Sizing a bucks horn width (before you shoot)

[MAGhunter]

I'm trying to get better at telling how wide a buck or elk's rack is.  What is the average span from ear tip to ear tip on each animal. I never really got that much into it but am trying to learn a little here and there about scoring.

[huntnphool]

I think Bone has a formula he came up with.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Adult buck mule deer usually run about 22", but I've seen a couple of monsters that pushed 26" tip to tip. 

Whitetails vary a bunch geographically, but an adult buck in the NW usually runs about 16", biggest I've seen were 18".

There is quite a bit of individual variation though; these 3 are all pretty comparable, antler-wise; but they show a much greater range of ear widths.

[MAGhunter]

So would you say that the buck in the middle would be about 28"?

[huntnphool]

So would you say that the buck in the middle would be about 28"?

I would say 26"

[DOUBLELUNG]

Closer to 26" he has very small ears.  Both bucks on either side are about 24".  Note the one on the left is outside the ears, while "Dumbo" on the right is narrower than his ears - which are at least 25" tip to tip.  

[huntnphool]

The one on the right has got nice mains

[Huntbear]

Left, Middle, Right

First one in the scope is down!!!   

Will worry about measuring later.

[bearpaw]

Ear width definitely varies by deer age and location, for example there's a place in MT where whitetail ears run about 15"-16" and a place in Utah where muley ears are only about 19"-20" most of the time. Also deer may hold their ears in different positions, so you have to look and see if they are held wide or half cocked back or some variation in between. Consider where you are hunting, then try to imagine if the ears were held wide and then judge the rack.

Here is my formula for mature bucks:
Mule Deer...19" to 24" (about 21-22" on average in NE WA where I live)
Whitetail....15" to 18" (about 17" on average in NE WA where I live)

IMO - I will give the buck in the middle 24-25, his ears are not as big nor layed out as wide like the buck to the right. He is holding them more upright giving the impression the rack is much wider than the ears. I would guess he has about 20" ears if they were layed out wide, then the rack would be about 2" outside on each side. Thus my guesstimate of 24-25. I am usually fairly close on my deer estimates, but I will admit photos are very decieving.  

Sorry I do not know anything about blacktails.

[jjhunter]

I quit using the "ear trick" a long time ago.  The only way to really get good at it is just to see a bunch of bucks in the field and see those same bucks hit the ground.  After awhile, you get an eye for the entire package - body size, ear width, head size, and antlers themselves.   If you look at and handle enough of them, you will get it down.

The bucks shown here are pretty narrow.  Look at the skull plates and body sizes, also, notice the ears cocked forward in "alert" position.  This essentially gives the same impression as a buck walking away.

The middle buck is definitely the widest and I would put him at 23".  He might stretch to the tape to 24" but I doubt it.  The buck on the right is only 17-18".  The buck on the left would be the 20-21" range.

[Broken Arrow]

that buck in the middle is 22 or 23 max

[jackelope]

I was gonna say 24".

i think folks worry about a buck's width too much a lot of times. there's a huge difference when you see a 22-24" buck and a 28-30" buck. i saw a buck that i was guessing was 35 wide this fall. he got killed and ended up being 31 wide. when they get that big you'll know it.

[boneaddict]

gotta take into consideration the variables such as ears(size and posistion, size of deer, velvet etc.  Experience is the best key.  I'd put that buck at 25 max, probably 24.

[MtnMuley]

I agree bone.  24 for the middle and 22 for the outside bucks.  All appear to be small eared, and that time of the year with smaller heads and skinner necks to go with heavier horns (velvet) always appear to make bucks appear larger than they are.   Nice pic DOUBLELUNG

[NWBREW]

The best way I've found is to shoot them and then use a tape measure.  I'm usually dead nuts on with that method.

[bow4elk]

I shoot and don't give a rip.  Filled tags eat better than wide racks on the hoof.

[boneaddict]

I'd certainly deflate the middle guy.  Love his eyeguards too.

[carpsniperg2]

all the bench leg bucks around here vary so much because of the mix some of them are bigger because of the muledeer in them but almost all the deer we have killed over the years in relaxed position are18-20" avg we have had very few smaller and even fewer bigger than 20" the biggest was almost 22"