Who Counts the Eye ,,,,,

[robodad]

I usually explain it like this, I shot a 5 point I mean 4X4 not including eye guards I mean a 10 point I mean a 4 point with eye guards I mean a 2 point with a split G2 and a split G3 with eye guards I mean a 2 point with triple eye guards I mean a buck with five points on one side and five on the other if you include the eye guards I mean 4X4 not including the brow tines I mean your average run of the mill standard basic typical basket 4 point main frame with some trash !!!     Just to be sure not to confuse anyone !!! 

[KimberRich]

No matter how long they are, I don't count them, even doubles.

 

I agree.  But if I'm in a restrictions area I would shoot a 2x2 with 1" eye guards.  I would just call it a 2x2 with eyeguards..  I guess it's just what I grew up calling them.  That's what my Dad called them.. and his Dad..

[pat2bear]

Looks like it kinda depends on what part of the state you live in or hunt in. On the west side it really don't matter what you want call it. If its got something above the hairline, you can kill it. But I live in an area that's been 3 point minimum most of my life so if its got 3 points over an inch, its a 3 point. 2 point with eyegaurds, spike with double eyegaurds, don't care, its legal. Looked hard at alot of 2 points through the spotting scope trying to grow that 3rd point.

[Curly]

What you personally call a point when describing a deer could be different than the "point" definition by WDFW.........still doesn't mean that I will call a 2 point with eye guards a 3-point when I'm describing it to friends.

[littlebuf]

I usually explain it like this, I shot a 5 point I mean 4X4 not including eye guards I mean a 10 point I mean a 4 point with eye guards I mean a 2 point with a split G2 and a split G3 with eye guards I mean a 2 point with triple eye guards I mean a buck with five points on one side and five on the other if you include the eye guards I mean 4X4 not including the brow tines I mean your average run of the mill standard basic typical basket 4 point main frame with some trash !!!     Just to be sure not to confuse anyone !!! 

this is the clearest explanation yet, now i get it 

[PolarBear]

I guess that I have to clarify my statement.  On deer I count any point off of the main beam and tines 1 1/2" or longer and if the sides are even in number of points I only refer to the amount on one side, i.e. 4x4= 4 point.  I only count eye guards on elk but not deer.  I realize that anything over 1" gets scored but I'm not into counting every little bump as a point.  I aint that desperate to make it seem bigger.  I know some folks who count anything over 1/4".  I don't follow the whole "if you can hang a ring on it, it counts" mentality.  I have a whitie that has 14 scoreable points with a 10" browtine but I still refer to it as a 4x4 with trash.  It is just the way I was brought up I guess.  I see no reason to make more out of an animal than it really is.

[robb92]

When I started hunting it was count the one side of the rack. If it is over an inch then I count it, my biggest whitetail from Washington is a 5x5. Biggest one in maryland is a 4x4. 

[alecvg]

In a legal standpoint, I would shoot a fork horn if it had and eye guard, just because I am happy with any buck right now, I haven't shot a ton of deer, and I just want to build up some before I become pickey, Though I probaly wouldn't shoot a tiny one, if it was a nicer one, I deff. would.  But no, I don't call them points, if its is a 4 point and has and eye guard, I say its a 4x4 with eye guards.  

[BC CHASER]

Damn straight I count eyeguards. I'm not into trophy hunting. I like filling my tag. If there are two legal bucks standing side by side of course I'll shoot the larger of the two (generally more antler means more meat).

If I see a legal buck 30 seconds into the season,hes riding back to camp in the back of my truck.

Hey Rick what one of these would you shoot?  Rack or weight?   In this case I would have picked rack.  The drag to the gate was full of stickerbushes, nasty thick alder and no game cart or frame packs. 

[mazama]

I don't count them, i pass on all 3pts, last year passed on 3x4 year before a fair 4pt at about 50yds,opening morning did not want to quit hunting.

[littlebuf]

yeah i pass on anything less than a 12x12 and none of them can be brow tines or eyegaurds, i cant believe the trash you guys will shoot                                                   


do i sound cool too

[LongTatLaw]

I have many friends from the east coast as am I...you tell them you killed a 3pt, 4pt, hell 6pt...and they laugh because we count all points including BROW TINES  lol   never heard eye guards before I moved here!

I agree, wt's grow better G1's than mulies or BT's but to me thats all the more reason to state/count the point...  to tell if they had em or not. I guess those extra 2 inches dont make much difference between a 3 pt and a 3pt with eye guards but SOME of us could really really use 2 more inches

I killed a 3x3 with eye guards this weekend...  I called it a 4x4 when I described it to everyone here...

When all my east coast buddies saw my 8pt they were excited!  When many of u commented (thats a nive 3pt...I was borderline offended...lol   )

Ill never feel comfortable saying I killed a 5 point mulie...just doesnt give him his due to me!

Also, I really hate that to like 90% of western hunters...the 2x1 my wife missed is a 2pt just like the 2x2 (2pt) that she killed....   

how is that the same??

oh well, I just change how I say it depending on the area code of the listener!

PS- on the east coast we do count everything but its reported like this....  "I shot a 17 point" ...he was a main frame 8 (4x4 = 3pt with eye guards) with a kicker off of his left g2 and a bunch of trash at the bases!

a 5pt / 7pt / 9pt with no explanation clearly means a 2x3 / 3x4 / 4x5     lol

[Curly]

Here is 7 pages of this same discussion last year:  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,4936.0.html

[croix]

Only 2 more pages to go then. 

[elkaholic_74]

Growing up in Montana we counted eyeguards on elk and whitetails but not muleys so I dont count them on Blacktail either, however I suppose if the gamewarden counts them so should I!!!!