It’s a 5-point Mule Deer, change my mind

[antlerradar]

I’d like to see @antlerradar vote in after what I’ve heard of his antler collection, might be the end-all vote, maybe he doesn’t concern himself with the nonsensical squabbles though

Had some time to think about it, and I am just confusing myself.
I see a typical in the field, it is a four point, missing a fork and it is a four by three, doesn't matter if there are browtines or not. Pick up the same bucks sheds and measure them for my records the browtine is counted.
Now if the typical has an extra point or two I am calling them a four point with cheaters or an extra fork. Start getting in to the non typical bucks and I am counting the browtines all day long. Twenty+ years ago a friend and I located a massive non typical cactus buck. We called him the 15 by 15. Actually have no Idea how may points he had but they were everywhere and lots of them were one to two inch points between the base and the main forks. Cool buck. I found him dead a few years later, but most of the antler was chewed off.
Found this shed a few years ago. I am calling it a ten point, but it could be a three point with a couple of extras.

 

[Ought Six]

Had some time to think about it, and I am just confusing myself.
I see a typical in the field, it is a four point, missing a fork and it is a four by three, doesn't matter if there are browtines or not. Pick up the same bucks sheds and measure them for my records the browtine is counted.
Now if the typical has an extra point or two I am calling them a four point with cheaters or an extra fork. Start getting in to the non typical bucks and I am counting the browtines all day long. Twenty+ View attachment 255940years ago a friend and I located a massive non typical cactus buck. We called him the 15 by 15. Actually have no Idea how may points he had but they were everywhere and lots of them were one to two inch points between the base and the main forks. Cool buck. I found him dead a few years later, but most of the antler was chewed off.
Found this shed a few years ago. I am calling it a ten point, but it could be a three point with a couple of extras.

I think that settles it then. Before it’s settled though, one thought, you calling it a 4-point even when you throw your Binos up and see that bad boy has 3-4 inch browtines on each side for another 6 to 8 inches of gross score too? Seems like you’re doing the buck an injustice when you tell your buddy you saw a nice 4 but he has them extra inches from good brows. Good browtines are rare in my part of the world, so when I see them he’s a 5-pt. Difference between a big 77” or the holy grail 80”-81”

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I think that settles it then. Befor it’s settled though, one thought, you calling it a 4-point even when you throw your Binos up and see that bad boy has 3-4 inch browtines on each side for another 6 to 8 inches of gross score too? Seems like you’re doing the buck an injustice when you tell your buddy you saw a nice 4 but he has them extra inches from good brows. Good browtines are rare in my part of the world, so when I see them he’s a 5-pt. Difference between a big 77” or the holy grail 80-81

He's a good 4 point with good brow tines.

 

[mtmiller]

3, 4, 5 wgaf...just give me a number in inches.

 

[antlerradar]

I think that settles it then. Before it’s settled though, one thought, you calling it a 4-point even when you throw your Binos up and see that bad boy has 3-4 inch browtines on each side for another 6 to 8 inches of gross score too? Seems like you’re doing the buck an injustice when you tell your buddy you saw a nice 4 but he has them extra inches from good brows. Good browtines are rare in my part of the world, so when I see them he’s a 5-pt. Difference between a big 77” or the holy grail 80”-81”

Got me curious, so I looked it up. I have 88 antlers that have typical frames that go 80 inches or better, 39 would still make 80 without the browtine and only 4 have no browtine at all.

 

[Elkwhisper]

What the hell do I call this one. What's a brow and whats a point?

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

What the hell do I call this one. What's a brow and whats a point?

4 by freak

 

[PaulRevere]

If I'm not mistaken any point 1 inch or longer is a scoreable point according to the B&C and P&Y clubs. So, if it's longer than an inch count it.

That's what she said.

 

[SwaggyD]

ok. I’ll play. What is this thing?

 

[EYJONAS!]

ok. I’ll play. What is this thing?

View attachment 255966View attachment 255967

A goofy dink

 

[WyoDoug]

Keep it simple. Just call it a big ass knarly buck.

 

[SwaggyD]

A goofy dink

You ain’t wrong.

Luckily he wasn’t gonna be breeding much.

Edit: he’s a trophy in my eyes

 

[Ought Six]

There we go, my mind has been successfully changed then, not afraid to admit when I was wrong. Thanks everyone for the constructive discourse and educated viewpoints on this highly controversial but informative topic

 

[antlerradar]

ok. I’ll play. What is this thing?

View attachment 255966View attachment 255967

A 200 inch buck if he had lived for five more years.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Warrior who died too young.

 

[SwaggyD]

A 200 inch buck if he had lived for fiver more years.

They all get that big if they get old enough. Imagine how may brow tines this guy woulda needed to get to 200 inches.

 

[Ought Six]

Got me curious, so I looked it up. I have 88 antlers that have typical frames that go 80 inches or better, 39 would still make 80 without the browtine and only 4 have no browtine at all.

Assuming you’ve found probably 8-10 thousand sheds in your life, probably more, your anecdotal evidence almost shows that to make 80, a buck will nearly always have browtines, but might not need them in the score to make 80. But if they have no browtines at all, the chance of them making 80 is almost none. Looks like they make a big difference, so a true 4-pt versus a 5-pt might mean a whole different trophy class.

My question is how many of those 80-inchers are from the last 5 or even 10 years? Having 88 of them is way cool, but how many of them are from the current mule deer landscape? 80-inchers are more rare than 400” bulls anymore, at least in Montana…

 

[antlerradar]

Assuming you’ve found probably 8-10 thousand sheds in your life, probably more, your anecdotal evidence almost shows that to make 80, a buck will nearly always have browtines, but might not need them in the score to make 80. But if they have no browtines at all, the chance of them making 80 is almost none. Looks like they make a big difference, so a true 4-pt versus a 5-pt might mean a whole different trophy class.

My question is how many of those 80-inchers are from the last 5 or even 10 years? Having 88 of them is way cool, but how many of them are from the current mule deer landscape? 80-inchers are more rare than 400” bulls anymore, at least in Montana…

I started keeping track of the number of antlers I would find in 94. Total sits at 8770 as of the freshly shed whitetail antler I found today. Hard to say how many I found in the 15 or so years I looked prior to 94. With little competition and no family commitments you could likely add another 6 to 10 thousand.

Big mule deer antlers are tough to find now days, In the last 10 years I have only found one 80 incher.

 

[wa_archer]

i think its just as funny when someone adds little stickers like a 1/5 inch devil tine on a bull and they add it in. unless its a true non typical then go ahead and count everything.