Counting points on a deer / elk

rowmanholiday · 11-17-2007, 05:58 AM

Hi guys! I have a, what I believe, is a simple question.

When counting the number of points on a deers/elk antler, I was always taught to count one side only and that wouuld be what you called your buck/bull, ie; 5 points on one side meant it was a five point buck/bull.

Watching these hunting programs (which is simply to occupy my non fishing mornings), they all seem to count both sides of the antler.

Is this part of the way they are officially scored or is it pretty much just hype to the TV audience?

My preference would be to count one side only and if it happen to have a different amount of points on each side, I would call it a 4 X 5 (simply as an example).

Thanks for any input.

What do you guys think and how do you score your animal.

Hooked up · 11-17-2007, 06:03 AM

I think that it is just a east vs west thing. I count them the same way you do. I really don`t know if it has anything to do with scoring or not. Maybe someone else has that answer.

the_taxidermist · 11-17-2007, 06:14 AM

It is an east vs west hunter thing!
Eastern whitetail hunters count all the points and use the total for their bragging rights!
A 9 point sounds better than a 5 x 4, I guess.
It does not figure into B & C or P & Y scoring.

QH's Paw · 11-17-2007, 06:22 AM

The way I was taught is on deer the side with the highest count is what you use 3pt ,4pt etc. Also, the eyegaurds or browtines did not count on deer but did on elk. The method of 4X4, 5x6 etc. was refered to as Colorado count and again the eyegaurds were not include. The adding of every single point that is more than 1 inch is a whitetail thing(mostly southern states) and was commonly refered to as southern count.
The scoring of a rack, although stated as "points",is actually a total of measurements in inches from different portions or items on the rack. The details of what and how to measure come from the club scoring form and most are based on the Boone and Crocket methodology.
Here is an example.

The above buck is a 4pt, 3X4 colorado count or 9pt southern count.
It's official club scoring was 99 3/4 points and it did not make the books because it was shot with a gun. It would have made the books for archery though.
You may get several different versions depending on the part of the world or country you ask your question though.

riverswild · 11-17-2007, 07:24 AM

I think it is a boasting type move on the easterners part. More must be better right? We have always counted the tines on both sides, minus eyeguards, such as 3x3, 3X4, 4x4, etc.

I have a blacktail buck that is a 5x5 plus eyeguards. It would be considered at 12 pt by their count.

On elk we sometimes count all the points, but alot of guys don't count the eyeguards on them either.
5 total points with two brow tines is sometimes called a 3 over.
6 total points with two brow tines is sometimes called a 4 over.
etc.

where's your bobber dude · 11-17-2007, 07:45 PM

White tail deer have tall eye guards, it's hard not to count them as a point. I go by the 3x4 method. What it comes down to is right and wrong, east and west.

Since I am from the Northwest that would make us right and them wrong.

rowmanholiday · 11-18-2007, 04:43 AM

Thanks, I appreciate your input. Sounds like the West way of counting is right.

BTW- Nice buck QH's Paw

steelhead22 · 11-18-2007, 06:18 PM

What REALLY threw me off this year was that in Montana they count 1 side, but all the points. So, a "4 pt. with eyeguards" was called a 5 point over there.

nobrownline · 11-18-2007, 07:28 PM

This was discussed on a tv show awhile back. They said that the way of counting goes western (one side) for mule deer and blacktail and count all points on whitetail.

haugenna · 11-18-2007, 07:45 PM

When in Rome, do as Romans.

I am from Iowa so add them up for the whitetails and include the brow tines.

When I hunt out here though I call them 3x4 with or without eyeguards. (not brow tines).

Remember that song about the "tirty pointer" They called it a tirty pointer, not a 15x15.

It's just an east west thing. Nobody is wrong. Heck they still call "lunch" dinner and "dinner" is supper.

nehalemguy · 11-19-2007, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead22

What REALLY threw me off this year was that in Montana they count 1 side, but all the points. So, a "4 pt. with eyeguards" was called a 5 point over there.

In Montana they will count all the points on one side for a whitetail but not on a muley. For example a 4x4 whitetail with mature eyeguards would be called a 5x5 but a muley with the same point count is still a 4x4.

E

tag-a-long · 11-19-2007, 06:06 AM

I think its a white tail vs black and muley. Try to call a 23 point white tail a 9 x12 with eyeguards. You will get laughed out of the coffee shop! Just a guess though!

steelhead22 · 11-19-2007, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tag-a-long

Try to call a 23 point white tail a 9 x12 with eyeguards. You will get laughed out of the coffee shop! Just a guess though!

Yeah, probably because of your math skills

.

DRUNK COWBOY · 11-19-2007, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead22

Yeah, probably because of your math skills

.

Now that is funny

riverswild · 11-20-2007, 05:28 AM

9x12 plus eyeguards (9+12+2=23)
But that was funny!

jokester · 11-20-2007, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haugenna

It's just an east west thing. Nobody is wrong. Heck they still call "lunch" dinner and "dinner" is supper.

AHHAAAAAAA!!! I'm gonna print this out and show my wife. She STILL tries to correct me everytime I talk about lunch as "dinner" and dinner as "supper!" :grin:

-jokester

tag-a-long · 11-20-2007, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelhead22

Yeah, probably because of your math skills

.

Well, if you add them up, 9 + 12=21
21+ 2 (eyeguards)=23
I guess its your math skills that are lacking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOW, THAT IS FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:brick s:

ICHTHYDEMON · 11-20-2007, 06:34 AM

We hunt Mule Deer. We count the points on each side. If its a 3x3 we call it a 3 point. If its a 2x3 we call it a 2x3.

In Washington,eyeguards count as a point if they are 1" or more.In Washington its 3 point minumum on one side for Mule Deer. I've killed a few bucks with eyeguards and counted the eyeguards as a point. In those situations the eyeguard made an otherwise non-legal deer legal to shoot.

We don't typically use the eyeguard in description of its size.

kwik karl · 11-20-2007, 11:39 AM

It's not only a whitetail/mule deer thing. When I was in the Army, our XO was from New Mexico where they hunted mule deer and they counted both sides and eye guards. This made for several heated discussions between all the hunters in the company.

KK

Yooper Time · 11-21-2007, 01:36 PM

Being from the Mid-west, white tail only area, we count all the points including the brow tines as long as they are over 1". A 4x4 would be an 8-point, including the brow tines. We were always told that the 3x3 or 4x4 was a west thing for Muleys and Elk.
I see it as 6 of one kind and a half dozen of another.