plausible considering the crushing power of bobcat’s jaw and incisors are really being put to the test considering the size of its prey.

Even a large bobcat at 25 to 30-pounds can only hope to physically wear down an adult deer while biting into it’s neck to increase blood loss. It’s a tough way to go, but nature is violent.

Although the bobcat wrapped up this doe, I suspect that a bobcat would not launch an attack on a larger-bodied, antlered buck. At least not one in a healthy condition. And the health of this doe was unknown when attacked.

Bonus bobcat photos: