horn point counting?

[Bait O' Eggs]

Anybody know why the people back east dont count horns like the rest of us

When I tell my brother in law (from Wisconsin) I got a 4 point buck, that mean 4 points on each side and I am not counting the eye guards. When he gets a 4 point it is a forked horn on both sides. He counts eyeguard and anything else on each side cumulative. I was a bit suspect the first time he told me got a 12 point buck :shocked: :shocked:

Seems like, since us westerners predominantely migrated from the east coast we would all count horns the same.

Any theories?

[ 11-02-2001: Message edited by: Bait O' Eggs ]</p>

[Lured In]

I can't say I know how the two diverged, but I do believe there is usefulness in both methods. For instance, you shoot a fork buck and I shoot a fork buck, but with 4" eye guards. Yours is a "4" point and mine is a "6". Personally, I prefer to know both the fact that it was a fork and that it had 6 points and/or eye guards.

Here is an interesting "point" (pun intended). This is a regulation for elk I learned not to long ago. Say you shoot a spike with brow tines, is it a spike or not? According to the Oregone Big Game reg's it is a spike (p63 1st sketch). So brow tines don't count, right? But here is the wierd thing, in the regs (same page) under the "defintions" section, they count brow tines as "points" for the 3+ point bull hunts.

I find it odd that a brow tine counts as a point for branch antler hunts and doesn't count as a branch for spike hunts. Go figure.

[Dogfish]

I don't know the answer, but I usually refer to deer like this. Spike, Forked/Forky, 3 by x, 4 by x, etc. I have also heard folks not count the eyeguards as part of the regular antler count, like 3 point "with" eyeguards (A 4 point in my book).

I have heard elk only referred to like this. Spike, raghorn (2 by 2 up to a 3 by 4), 4 point, 5 point, 6 point, royal (7 point), and then the usual non typical description like 5 by 6.

[bigshark]

BOE, I don't know either but it is possible that it falls into the same eastern mindset that if it
west of the ol miss it couldn't be as good. East is better and bigger.....or is that just for sportswriters?.... :grin: :grin: Oh, sorry Ron
I forgot thats were you got your first writing job.

[Capin' Dan]

BOE,

I come from the south and did some extensive research on this when I first came out. Bottom line came down to lack of education. People from the west just could not count higher than five or six. So thats the answer the correct one. People from the east and south are just a little smarter.


:grin: :grin: :grin:

The Devil made me do it.

Dan! (JK)
I haven't a clue

[puddles]

well folks i have been lurking for to long. i am from maine and do not know the reason for the horn counting either. i am going to maine on thurs. for a little whitetail hunting and will ask some people from there if they know. but i dont expect much of an answer ha !!!! also found it interesting that rauly you are here in banks like myself. i also paaaark my caaaar in the garaaage!!! yuk yuk!!! well so long for now

[bait boy]

Well puddles I am also from Back east. New Hampshire to be exact. My mom just got her deer at home in southern NH. Ayuh, can't get theya from heya.

Good luck on your trip.

Rick

[puddles]

bait boy. i actually was born in nh in gorham to be exact. lived in maine and nh. been here 23 yrs now, left there when i was 18. just got an email from my dad it is snowing up at the camp in maine. will post the results of my hunt when i get back.

[Zen Leecher aka Bill W]

Mr Dan, No insult to you as you are an excellent product of the south, but it has been my experience that people from the east and south, only THINK they are smarter and better.

If they were so much smarter and better, then they'd be out here.

Also... point counting controversy... it's warmer in the east and south and doesn't rain as much. It's more comfortable for them to take off their shoes to aid in counting. Out here we use our hands.. one for counting and the other for totalling up... that's why we only count one side.. and... we learned our multiplication tables too. Well at least the "2" table.

Hey Dan, Echo's doing real well getting used to us. She's a real sweetheart, just like you said she was. Smart and also seems to really know the "STAY" command.

Now back to the East vs. West debate. Before I get flamed too bad I'll say I used to live on the east coast for 20 years and I wore loafers back there as it was easy for me to take them off for "cyphering".

Bill

[puddles]

I just returned from 12 days hunting in maine.no one knows why the difference in counting points.only that they were there first!!! anyway had a great time, 6 inches snow with a little fresh each day. no deer for me but saw a lot. 10 point, 215 lbs for brother in law. doe for dad.

[Cutter]

While station in North Dakoda, I went through this same topic with other hunting friends of mine. The only thing we could come up with was that here in the west we have areas of 3 point or better, or similar hunts, this count only has to come from one antler. Most hunts, from what I was told, else where are for buck or doe.

Now I'm not saying this is the reason, but out of a group of about 15 guys from all over the country this seemed to make the most sence. I could be though that we are just too darn layed back to bother to count the other side. :grin:

[Hoosier Daddy]

My theory:
Once upon a time, easterners did count the same way we do. Then stories of monster mulies, elk, etc. started making their way back east. East coast hunters started feeling a little inferior, so they decided to count all the points, to make themselves feel better. I have always wondered how southerners managed to count to twelve, having only ten fingers, then I remembered that many of them have six on each hand....doh!! Just kidding, really. :grin: