Where Guys Go Wrong On Scoring Elk!

[Elknut1]

  With all the scoring threads going on these days I thought I'd throw out 2 of the biggest things guys measure that are not measured or part of the scoring figure! First I'll say it's great to see so many interested in it & there sure are a lot of great bulls around!

  1st off, the biggest scoring error I believe is guys are scoring their 1st circumference measurement at the skull or rosette area. This is not correct, you only get 4 circumference measurements on a 6 or 7 point bull. The 1st one is between the 1st & 2nd tine, 2nd to 3rd, 3rd to 4th & 4th to 5th & that's it for the most common bulls around such as in most photos here. Too, when measuring circumference, you get the narrowest part of the main beam on all 4 measurements, not the largest area such as a webbed area.

  2nd, you do not measure the 6th tine on 6 points or 7th on 7 points, it is part of the main beam measurement when the 7th tine is at the top. In other words you get 5 tine measurements on a standard 6 point bull per side & one main beam measurement per side. I feel that this where some get these exaggerated scores on some these bulls, not all but some! Thought I'd share that thought! (grin)

  ElkNut1

[boneaddict]

Good thoughts.  I always grin when guys talk about their 11 inch bases....(one mule deer, let alone elk. )

[WDFW-SUX]

Did I tell you about the buck I shot with 15 inch bases? 

[Elknut1]

 Passion, no, but I'd like to hear about it! (grin)

  ElkNut1

[WDFW-SUX]

I would post some pictures but the buck is at the taxidermist.............

[jackelope]

lord help us.

will you post pics as soon as you get him back?

 

thanks for the tips elknut1. i appreciate the input. as for passion's 15" bases buck...don't hold your breath.
 

[wastickslinger]

Let me guess...you broke some points off and don't want to show it yet because it will not do the buck justice. You have to wait until it comes back from the taxi in 2012.    But it definately has 15 inch bases right. 

[M_ray]

Elknut, you are probably right on the ones that make you scratch your head and you know something doesn't look right. I have just got into the whole scoring thing mostly because I want to become a better field judge of the animals I am hunting. On the WA. raffle bull that I helped my friend score we defiantly did it right and we took the extra time to get the smallest measurements on circumference and I think we hit it pretty close in fact most say it looks bigger than what we came up with!

[boneaddict]

The hardest measurement that I have with the bulls is the length of the main beam.  Need more practice thats for sure.  Such as the bull above, looks like weak fronts and thirds, but his backs are frickin incredible, and looks to have a great mainbeam.   

[BLUEBULLS]

I agree with the common mistakes, another mistake people make is, they fail to notice that some bulls look great because of there shape but they don't realize that's all very compact, like the 2nd trail cam pic I posted before, most people guessed way high because he has the shape of a toad, hopefully he lives awhile and he could be 380 bull in a few years but right then he was a 305", actually quite a bit less because he has a busted G1 on his left.

[Ironhead]

Very true, short main beams make every thing else look big. Except spread

[M_ray]

So BluBulls are you gonna tell us what they all score over on that one? Dang if that one is 305 it looks like Bone hit it right on the head again! I only missed it by 6" not bad for the rookie I am 

[Hornseeker]

You know what one problem is... People dont realize that a 300 bull is a Big Bull..and a 330 bull is an absolute Toad... Once they get bigger than that, they are a rarity that many people wont lay eyes on except for on a winter range or in a park...

I've been in the hills of Washington, Idaho and Montana now for about 37 years, 33 or so of those actually looking at and taking notice of bulls and bucks horns.. In all that time, I've could count on my fingers how many bulls I've seen that went over 340... Many folks have seen a lot of bigger bulls...but then again, many folks have seen a lot of 280-310 bulls and thought they were looking at BOONERS! hehehe

Hey Paul, years ago a buddy had a gnarly nontyp rack that he drug out of yellowstone. I was new to scoring. They thing had like 9X10 points and I counted a circumference between each one! Came up with like 410! THen I later found out you only have 8 Circs total...Doooh!!

Ernie

[boneaddict]

Very well said....

I think the same goes for 180 bucks and upwards.

[Elknut1]

  I agree guys! My son & I have called in better than a 1000 bulls on public land over the years, we too could count on one hand the bulls that would exceed that magical 340" mark. Many that say they've taken that caliber of bull here generally fall way short of the mark once you actually see them, lots of ground shrinkage there!

  Ernie, by the way, no I will not make it to MT this year, I'm fairly busy already yapping elk in other areas, hard to get better than that!! (grin) Thanks!

  ElkNut/Paul