Counting Points on Mule deer

[windygorge]

Ok........i have hunted deer for a long time, mostly whitetails.  please set me straight with how to count mule deer antlers.  i really don't care how the old timers did it or do it, as far as im concerned, if there is a point, im countin it.  in the record books, if there is a point, they count it.  so why here in the northwest, wa and oregon, do you not consider the "eyegaurds" a point.  It can't be found in the oregon regs on how to count them, but it is as clear as day in the washington regs.  if the eyegaurds are at least one inch long, YOU COUNT IT!!!!!! 
give the animal the respect it deserves and count the damn things.
 

[Utah]

Absolutely.   Good enough for B&C good enough for me!

[danderson]

you answered your own question, to be a legal point in washington state it has to be at least an inch in length, my I suggest to you to take a hunters education class, every state has different rules.
also for elk hunting make sure you what unit your in, just saying.

[windygorge]

but why do so many people, that being everyone, never count the eye guards even if they are 4 inches long.  it just chaps me every time someone does that.
i have some old timers that i work with and don't even look at the eye guards when counting.  needless to say, we have a "discussion" everytime we see a buck.   

[danderson]

I count them if there over an inch, dang right, or say that its a 3 point with eye gaurds, same thing.

[teanawayslayer]

I count them if there over an inch, dang right, or say that its a 3 point with eye gaurds, same thing.

One inch is a legal point says it right in the game laws.  If it is an inch and that is the final decision to pull the trigger.  Then there is a dead deer.  It is hard to judge an inch from a long distance though.  I have seen several deer shot that have like a half inch to three quarters of an inch and I don't shoot if that is the case.  I personally don't call it that close. 

[windygorge]

we all know what the regs say.....or at least should know what they say.  but i am talking about idle talk.  when someone comes up to your deer and you have clearly shot a 4x4 and they say to you...."oh man, nice 3 point".  i don't like it.  you call it what it is......its that simple.  i respect what your saying danderson, but ""I count them if there over an inch, dang right, or say that its a 3 point with eye gaurds, same thing.""  is not the same thing.  its a 4 point

[bobcat]

No, a 3 point with eyeguards is not the same as a 4 point. The typical mule deer or blacktail deer will have 4 main points per side. So when someone says they got a 4 point, most of us assume they are talking about a true 4 points on each side, it may or may not have eyeguards. We don't know that unless they specifically say it was a 4 point with eyeguards. And again, a 4 point with eyeguards is NOT a five point. I don't care if an eyeguard counts as a point in meeting the legal definition of a 3 point in this state. It's still just a 2 point with eyeguards.

By the way, I sure wish they would change the law so that eyeguards don't count in meeting the 3 point minimum for mule deer in this state. It defeats the purpose of the restriction. They're just allowing certain 2 point bucks that have the misfortune of growing eyeguards to be taken when they shouldn't be. If they're wanting to protect that age class of buck, then the minimum should be a true 3 point.

[3nails]

No, a 3 point with eyeguards is not the same as a 4 point. They typical mule deer or blacktail deer will have 4 main points per side. So when someone says they got a 4 point, most of us assume they are talking about a true 4 points on each side, it may or may not have eyeguards. We don't know that unless they specifically say it was a 4 point with eyeguards. And again, a 4 point with eyeguards is NOT a five point. I don't care if an eyeguard counts as a point in meeting the legal definition of a 3 point in this state. It's still just a 2 point with eyeguards.

By the way, I sure wish they would change the law so that eyeguards don't count in meeting the 3 point minimum for mule deer in this state. It defeats the purpose of the restriction. They're just allowing certain 2 point bucks that have the misfortune of growing eyeguards to be taken when they shouldn't be. If they're wanting to protect that age class of buck, then the minimum should be a true 3 point.

  That's exactly right!

[hoyt2002]

Who cares how they count the southerners think the way we count up here is not right. I got lots of crap from the southern boys in the Marines when we talked deer hunting. The ones that call them 3x3's with eyeguards are not insulting you. There congratulating you on your nice deer. Take it easy and relax it hunting have fun lol. Bobcat has a good point. I got a nice 4x4 with split eyeguard's 4inches plus on both sides. so to some he's a 6x6 cool I don't care how people count him he's a great deer my best yet. I count him as a 4x4.

[7mag.]

I think Bobcat nailed it.

[windygorge]

most of you will think bobcat nailed it, because you have called them that for so long.  of course he sounds right.  all im saying is, call it what it is.  you can get all technical if you want, but then you slam WDFW for calling them what they are.   
my point in this thread is just to ask, why.  why don't you call it a 4x4 if it has 3 off the main beam and eyeguards.  why don't you call the eye guards a point instead of eyeguards.  why?  i guess when you see a whitetail, you would call it the same??  3 point with eyeguards?? 

[windygorge]

by the way bobcat.......nice 5x5 in the pic.  see doesn't that sound so much better??   

[hoyt2002]

It can be misleading If someone tells me they shot a 4x4. I in vision a deer with 4 main points on each side. Then I see the deer later and its got 3 and a little inch long eyeguard. Now if he said i shot a 3x3 with eyeguards or a forked horn with eyeguards or even a 4x4 with eyeguards I know exactly what he's talking about. It's more descriptive isn't it?

[Hunting Cowboy]

I think Bobcat nailed it.