How To Score Whitetail Deer

If you are a deer hunter, you may want to learn how to score whitetail deer. Most deer hunters just go by the number of points on their whitetail's antlers. This is acceptable, unless you think your deer is good enough to make the record book. To learn how to score your whitetail using the most respected scoring system in hunting, follow these simple steps.

 To score your whitetail deer, you will need:

• flexible tape line
• Boone and Crockett scoring sheet
• pencil or pen

1. Measure the inside spread of the whitetail's antlers. To get this measurement, you must locate the widest point between the beams of the whitetail;s main antlers. Use your tape line to measure from the inside of one deer antler to the other. The measurement should be made as close as possible to a ninety degree angle with the top of the skull. This will give a straight line measure, which is more accurate.
2. Get the required circumference measurements. This will require several different measurements. The measurements are very specifically defined on the scoring sheet. These measurements, for the purpose of scoring your whitetail, will all come from the main beam antler. Follow the specifications on your Boone and Crockett score sheet carefully for an accurate score.
3. Measure the length of the main beam. The main beam is defined as the antler that originates from the whitetail's skull. Use your tape line to measure from the point of origin at the top of the skull to the tip of the main beam. Make sure that you center your tape line on the outside of the beam, where the whitetail's eye is located.
4. Get the length of the typical and non-typical tines. It is important to be able to distinguish between these two types of tines. Using the Boone and Crockett scoring system, you will have to use the typical tines to determine where to attain circumference measurements. Typical tines are the ones that are naturally occurring or originating off of the main beam. Non-typical tines commonly extend off of a typical tine.