How to Score Your Whitetail
There are several ways of scoring a Whitetail's rack. But by far the most widely recognized and used is the Boone and Crocket method. Whitetails taken with archery equipment are scored by Pope and Young.
Either case the same scoring system is used. There are two categories Typical and Non-typical. Listed below are the minimum scores to be recognized by these clubs for the all-time book.
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Boone and Crockett Club
Typical minimum score =170
Non-Typical minimum score=195
Pope and Young Club
Typical minimum score=125
Non-Typical minimum score=155
NOTE: Typical and Non-Typical are measured exactly the same way except Typical you subtract for abnormal points and Non-Typical you add abnormal points. These score sheets are not exactly like Boone and Crockett but they will give you the correct B&C score.
Line A = Points per antler, left and right.
Line B=Tip to Tip spread.
Line C = Greatest spread.
These 3 lines do not add into score.
You can find more detailed information and official scoring sheets at
Boone Crocket PDF Score Sheet
Pope Young PDF Score Sheet
http://www.boone-crockett.org/
1) The inside spread is taken perpendicular to the axis of the head at the widest point between the main beams. Credit for this measurement cannot exceed the length of the longest main beam. If the spread is greater than the longest main beam then only the length of the longest main beam can be entered toward the spread credit. Place this measurement in line D, column 1. If the spread was greater than the longest main beam, place the difference in line D, column 4.
2) Take the length of all irregular points that measure one inch or greater. This is measured from the end of the point along the outer edge to where it intersects the main beam or where it comes off of another point. The total of all points place in line E, column 4 for typical and line E, column1 for Non-Typical.
3) Measure the outside length of each main beam. Enter measurements on line F, columns 2&3. Enter the difference on line F, column 4.
4) Take the length of each regular point and its corresponding on the other main beam enter measurements on line G, columns 2&3. Enter the difference on line G, column 4. Repeat measurements for each regular point and enter in the appropriate space.
5) Take the circumference of the antler at the smallest point between the burr and the first point. Enter measurements on line H, column 2&3. Enter the difference on line H, Column 4. Repeat measurements for each circumference and enter appropriate space. If the fourth point is not present, take the measurement half way between the third point and the end of the main beam. Regardless of the number of points per main beam, only four circumference measurements may be entered per main beam.
6) Typical : Add the totals from columns 1,2,3. and subtract the penalty in column 4. Non-Typical : Add the totals from columns 1,2,3. and subtract the penalty in column 4.
Arrow hits
After waiting about one half hour, quietly proceed along the flight path toward the spot of disappearance. Scan the forest floor for the arrow. The shaft will tell you volumes about your hit, if indeed you did hit the animal. It's not unusual for an archer to be positive he hit the deer, but then find a clean arrow. This not only tells you the deer isn't wounded, but it will also save you lots of frustration looking for a deer that wasn't hurt.
The blood on the arrow shaft will also reveal valuable information about the hit. Bright red frothy blood indicates a deadly lung hit. Rich red blood means the liver was hit, also mortal. Dark red blood with seeds and vegetative matter in it indicates a paunch hit, and the archer should wait another few hours to allow the deer to further weaken.
If the blood trail is lost, study the line of flight that the blood trail indicates, then survey the cover ahead and walk over to the densest stand of brush or trees. More often than not, you'll find your deer lying dead just inside the cover. If not, begin making zig zag sweeps through the cover until the deer is found.
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Huge Whitetail Trophy Management
Whitetail Buck/Doe Ratio:
A buck to Doe ratio of 1:1,1:2 and even 1:3 is exceptable. If you find that the deer herd in your area is over 1:5 then you will also find that there is heavy hunting pressure on bucks and that most bucks are under the age of three.
Whitetail Deer Genetics:
A trophy in one area may not be a trophy in another. I prefer B&C score as a guide to the quality animals you want in the herd. But point limits and spread limits which must be met to harvest a buck maybe easier for the hunter that doesn't know how to field judge a buck to B&C guidelines.
So you must choose which system you will use.EXAMPLE: 8 point and greater than 16" inside spread.EXAMPLE: 130 B&C. And if you could bare it do not harvest any rack bucks for 2 years if you are over populated with does. This will cause the Buck to Doe ratio to fall more in line and create more rutting activity just like we discussed earlier. Guess who breeds the does. That's right the stronger, more mature bucks.
Whitetail Deer Nutrition:
The organic makeup of antlers during the growing stage is almost entirely protein. Even after mineralization (hardening) is complete, a good portion of protein remains in these antlers. To grow the best set of antlers that his genetics and age will allow, a deer needs food containing at least 16% to 18% "digestible" crude protein. (Not all proteins are digestible to a deer.) The most important factor in growing trophy antlers is to provide the buck with nutrient rich food during the growth period from April through October.
Calcium is another element needed by deer during and after the antler growth period. Although a deer can borrow calcium from bones in other parts of his body and utilize it for antler growth, he still needs foods that contain a minimum of 0.45% calcium.
Phosphorus is also needed for antler growth. Although dietary phosphorus requirements are not completely known, it is believed that the lowest level a deer needs for adequate antler growth and other body functions is 0.30%.
Most people that know anything at all about managing whitetail's will tell you there are four important factors in managing a deer herd for trophy animals. They are: Age, Nutrition, Buck/Doe Ratio, and Genetics and northern locations, generally the further you go north the larger the deer therefore the larger the antlers.
The climate is harsher thus making the deer adapt. Deer must have more body fat to survive. During the antler growing season bucks are eating and storing fat for the winter to come. This also helps antler development.
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Whitetail Bucks:
A buck does not reach his potential until age of three. During his first three years body development takes priority over antler growth. Three to five years of age is a bucks prime.
Generally a buck will start to decline after that. Some bucks on up until seven will still have antlers fairly close to the size of there antlers at age five. Depending on nutrition, availability, and competition for food. Bucks need to live to be at least three years of age and I prefer Five years for quality antlers.
Whitetail Does:
A doe should be harvested for several reasons to maintain the buck to doe ratio is the obvious one. But which does do you harvest. Harvest the old does that are past there best fawn bearing years. Leaving the mature 3 to 5 year does for breeding. Also harvest wounded does and ones that don't appear to be healthy.
Vitamin D is important in promoting calcium absorption and mineralization of bone. A deer gets all the Vitamin D he needs by absorbing ultraviolet light through its skin and eating vegetation that has been in direct sunlight.
Vitamin A is important to antler development once the bone hardening begins. Carotenes in "green" leaves can be converted to Vitamin A. Green leaves can become scarce during the winter months, but remain an important part of the deer's diet.
What is a Whitetail deer?
The White-Tailed Deer is a long-legged, fast-moving mammal. This deer is found over most of North and Central America and northern parts of South America. It lives in deciduous forests, conifer forests, rainforests, grasslands, farm land, marshes, and even deserts. It has a life span of about 9 to 12 years.
Anatomy: White-Tailed Deer are about 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall at shoulder. Bucks (males) weight up to 400 pounds (180 kg), does (females) weigh up to 200 pounds (90 kg). Fawns (babies) are usually born in May or June. Only bucks have antlers, which are branched; the antlers are shed each year, and later regrow.
Behavior: Deer are shy herbivores (plant-eaters) who spend most of the day eating leaves, grass, bark, acorns, and other plant material. Does often travel in small herds with their fawns.
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