Your thought on counting points on deer, All together or one side,eye guards etc

[RightPlace-RightTime]

I have to know what everyones opinion on counting points on a deer.  Some will argue over and over if that eye guard makes it sound bigger, LoL.

I think im right, heres my thought.
I count whitetails by counting all the points.  so a four point is an 8 point.

I count muley's & blacktail by counting one side only. so a four point has 4 on each side, thus a 4 point is the proper way to say it.

Eye guards,  hmm, i dont count them on muleys and blacktails.
I do count them on whitetail. 

Whats are your thoughts?

[PolarBear]

I count the points from the eyeguards up and, if an even number, one side only.  They have to be at least 1" long to count.  If it has 4 pts on one and 5 on the other it is a 4x5.  I dont count eyeguards no matter the size or if they are split or multiple.  My personal thoughts are that someone (like back east) who counts every single, tiny point is just trying to make it out to bigger than it really is.  I have a 4x4 whitie with double split eyeguards, I still call it a 4 pt and not a 6x6.  I also have a couple of whities with 6-10" eyeguards and do not count them.  I do count eyeguards on elk as long as they are over 3 or more inches.  I cant see counting 1" nubbs on an elk as a point.  They all count when doing an official score but every day reference just the main points above the eyeguards.  JMO.

[billythekidrock]

I count the points from the eyeguards up and, if an even number, one side only.  They have to be at least 1" long to count.  If it has 4 pts on one and 5 on the other it is a 4x5.  I dont count eyeguards no matter the size or if they are split or multiple.  My personal thoughts are that someone (like back east) who counts every single, tiny point is just trying to make it out to bigger than it really is.  I have a 4x4 whitie with double split eyeguards, I still call it a 4 pt and not a 6x6.  I also have a couple of whities with 6-10" eyeguards and do not count them.  I do count eyeguards on elk as long as they are over 3 or more inches.  I cant see counting 1" nubbs on an elk as a point.  They all count when doing an official score but every day reference just the main points above the eyeguards.  JMO.

Same here. I feel that the guys back east are counting for bragging rights. On elk we usually count eyeguards but sometimes we refer to a 5 pt as a "3 over" or a "3 over 2" if it has two eyeguards.

[boneaddict]

IF you want "official trophy elitist language" or not to sound like a putze at a gathering of the good ole' boys, then you don't count the eyeguards on mule deer.  Its a four point with eyeguards or a 3 point with an eyeguard. Etc.  A four point is your NORMAL classic buck.  Just as the guys above are saying.  Whitetails aren't as cut and dry, but its still counted one side "western" and I suppose some count the eyeguards and some don't.  I would guess that more count the eyeguards than don't on whities.  my .02

[Coasthunterjay]

no eye guard on mule deer or BT but i count eyeguards on WT....

[Curly]

This is the west.  I count all deer species the same.  No eye guards, and one side only.  If it has differing amount of points on each side then it is "by"......4X2, 3X2, 4X3, etc.

[Muleyslyr]

Why would some of you count em' on Whitetails but nothing else??  Just curious.  It's only an Eastern thing because they don't have anything else.  I mean it's obviously a matter of opinion for everybody but what is the difference between a 4" cheater coming off a G-2 or a 4" eyeguard?  Do you count em' both or just the cheater or neither......?

[robodad]

Same here. I feel that the guys back east are counting for bragging rights. On elk we usually count eyeguards but sometimes we refer to a 5 pt as a "3 over" or a "3 over 2" if it has two eyeguards

So I guess there is nothing out here in the west to brag about ??

This is a silly subject, I think if a critter grows a point then it should be counted, those that count certain points and not others are just plain silly and confusing.

Relax guys, no one will take away your birthday if you just tell the truth, if it has them then count them !!!

[Cougeyes]

Its a toss up with me, I normally count the same way most of you are specifying, a 4 point mule deer has 4 points regardless of an eyeguard, but if its a 2 point on one side with an eyeguard I will count it as a 3 point only when I want to put meat in the freezer (like i did this year).  But, I am done doing that and am done counting eyeguards that way regardless if it is legal for me to shoot, it has to have 3 actual points or more now on for me.

[Hunting Cowboy]

This is the west.  I count all deer species the same.  No eye guards, and one side only.  If it has differing amount of points on each side then it is "by"......4X2, 3X2, 4X3, etc.

That's how I do it. It's understood that it is considered a legal 3 point if it is a 2 point with at least one eye guard over an inch in length. But to me it's still a two point with eye guards.

If there are cheaters, I count them as points if they are considered legal points...... 6x7 or 4x7 etc.

[Michelle_Nelson]

This is a silly subject, I think if a critter grows a point then it should be counted, those that count certain points and not others are just plain silly and confusing.

I agree if it is over an inch and the critter grew it, than it counts.

[Red Dawg]

I also like to keep they eyeguards separate, although boone and Crockett considers it the G1. I dont think it matters that much. It does make the deer sound bigger when you count the eyeguards. Just my opinion but everyone makes a very good point.

[HuntingFanatic]

I dont count the eyegaurd on mulies or blacktails. But whitetails have such big brow tines its hard not to count them.

[Michelle_Nelson]

If you guys could count then you'd just count them all and there wouldn't be all this confusion.........westerners, gotta make everything hard on yourselves.     You Washingtonians should have to take a math class when you take hunters ed so that you're all on the same level and capable of counting higher than 5 without the aid of a calculator.  

   Good thing I got some additional edumacation when I was in Georgia!

[DOUBLELUNG]

It makes sense to me to split counting whitetails and mule deer, due to their differences in growing eyeguards. 

Any typical whitetail buck, except a yearling spike or forked horn, will have eye guards/G1s.  There is no question what the typical configuration of a western count 4-point whitetail is, counting eyeguards; and typical adult buck antler conformation is either 4-point (G1-G3 + main beam) or 5-point (G1-G4 + mainbeam).  The bigger and older they get, the bigger their tines get.  I count brow tines on whitetails.

Mule deer do not grow eyeguards predictably, and it varies between geographic areas; size also does not increase predictably with age when they are present.  I like to know that a 4-point is a typical 4x4 conformation, with or without eyeguards, and not have to wonder if its a "real" 4-point, or a 3-point with eyeguards.  If I want to let you know there were brow tines present, too, I'll tell you it's a "4-point with eye guards" if it has G1s/brow tines.

It has to be at least an inch long, and longer than it is wide, to count as a point; none of this "if you can hang a ring on it" Wisconsin crap!