How Does Your Rack Measure Up? How to Score Deer Antlers
By Lansing Area SCI
In Education, Hunter Advocacy
Do you know how to score a buck?
Find out at our upcoming event!
Our Whitetail Night and Christmas party is on December 7, 2017 where you will get a chance to see how to score deer antlers.
SCI Lansing Area Members and non-members can bring their racks for scoring. Who knows, you might win a prize or an award!
Plus, we will have mouthwatering prime rib dinner and great speakers.
If you are visiting our site for the first time, we would love to have you as a guest at our event and chapter meetings. If you are a hunter in the Lansing, Michigan area, the Safari Club International Lansing Area Chapter is a MUST VISIT! Click here for membership info.
How To Score Deer Antlers
The thrill of the hunt, the camaraderie with friends, the hunting traditions, and the feeling of deep satisfaction that comes after exercising patience and skill is why we do this. Breathing in the fresh air, listening to the sounds of the woods, and feeling our heart start to pound when a BIG BUCK steps into your sights is an experience that cannot be fully understood until one does it. Hold your breath, aim, and smoothly release or gently squeeze.
It does not get much better than that…until you score your rack and get it mounted! Oh, and share your hunting story with friends and family–maybe around a crackling fire with a nice scotch in your hand. Ahhhh.
How do you measure up?
To give you an idea of how your amazing deer will score, this article gives an overview of how to score deer antlers using SCI’s unique all-inclusive record keeping system.
The SCI Record Book of Big Game Animals uses SCI’s unique all-inclusive record keeping system, the most used system in the world. The SCI Record Book of Animals is a living history of our hunting heritage and a way to honor the animals harvested. The scoring system recognizes typical and non-typical animals and both free range and estate taken animals. No deductions are enforced penalizing animals for asymmetry in the SCI scoring system.
Here are a few things to consider first:
Two Categories for Whitetail Deer
NOTE: All deer must be taken without violating the wildlife laws or ethical hunting practices of the country, state or province that was hunted and, furthermore, that the laws of the country hunted have not been violated by the taking or importing the animal.
Typical Whitetail Rack. If your rack has symmetrical antlers that rise in a normal manner from the antler beam, then it is considered “typical.”
Non-typical Whitetail Rack. If your rack has irregular tines, or lengthy and complicated antlers, then it is considered “non-typical.” You will likely require the help and knowledge of a trained Measurer to score them properly.
DON’T FORGET:
We will have trained SCI Measurers at our December 7th event that you can watch score the antlers!
Tools you will need:
- SCI Typical official scoring sheet, SCI Non-Typical official scoring sheet.
- Yard stick or folding carpenter’s ruler.
- Wire cable for measuring along curves.
- ¼-inch-wide steel measuring tape that measures in eighths of an inch.
- LENGTH OF MAIN BEAM – In white-tailed deer with typical antlers, the main beams end at the front points and are easily identified. Measure the length of each main antler beam from the bottom edge of the burr (or coronet) to the tip.
- LENGTH OF TYPICAL TINES – Measure the length of each valid typical tine on each antler.
- CIRCUMFERENCE OF MAIN BEAM– Measure the circumference of each main antler beam at the four places indicated below. Circumferences must be taken at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the antler at the smallest place between typical tines, disregarding any non-typical tines that may be present.
- INSIDE SPAN OF MAIN BEAMS– Measure the inside span of the main antler beams at the widest place. This measurement must be at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the skull, and parallel to its horizontal axis.
- TOTAL SCORE – Total all measurements. When measuring in inches, record fractions in 1/8ths of an inch. Record metric measurements to 0.1 cm. If antlers are in velvet, deduct 2% from total score.
What is your best score?
Let us know what your best score is! We love to celebrate every hunt and hear the great stories that go with them.
Post in the comments below. Better yet, come to our Whitetail night on December 7 and show us!
We hope to see you there.
Boone and Crocket, deer score, score deer antlers, score your rack, Whitetail Night
Lansing Area SCI
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