As we take to the mountains and plains of
the West this hunting season in pursuit of a trophy mule deer, many of us will
have to make a snap judgment on field judging the true trophy status of that
muley buck. This decision will include both the trained eye, and gut feeling.
Steve with a 150" class Colorado buck
Many mule deer hunters are out looking for a buck with that coveted 30-inch
spread, but most muleys can make it to trophy status without it. This leads us
into the first thing to look for on any trophy muley.
~Width~
Most hunters get caught up in the
outside spread “game”. In reality, the actual measurement taken will be on the
inside spread of the main beams. The easiest method for quickly judging the
spread on any mule deer is the distance from ear-tip to ear-tip. On just about
every buck I have taken, the ear-tip to ear-tip measurement has been real close
to 20 inches. When quickly field judging a buck, if his antlers are roughly two
inches past the outside of his ears on each side, then you are clearly looking
at a buck with a 24 inch spread. On occasion, a hunter will see a buck that the
ear-tip to ear-tip distance will be either larger or smaller, but this is a
really good middle ground to start from. A lot of people will tell you that you
need a buck with 26 inch-plus spread for it to be a trophy mule deer. I have
taken many bucks over the years, and most of these are in the 22 to 24 inch
range. Now, while inside spread is definitely an important factor in scoring,
it is only air. So let’s get to the real “meat and taters” of judging mule
deer.
~Tine
Length~
When field judging the score of a buck, start at the bottom and work
your way up. One of the most overlooked measurements on any buck is the brow
tines, or G-1’s. As a general rule, mule deer have short brow tines in
comparison to their cousin, the whitetail. If a mulie has 4 inch or longer
brows’, then he is off to a great start. As we move up the rack, look at the
depth of the back forks. The benchmark we are looking for is 12 inches on the
G-2. If they meet or exceed this mark, then move to the G-3, or the tine that
together with the G-2s’, create the back fork. On this measurement we are
looking for at least a 6 inch tine. This is often the weakest part of a mule
deer’s antlers. If this back fork resembles a “crab claw”, then he is probably
a young buck. On to the G-4’s, this is the tine that along with the main beam
produce the front fork. As opposed to the back fork, this fork will be much
deeper in appearance. Look for a G-4 somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 plus
inches. In a nutshell, if a buck has good forks, on both front and back, he is
a definite “shooter”. From here we move on to my favorite piece of the mule
deer puzzle.
~Mass~
Mass has probably caused more bucks to be
passed on than any other factor. This may sound a little funny, but when a buck
has lots of mass, his tines sometimes appear short, thus causing a hunter to
wrongfully pass on a buck like this. There really isn’t a lot I can tell you
about mass, except don’t overlook it. What a buck lacks in tine length, given
he has good mass, he can make it up in his circumference measurements. When
scoring a buck, you will take four circumference measurements on his main beam,
or H measurements. The H-1 will be the smallest place between the burr and
first point. H-2 will be taken at the smallest place between the first and
second point. H-3 is measured at the smallest place between the main beam and
the third point. H-4 measurements are from the smallest place between the second
and fourth point. If a buck has around 35 to 40 inches if mass he will be a
real “wall hanger”. It’s time for us to talk about a couple of important
factors in field judging mule deer.
~Main
Beam~
When field judging a buck, it is
best to see him from all angles before a decision is made to pass or shoot.
Main beam length can be deceiving, if the only view you get of a buck is
head-on. Generally speaking, if a buck has good width, he will in turn have
good main beams. The thought is that it takes quite a bit of main beam to
generate a buck with a 24-inch plus spread. My experience judging mule deer has
revealed that width and main beam measurements go hand in hand. The equation to
use is, 20-inch spread=20-inch main beam, and so on. These two measurements will
usually be within an inch or so of each other, and remember width is main beam
to main beam. There are bucks out there that shoot holes in this equation, but
with these bucks you must use follow your instincts.
~Symmetry~
Another misunderstood feature of field judging
mulies is symmetry, or the scoring balance between the two sides of a bucks
rack. Quite often, a buck will appear to have bad symmetry, but when on the
ground, the numbers don’t show this. It is quite easy to judge the symmetry of
tine length, but main beam, can be very difficult to judge. Because the main
beam of a buck swoops to the rear and then juts forward, it can trick the eye.
While many bucks that I, or clients, have taken over the years’ first appeared
to have unbalanced antlers, actually when scored are quite symmetrical. When
glassing a mulie this hunting season, try to take your time, consider all the
variables and get a good read on his trophy potential. Finally, we move on to
the “Wild Card” of mule deer hunting.
~The
Non-Typical~
Mathews prostaffer Derry Null with a huge 208" non-typical taken while hunting with Steve and Cassie
When it comes to field judging a
non-typical mule deer, all bets are off! I wish there was some secret formula
for figuring them out, but I am still searching for that secret myself. Because
all non-typicals are different, there is no true method for judging them.
However, when field judging a big non-typical, I try to let my gut lead the
way. My theory is if he has good width, good mass, good tine length, and good
main beams then he is a definite shooter in anyone’s book!
~Conclusion~
High quality binoculars are vital.
Finally, my last few bits of
advice would be to get yourself studying trophy mule deer, this can be done
with any of the great books on the market concerning field judging. You can
also do this by looking at, and studying either the Pope and Young Club, or the
Boone and Crockett Club record books. These can be very valuable, because not
only are you looking at big trophy heads, but the score is right there for you
to glance at.Play a game and cover up the
score and try to judge it yourself. It is a lot like training yourself to judge
yardage. The last recommendation would be to get your hands on some good
“glass”. A good pair of binoculars in mule deer country is an absolute must, I
suggest a pair in the 10 to 12
power range. You also need a good spotting scope to get up close to make your
final assessment of a buck. Try to get something with variable power, like in
the 20 to 60 power range. Often times
when reading an article, such as this, it can sometimes make it sound so simple.
There is nothing simple about mule deer hunting. First, you hike countless
miles through unforgiving terrain, then continually glass a distant ridge from
dawn to dusk, only to get maybe one chance at that trophy that haunts your
dreams. From the jagged mountain peaks, to the high mountain desert, or
anything in between, mule deer hunting can be a truly exhilarating experience.
Whether it is your first mule deer hunt or you’re an old pro, hopefully these
tips will help you make a “snap judgment” on your next trophy mule deer.
Steve and Rocky Mountain Broadheads president Bruce Barrie, with a great 180" class buck that Bruce shot at only 25 yards
