Antler size over-estimation

[BSK]

Southernhunter's post about friends who always see monster bucks, but never end up killing them, reminds me of how often I hear reports from hunters of seeing a 120-class buck, yet once they identify the buck they saw on a trail-camera picture, the buck turns out to be 100-class or less. I think it's just Human Nature to over-estimate the size of bucks we see in the woods, especially when just glimpses of the buck are gained, or the buck is seen walking straight away from the hunter, which tends to make their antlers look larger. But I also think few hunters have had enough opportunities to see bucks of known antler size to compare against.

So just for fun, here are a couple of near 100-class bucks to review (all bucks were killed by hunters and officially measured--all scored between 95 and 100 gross):

Gross score: 97 6/8


Gross score: 96 7/8


Gross score: 97 7/8


Gross score: 95 0/8


Now this is a tricky one. From the side, this buck looks impressive:


But from a slightly different angle, narrow spread and no browtines. Gross score: 97 7/8

 

[TRIGGER]

Naw man your confused the third one is at least a 140-150 class deer.

 

[Tenn.Guy]

Thanks for posting!

 

[BSK]

And don't forget bucks look much more impressive in velvet. This buck, in hard antler, only grossed 99 0/8:

 

[BSK]

Here are some actually 120-class bucks:

Buck on the left in the first picture; a better picture of him in the second picture, gross: 122 6/8



Gross: 120 2/8



Gross: 123 1/8

 

[muddyboots]

I think most hunters just like exagerating it. A 120 deer is a very good deer.

 

[TheLBLman]

Excellent thread!

I believe a high percentage of the "over-estimating" is done on top-antlered 2 1/2-yr-old bucks. Because their skeletal system is not fully grown, their body weights small compared to a 4 1/2 or older buck, the same 100-scoring antlers on a 2 1/2 will appear much larger than when sitting atop a 4 1/2. And to a lesser extent, this also happens with the above average 3 1/2's.

 

[Mike Belt]

Great post! I think I have the opposite problem. At Ames our minimum is 125". With or without that minimum my magic number seems to be 125" as well. I look for bucks with that minimum score. I don't know if it's because that's our minimum or mine or a combination of both but I have a tendency to under score racks on the bucks I see. I call them insurance bucks because I'm giving myself a little lead way. Although 5" isn't much I've let quite a few 130+ bucks walk because of it. You are dead on about viewing bucks from the rear. I don't know how many times I've watched a buck walk away and questioned myself about not shooting.

Interestingly enough, at our yearly meeting this year Kipp Adams from QDMA spoke about our progress compared to both the US state averages as well as the overall Tn averages. We were told that the Tn 3.5 year olds average 134" and the 4.5+'s averaged 142". I don't really believe that. I'm thinking that our mature deer only average 125"-128".

 

[KENBOB10]

I used to overestimate. My wife caught me at it though.

 

[in the dog house]

I used to overestimate. My wife caught me at it though.

LMAO!!!

 

[TheLBLman]

We were told that the Tn 3.5 year olds average 134" and the 4.5+'s averaged 142".

That data needs a lot more clarification.
It's possibly true in the absence of antler high-grading by hunters, but then, where is this not an issue where hunters are hunting?

Even among hunter harvested 3.5 yr olds, those numbers are higher than anything I've seen "statewide", although they could be close for the extreme West TN counties along the Mississippi River.

Were those numbers possibly just for the bucks at Ames?

 

[KANATI McD]

What will he score? I was thinking 125-127

 

[in the dog house]

115 IMO

 

[KANATI McD]

Dang, I need a reality check.

 

[easy45]

Need more angles for him KANATI but I do believe thats a 120" deer gross

 

[KANATI McD]

 

[tickweed]

If I can take this buck I'm on, Ill show you a really good deer, with no over estimating.

 

[Mike Belt]

I think the one thing that really throws most hunters is the spread. A deer with a 24" spread looks much more impressive than a 20" spread but you only gain 4" of score. You can pick that up with just 1 tine.

 

[TheLBLman]

I think the one thing that really throws most hunters is the spread. A deer with a 24" spread looks much more impressive than a 20" spread but you only gain 4" of score. You can pick that up with just 1 tine.

Very good point, Mike.
In fact, I'd say a deer with a 20" spread looks MUCH more impressive than an 18" spread but you only gain 2" of score.

Another thing that greatly increases or decreases score is tine length. Never mind that overall "mass" is what make most racks stand out as either really "big" (or should we say MASSIVE ) or small. Even a buck that stands out as having a MASSIVE rack, but with short tines, can score much lower than a less impressive "skinny" rack with long tines.

 

[deerhunter10]

Very good information.

 

[southernhunter]

Good post . Thanks

 

[brmaster]

I just score them, MEAT in the freezer, DINNER on the table
Bigger horns dont make it taste any better

 

[Boone 58]

 

[BSK]

We were told that the Tn 3.5 year olds average 134" and the 4.5+'s averaged 142".

And where did they get that data? Totally bogus.

 

[TheLBLman]

BSK, how do you REALLY feel about that data?

 

[pcrc]

I am an East Tn hunter. The one on the left in the last picture on the first page looks pretty good to me.

 

[landman]

BSK
You are looking at the wrong side of the tape......
Cause I've seen deer posted on HERE like your 100" deer
that are 125"....Cause that's what they say

 

[Tracker]

Excellent thread!

I believe a high percentage of the "over-estimating" is done on top-antlered 2 1/2-yr-old bucks. Because their skeletal system is not fully grown, their body weights small compared to a 4 1/2 or older buck, the same 100-scoring antlers on a 2 1/2 will appear much larger than when sitting atop a 4 1/2. And to a lesser extent, this also happens with the above average 3 1/2's.

Totally agree

 

[Outdoor Enthusiast]

I would be interested to know the ages of the bucks you have posted.

 

[catman529]

Looks about right to me BSK