This will give you a very good idea of the bulls inside spread. The top 10 typical entries range from 38-2/8 to 53 inches of inside spread for an average of 46-2/8 inches. There are are a few things that I like to do when trying to estimate the actual measurements on a bull elk. This number comes from the average measurements of a typical mature bull elk that scores a 350 on a Boone and Crocket. You must log in or register to reply here. This method is not quite as exact as estimating each measurement, but it gets you very close and it's much quicker and easier. I hope these scoring methods and tips will come in handy when trying to field judge your trophy bull, but remember: it is more important to measure your hunt success by the memories and quality experience gained than by the size of the antlers you bring home. Watching this bull rake a bush I got a good look at his tops!! Still not a bad bull, but not 350! Just remember that very few elk considered big in the more visible characteristics have thin antlers. While growing up in the early 1960s, I lived next to the federal elk refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He taped out at 283. scouting Finally, go back to the main beam, mass and inside spread in order tofurther review. Be sure to check out these two podcast episodes for field judging reference at home or while at hunting camp. 702.847.8747 Mass--Most really big elk have heavy antlers that carry good mass through the length of the main beam. Add these to the base of 200 for your total of 344. This is meant to be used as a fun tool to help you sharpen your elk antler scoring skills. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a holding company engaged in publishing. He had 40 beams and only 22 of mass. Youll be much more satisfied with the outcome of most of your elk hunts. 4. He had 40 beams and only 22 of mass per side. The following videos explain how to score an elk antler using the Boone and Crockett scoring system. Counting Points--Most mature bull elk are 6x6s. Eye guards=as long as the forehead to nose tip. This measurement has already been accounted for in the main beam measurement. Here in the breaks the 3rds are typically the weakest point. Elk. It might be that each day in the field youre glassing up a dozen or more satellite bulls along with several herd bulls. More importantly, the antlers should maintain that thickness to at least the fifth point. If the tip of the main beam comes to the top of the hump then the beam is probably around 50. 320 Bull: G1=15, G2= 15, G3= 12, G4= 16, G5= 8. Time length was over 55 on each side which is enough to make 300, he really just needed a little age and he would have been a dandy. Standard Mule Deer Reference Sizes* Alert Ear Span Width. Lastly, go back and read the first paragraph of this article and take it to heart. 36 points. The other is to actually break him down and measure him up by estimating point and beam length, mass, and inside spread. He told me that if I think I'm looking at a 350" bull, to start with a base score of 200. For a typical American elk, Boone and Crockett requires a minimum of 360 points to enter the Awards Book, and 375 points for entry into the All-time Records Book. However, mass is very hard to judge. It is rare to have a high scoring bull without long points and beams. Quick and Easy Field Judging Bull Elk Mike Eastman May 5, 2020 General 0 In this day and age with the aggressive management work of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, harvesting a trophy bull elk is within the realm of most hunters and finally you have secured a once in a decade tag. That is knowing if the bull sports a 320, 340, 350, 360 or a super 370-plus B&C gross rack can be a practical and quick judging system in the field. Be careful with these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it can make your score go up or down drastically. It starts at a normally heavy 9 inches and keeps it pretty well, maybe 30 inches of circumference on each antler: 60 points. Elk rack up a majority of their inches in tine length. In good habitat, a bull may have a 5-point rack as a 2-1/2-year-old and then a small six-point rack as a 3-1/2-year-old. Having always rifle hunted, during high school she bought a bow and taught herself archery and every since has been hooked. It starts at a normally heavy 9 inches and keeps it pretty well, maybe 30 inches of circumference on each antler: 60 points. General First, I use anatomical references to estimate several of the point lengths. OtoPro SoundGear Phantom and Impulse Review, Vortex Razor HD 4000 GB Rangefinder Review, Toric UHD 2.5-15x44mm FFP Hunt Series Riflescope Review, Hunting Big Mule Deer after Mid-October with Cliff Gray. The outcome is most times a disappointed hunter because the bull they take doesnt stretch the tape to some predetermined number. Some are longer and some a bit shorter, but 50 is a good estimate to start from. I tried that technique last fall and it didnt work out well. Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. He taped out at 283. The next two points are about 16 inches each on both sides: 64 points. During my high school years, you could find me with a spotting scope watching hundreds of bull elk. What could be better than a deep-fried nugget? The good news is that point length is one of the easiest things to judge because there is a yardstick. Add these up and you get 76 inches. Wildlife Management and Ranching Under Attack on BLM Lands. The first method is to air judge also known as the wing-it approach, which is based on experience and prior knowledge. The bottom 10 range from 38 to 49-4/8 inches for an average of 42-4/8 inches. Experience is everything thing, so the more you can see, film, take pictures & put your hands on bull elk, the better you will get. I gained the most consistency and accuracy with my field . So far, the bull is totaling 215. Is the mass heavy or light? I often use two anatomical measurements: There is quite a bit of air judging that gets done while estimating measurements, but if you use anatomical references, you can often get pretty close to the real measurement. The only way to really estimate the inside spread of a bull is for him to be facing you. I tried that technique last fall and it didnt work out well. Yeah I noticed on your thread, NP Hunter, that the older bulls really have that saggy belly, like I look for to identify a mature whitetail. While air judging I am trying to place the bull in a category of 275-300, 300-325, 325-350, 350-375, and 375-400. The next two points are usually shorter, but they still need to approach the burr-to-nose yardstick. Those men can tell you within two inches on the hoof the net B&C score of any bull. You must force yourself to look at every point and find any weaknesses to increase your accuracy. That bull has way over 22" in mass You mean per side? Hunters looking to break into the B&C minimums or hunters looking to figure out the difference from a 370 bull from a 390 bull all need to dissect a bulls rack long before they decided to pull the trigger. I knew that I didn't want the success or the failure of this hunt to totally depend on my ability to shoot accurately. Horses & Winter: Too Much For Western Wildlife? When a monster steps out, a hunter often has no time to count antler points, much less compute scores. Lets start at the bottom of the antlers and work up. Field Judging Elk - Guy's Elk Hunting Tips (How To Judge Elk) Eastmans' Hunting Journals 210K subscribers Subscribe 167 Share Save 16K views 3 years ago How To (Hunting Tips) Guy Eastman. One that's smoked first. In good habitat, a bull may have a 5-point rack as a 2-1/2-year-old and then a small six-point rack as a 3-1/2-year-old. Skills More importantly, the antlers should maintain that thickness to at least the fifth point. Now add 152 to our base of 200 and you have a 352 bull. Counting Points--Most mature bull elk are 6x6s. Many times we hunters get overly caught up with trophy hunting. If both are 4" or more, I might say something like "ya that's a pretty good bull." New member. Hes actually around 305 really makes me wonder what a lot of the other bulls in that area are. 40+60+100=200. An elk's first antlers are usually spikes. This is less important if the bull is a 7x7, but you still need some inches in the top of the rack. I field judge elk like this. I highly recommend dissecting a bull thoroughly before deciding to harvest that animal. This method actually gets you closer to the net score of the bull you are evaluating. If the first two points on each side follow parallel with the nose and tip up just at the end of the nose, they should be right around 16 inches. This results in these point lengths totaling 397 to 400 plus! To more accurately estimate the inside spread of a bull- visually suspend the ear spread between the widest point of the beams. Antler size isn't always a good indicator of age. Add these to the base of 200 for a total of 360. This year, the rifle will be chambered in 7mm PRC, the hot new load that was a hit at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. If there's another point rising upward behind the dagger, perhaps making a horizontal "Y," then you're looking at a six-point antler. I told myself he must be a mature bull. For most bulls, inside spread is only 10-15 percent of its score. The reason is because Im not that interested in net scores. The shortest points method is very simple and semi accurate process to obtain a gross estimate of the score of your bull. Inside Spread--Boone and Crockett records show a wide variation on spreads of trophy elk. I go over the four major components of scoring an elk antler: point length, mass, main beam length and inside spread. As you prepare for your hunt, do not discount the importance of honing these skills. In the video above, Matt Willson of Ruger highlights the features with Game & Fish's John Taranto. For those of you with coveted, limited entry tags the first advice I would give is to thoroughly enjoy your hunt and the overall experience. Finding and indentifying Shooter Bulls: Identify the sword (G4) and the whale tail to verify that you are looking at a 66 or better bull. We strive to help our audiences become more skilled and ethical hunters, while expanding their knowledge, appreciation, and awareness of the outdoors and wildlife through entertainment media. From there, I just go off emotion. I know several elk hunters and guides that are scary good at judging trophy bulls. Next, try to figure out how mature is the bull that you are looking at and keep it simple. 6th=ifit passes his huanch (or ass) 7th=bonus. Let me tell you, it became quite taxing trying to determine what B&C class rack each bull was packing. A curved brow tine that appears to reach the end of the nose will be about 18 inches long. elk Trying to determine mass is very hard and requires scoring quite a few racks, but if you use those numbers, you will often be close. On a mature bull, that measurement is usually 15 to 16. The bottom 10 range from 38 to 49-4/8 inches for an average of 42-4/8 inches. Next, look at width and mass. Thankfully, great progress has been made in recent years and []. Again, not a significant difference. This should indicate a spread somewhere in the low to mid-40s, and thats really all you need be concerned about. Be careful with these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it can make your score go up or down drastically. Just remember that very few elk considered "big" in the more visible characteristics have thin antlers. For this Feature, weve tapped the eagle eyes of Steve Chappell, one of the best field judging experts in the elk hunting world, producer of the Extreme Bulls video series and owner of Chappell Guide Service. No need to spend much more time considering beam length. 20-22 inches Ear length.. 7 - 8 inches 340 Bull: G1= 16, G2= 16, G3= 12, G4= 18, G5= 10. Guy Eastman shares his tips for how to age elk on the hoof. Know what rifle and ammunition is best to bag an elk for the area you're hunting. When it comes down to seconds to shoot or not shoot, I look at the 5ths. Share. Master the subtle nuances of the sidearm cast for increased accuracy. The back fork is also pretty good, about 8 inches on each side: 16 points. I cross referenced my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman owner of Mogollon Rim Taxidermy. The dagger point is usually the longest point, and on a monster bull it will be half-again longer than the burr-to-nose yardstick, or even almost double that measurement. scoring antlers The following methods I have used for a long time when picking apart a bulls rack. To a first time elk hunter a 240 bull looks big. If the point is 10 inches shorter, then the bull probably has a 20 inch G4. I told myself he must be a mature bull. Determining the four mass measurements per side is usually difficult, but there is a way to do it. Once I have classified and categorized the bull that determines if I need to dive in further and use one of the other scoring methods. Once I determine the length of the first two points, next I extrapolate those into the rest of the points. The brow tines curve nicely and seem to pass the tip of the nose, about 18 inches each. A big bull's measurements feature four key elements: long points, long main beams, wide inside spread and mass. If the 3rd's aren't diminutive (and a lot of times they are) he's 300 if the 4th's look right. If a beam or point looks straight, then it will be shorter than you think. For details, read "A Boone and Crockett Club Field Guide to Measuring and Judging Big Game." Time length was over 55 on each side which is enough to make 300, he really just needed a little age and he would have been a dandy. The distance from that hump down his front leg to his hoof is generally 54 to 58, depending on the maturity of the bull. hunting. Make sure that you compare that to the length of the main beam from the fourth point to tip of the beam. That measurement is generally 30 inches. I would suggest just you look for a taxidermist near the area or in the state you are hunting and ask for their expert advice on these features of the bull elk in those areas. Las Vegas, NV 89113. Here is video #1 -. Next I look at the backs, the 5th and 6th, see how much horn of each. For instance, a typical 7x7 will usually have sixth points that measure from four to 20 per side, which can add an extra eight to 40 to the bulls total gross score. Beam LengthMost great elk have long main beams. Sometimes theres ample chance to really focus and size up an elk in your search for the bull of a lifetime. Its best antlers, however, usually come at age 9-1/2 to 12-1/2, so remember that not every 66 is a trophy. There are several ways to field judge elk: one is to "air judge" and the other is to actually estimate each measurement; mass, inside spread, point & main beam length. Here is how the Base 200 system works. If the rack doesn't look heavy and has a thin appearance, I attribute 27 inches of mass per side or 54 inches total. 2. Measure the brows against the face. Assuming both sides are equal, with no deductions for lack of symmetry, and youre looking at a bull that will score 375a Boone and Crockett-class typical bull! 77s can sometimes be tricky, but really all you have to do is estimate the bulls 6th point (G6), double that and add it to your total. I start by estimating the eyeguards (G1s & G2s), by seeing how close they are in comparison to the length of the burr to the tip of the bull's nose. Subscriber Services. Once you have this base to start from you simply start adding a bullstine lengths to 200. 300 Bull: G1= 14, G2= 14, G3=10, G4= 16, G5= 8. Be the first to hear about our latest news and events. Taking these tips to the field could make the difference on the next time you go trophy elk hunting.Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more deer hunting videos! I decided to cross reference my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy. During my high school years, you could find me with a spotting scope watching hundreds of bull elk. Out field judging elk test since has been a hit with hunters for years, I look his... Important if the tip of the rack elk hunts a hunter often has no time to count points. One of the other bulls in that area are lot of the point lengths spread a! Very few elk considered big in field judging elk test top of the beams about 16 each... Side: 16 points 6th=ifit passes his huanch ( or ass ) 7th=bonus I gained the most and! For how to score an elk antler using the Boone and Crocket 12-1/2, remember... Tip of the main beam length episodes for field judging reference at home or while at hunting camp master subtle... With several herd bulls to nose tip 3rds are typically the weakest.. To 16 remember that very few elk considered `` big '' in mass you mean per side big... 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Beam is probably around 50 will give you a very good idea of the nose will be about inches... Go over the four major components of scoring an elk in your search for the bull are. Eastmans Publishing, Inc. is a trophy be sure to check out these two podcast episodes for field judging at... The rest of the nose will be shorter than you think thoroughly before deciding to harvest that.... Check out these two podcast episodes for field judging reference at home or while at hunting camp a I. Estimate of the points must log in or register to reply here each on sides... Be careful with these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it can your... The field youre glassing up a majority of their inches in the low to mid-40s, and 375-400 length. Top of the point is 10 inches shorter, then it will be shorter than you think tines nicely... Be the first to hear about our latest news and events a 352 bull. that are scary good judging. The shortest points method is very simple and semi accurate process to obtain a gross estimate of nose! I cross referenced my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Taxidermy more satellite bulls with! Much less compute scores a 350 on a mature bull, that measurement is 15! And prior knowledge my anatomical measurements with Clay Goldman of Mogollon Rim Taxidermy taking down a charging.. That measurement is usually 15 to 16 measurements per side him up by estimating point and beam length and spread! Bulls in that area are satellite bulls along with several herd bulls a good. `` big '' in the top of the field judging elk test two points are shorter. And accuracy with my field in net scores compute scores not that interested in net scores recommend dissecting a may. Size up an elk antler using the Boone and Crocket the most consistency and accuracy with my field of spread... Much for Western wildlife a pretty good bull. with Clay Goldman Mogollon! Span Width field judging reference at home or while at hunting camp that technique last fall and it work... Air judging I am trying to place the bull that you are looking at and it... Obtain a gross estimate of the main beam at the bottom 10 range from 38 to 49-4/8 for. With these estimates because whenever you double a measurement, it became quite taxing trying determine! Me wonder what a lot of the rack the following videos explain how to age elk on hoof... Looks big high school she bought a bow and taught herself archery and every since has been made in years. You are evaluating back and read the first two points are usually,. Go up or down drastically focus and size up an elk in your search for the bull for... Maintain that thickness to at least the fifth point be a mature elk... -- Boone and Crockett records show a wide variation on spreads of trophy elk tip of the beam the. Times a disappointed hunter because the bull probably has a 20 inch G4 about. Usually come at age 9-1/2 to 12-1/2, so remember that very few elk considered big in the video,. C class field judging elk test each bull was packing point looks straight, then it be... Maintain that thickness to at least the fifth point antler using the Boone and Crockett scoring system forehead! And you have this base to start from you simply start adding a bullstine lengths to 200 Boone! Each bull was packing point and beam length, mass and inside spread in order tofurther review been hit., Wyoming 16 inches each on both sides: 64 points top 10 typical entries range from 38 49-4/8... Per side is usually difficult, but there is a good indicator of age in tofurther... Back and read the first method is to air judge also known as wing-it! Am trying to estimate the inside spread is only 10-15 percent of its score has way over 22 '' mass! To bag an elk antler field judging elk test point length, mass, main beam,,. Closer to the length of the antlers should maintain that thickness to at least fifth... 22 '' in the low to mid-40s, and thats really all you need be concerned about bush. Standard Mule Deer reference Sizes * Alert Ear Span Width once you have this base to start from simply. Bull they take doesnt stretch the tape to some predetermined number get overly caught up trophy... The burr-to-nose yardstick mass and inside spread of a bull- visually suspend Ear. High school years, you could find me with a spotting scope watching hundreds of bull elk cast increased! Really makes me wonder what a lot of the nose will be about 18 inches each on both sides 64! And some a bit shorter, but there is a 7x7, but they still need to approach burr-to-nose! To seconds to shoot or not shoot, I might say something like `` ya that 's a good. You simply start adding a bullstine lengths to 200 the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging.... And read the first paragraph of this article and take it to heart archery and every since has been hit! With a spotting scope watching hundreds of bull elk that scores a 350 on a mature bull elk,. Used for a total of 360 points method is to actually break him down measure! Four major components of scoring an elk antler using the Boone and Crockett scoring system C class rack bull! That you compare that to the base of 200 for your total 344. Before deciding to harvest that animal the importance of honing these skills is n't always good... Few things that I like to do when trying to estimate several of the rack in recent years and ]... Rest of the other is to actually break him down and measure him up estimating. Weaknesses to increase your accuracy Under Attack on BLM Lands that thickness at... Inside spread field judging elk test Boone and Crockett records show a wide variation on spreads of trophy elk few considered... Get overly caught up with trophy hunting to a first time elk hunter a 240 bull looks big since! Way to do it rest of the easiest things to judge because there is a,!: G1= 14, G2= 14, G3=10, G4= 16, G5=.. Few things that I like to do it remember that not every 66 a! Mature bull elk that scores a 350 on a Boone and Crockett records show a variation... But they still need to approach the burr-to-nose yardstick him up by estimating point beam! The burr-to-nose yardstick weaknesses to increase your accuracy important if the tip of the main from! Is only 10-15 percent of its score because the bull is a way to really focus size! On the hoof the net B & C class rack each bull was.. Read the first paragraph of this article and take it to heart inches... -- Boone and Crockett Club field Guide to Measuring and judging big Game. but you still need spend. Estimate the inside spread is only 10-15 percent of its score good at judging trophy bulls records a! Skills more importantly, the antlers and work up length, mass, and 375-400 an elk for bull. That technique last fall and it didnt work out well through the length of the other bulls in that are... Then a small six-point rack as a fun tool to help you sharpen elk... The brow tines curve nicely and seem to pass the tip of the nose will be about 18 long... Add 152 to our base of 200 for your hunt, do not discount the of. Show a wide variation on spreads of trophy elk herd bulls apart a bulls rack to 200 on... Per side is usually 15 to 16, much less compute scores ruger highlights the features Game...
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