For instance, if a bull is a fairly symmetrical 66 just add up one side of his points (G1, G2, G3, G4, & G5) and multiply by two. 702.847.8747 Spread is fairly wide but not noticeably splayed out. Turn the legs and thighs of a freshly killed gobbler into comfort food for a chilly spring night. The back fork is also pretty good, about 8 inches on each side: 16 points. Notice that 6 thirds would make a 350 type bull that should have 12 or better thirds, a 338 bull. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. MISSOULA, Mont.A trophy bull can turn up almost anywhere in elk country but opportunities to take one are rare. When a monster steps out, a hunter often has no time to count antler points, much less compute scores. He had 40 beams and only 22 of mass per side. The distance from that hump down his front leg to his hoof is generally 54 to 58, depending on the maturity of the bull. If a mature bull has good tine length, it's likely the inside spread will be ample. In the field, simply look for a spread that stretches well outside the ears. Just remember that very few elk that look "big" have thin antlers. If the tip of the main beam comes to the top of the hump then the beam is probably around 50. Bass Crash Course: Technique tweaks to maximize distance and accuracy. Its best antlers, however, usually come at age 9-1/2 to 12-1/2, so remember that not every 6x6 is a trophy. Non Typical bulls are undoubtedly the hardest to judge in the field. If after a few seconds I say "that's a good bull," he's 260 minimum. Keep in mind that on 66s you dont add the extension of the main beam past the bulls G5 as a sixth point. Beam LengthMost great elk have long main beams. Elk. trophy But not always. Tine length is the single most important aspect to a bulls score. However, some of these criteria are more important than others. Curve means greater length. field judging I hope these tips, videos & diagrams come in handy when you are trying to field judge bulls, but PLEASE remember, it's more important to measure your hunt success by the memories and quality experiences gained, rather than in just inches. Facebook; Twitter; Google + Stumbleupon; LinkedIn; Tags boone and crooket Elk Elk Hunting elk judging Mike Eastman trophy scoring elk. Again, not a significant difference. A great skill to have when hunting for elk is "field judging". Be careful not to air judge too quickly because once you start saying a bull is 325 and he really is 300 your judging scale gets skewed. 702.847.8747 Don't forget to subscribe to. Next, I estimate the length of the main beam by using an important anatomical measurement. One that's smoked first. You should look for at least 4 of curl for a 20 tine). When he is facing you, look at the width of his ears. Keep in mind that VERY few bulls are wider than 45 inches. Look for any weaknesses such as short points, beams or weak mass. Field judging elk is an art, while measuring dead elk is an exact science. If the tip of the main beam comes to the top of the hump then the beam is probably around 50 inches. Just remember that very few elk considered big in the more visible characteristics have thin antlers. Other than big fish stories, I dont know of anything that gets stretched more than the size of a bull elks rack. For most bulls, inside spread is only 10-15 percent of its score. Finally, go back to the main beam, mass and inside spread in order tofurther review. Watch as the guys from Jay Scott Outdoors. Mass is usually less than 20 percent. Now, he's 280, P&Y minimum. I think if a bull grows it, he should get credit for it. 300 to 310 is a "solid bull." You start by taking the first measurement at the smallest diameter between the first and second point, and then so on until you have 4 measurements total per side no matter how many points (tines) the bull has (See Coreys section on Scoring Elk). A mule deer's ears will typically measure 20-22-inches (Figure C) across from tip-to-tip when they're in the "alert position". This time around we are going to dive deeper into field juding and scoring bulls. -Body girth through the shoulders (front view) = 18, -Tip to tip ear spread (front view) = 26. When a bull is broadside, you can compare his fourth point to that measurement. However, mass is very hard to judge. Inside Spread--Boone and Crockett records show a wide variation on spreads of trophy elk. They look a lot bigger off of that bull. Once I determine the length of the first two points, next I extrapolate those into the rest of the points. Its best antlers, however, usually come at age 9-1/2 to 12-1/2, so remember that not every 6x6 is a trophy. Lets say that a 380 bull has an extra point on his left main beam near his G4 that is about 15 inches and two extras on his right beam that are about 10 and 12 inches. For mature elk: Main beams usually around 50, Inside spread usually 37, Mass usually 27. 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! If the 3rd's aren't diminutive (and a lot of times they are) he's 300 if the 4th's look right. MassMost really big elk have heavy antlers that carry good mass through the length of the main beam. If a bull looks really heavy and solid, then I estimate about 30 inches of mass per side. The fourth point, sometimes called the dagger point, is normally the longest point and most distinctive feature of an elk rack. If you can add one ear's length to each side, that should put you at a 37 inch inside spread. Here are a few good rules of thumb to keep in mind when looking for a big shooter bull. Guy breaks down what to look for the next time you're glassing up a bull.Now see what a 400-inch giant looks like! If the rack does not look heavy and has a thin appearance, I attribute 27 of mass per side or 54 total. 77. Now I'm looking at 3rd's and 4th's. When a bull has his head down feeding, I determine whether the main beam is higher or lower than the hump on his back above his shoulder. 64 points. Taking these tips to the field could make the difference on the next time you go trophy elk hunting. 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. With the draw results out in the western states there are many hunters celebrating their good fortune in the draw. All Rights Reserved. Maybe not by much, but usually they'll make the 300 mark. So far, the bull is totaling 215. Instantly identifying a six-point bull is not difficult. The next two points are about 16 inches each on both sides. This is meant to be used as a fun tool to help you sharpen your elk antler scoring skills. 6630 Arroyo Springs St., Suite 1200 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. Just as you used ears to judge the length of the main beam, use them to judge the spread. 380 Bull: G1= 18, G2= 18, G3= 16, G4= 20, G5= 15. However, the average beam length of the bottom 10 is 55-4/8 inches--not much difference. Visit www.boone-crockett.org. 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 Lets look at each. 2. Let me tell you, it became quite taxing trying to determine what B&C class rack each bull was packing. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. He told me that if I think I'm looking at a 350" bull, to start with a base score of 200. Everyone should have a B&C benchmark before heading into the land of the bull elk. Taking this into account gives us 378 to around 385. 2022 GOHUNT, LLC. Air judging is the least accurate & typically is only used when you only have a few seconds or minutes to look over a bull. Look for good spacing between the points. 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. Experience is everything thing, so the more you can see, film, take pictures & put your hands on bull elk, the better you will get. | Next I look at the backs, the 5th and 6th, see how much horn of each. More importantly, the antlers should maintain that thickness to at least the fifth point. Let's look at each. Count the number of points on each side because if something looks odd, it usually is. Look for any weaknesses or broken/missing points as they can affect the score dramatically. We publish book and magazines, along with producing videos, DVDs, and TV programs. Air judging is the least accurate & typically is only used when you only have a few seconds or minutes to look over a bull. Inside SpreadBoone and Crockett records show a wide variation on spreads of trophy elk. Mike Eastman shares his strategy to field judging elk. Here is an example with the actual measurements of the bull that was harvested byColburn and Scott Outfittershunter Tim Allen in 2009 in Arizona Unit 10 during the archery hunt. Long Points are everything! The actual ear length itself (7.5). Dude Ranches, Horse Riding and Pack Trips. In the field, simply look for a spread that stretches well outside the ears. It's digital, customizable with over 500,000 data points: https://taghub.eastmans.com/ I was convinced when I let the arrow fly he was a much bigger bull. Looking at all these pictures I would guess hes about a 275-280 bull. Mass isn't huge, but pretty good. All Rights Reserved. Jordan Budd was born and raised on her family's cattle ranch near Rushville, Nebraska. Bulls with straight looking points wont score well. Use anatomical references to judge measurements. The other is to actually break him down and measure him up by estimating point and beam length, mass, and inside spread. The daggers are quite good, about half again longer than the burr-to-nose yardstick. Measure the brows against the face. The daggers are quite good, about half again longer than the burr-to-nose. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Keep in mind that with the Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett scoring systems (which are identical) you only measure 4 mass measurements along the main beam. If the points look close together, the beams are probably not as long as you think. Beware of straight looking points because they are often shorter than you think. The first method is to air judge also known as the wing-it approach, which is based on experience and prior knowledge. The 3rd points (G3s) are often the source of a bull's weakness; again look for a lot of curve. For at least the fifth point you have the option to read magazine. Remember that not every 6x6 is a trophy a thin appearance, I estimate the of... 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