A few of my hunting buddies can quickly and accurately judge a whitetail’s rack in the field, while a couple others struggle with it. We’ve all pursued whitetails for approximately the same number of years (since the late 1970s), so it’s not simply a matter of hunting experience.
Sure, some of us are more diehard than others. It only stands to reason that those who read more deer hunting content in magazines and online, and watch more whitetail related content online and on TV, have a better chance of quickly distinguishing a 120-class buck from a 130.
I thought about this topic recently when I joined a friend to attend the annual Minnesota Deer & Turkey Classic. Both of us had regularly attended the Deer Classic with our dads forever ago, but neither of us had been back in at least 20 years. (The organizers added turkey to the mix in recent years.)
As we walked the many aisles, I was reminded about how 40 years ago at the Classic my brother and I used to guess the score of a buck’s rack and then see who was closest to the actual score. You see, during the Classic, hunters can submit a rack for scoring by a panel of experts, and the final score is posted next to the rack for all to see during the event’s 3 days.
The bucks on display vary from head-and-shoulder mounts, to European mounts, to the antlers attached to the skull cap. Of course, in the field you don’t have the chance to observe a live buck eye to eye from a few feet, so the most realistic field-judging practice takes place from a distance.
Here’s what I mean: As you walk the aisles at such an event, stop 5 to 15 yards from a buck’s rack. Give yourself 5 to 10 seconds to come up with an estimate. Guess in increments of 10 points (inches); is it a 120, 130, 140, 150? If that’s not challenging enough, then try to nail it down further, say a 135 instead of simply a 130 or 140. Because you’ll have less than 10 seconds, consider rack frame first, then consider points and mass. You’re simply trying to make a quick field-judging estimate; don’t worry about tiny sticker points, deductions for symmetry, etc.
Of course, having the ability to quickly and accurately field judge a whitetail buck won’t help you tag one this fall. However, it is helpful when comparing notes with buddies if everyone is on the same page when it comes to judging buck size, especially when you’re hunting on the same property.
Note: The photographs shown here were taken from the Iowa Deer Classic Facebook page. Do some online research to see if there’s a similar event in your home state. If you’ve missed this year’s show, then make a note to attend it next year. It’s a great way to forget about winter for a few hours and dream about big bucks.
