Definition of a raghorn

Technically these are the definitions... although the later are archaic: 1pt = spike, 2-5pts=Rag horn, 6pt = Royal, 7pt= Imperial, 8Pt = Monarch
Maybe because I grew up in Colorado and started hunting elk there, but this has also been my definition both in Colorado and here in Montana. I also remember reading that definition somewhere many years ago. I have also always interchanged the terms "Rag horn" and "Brush head."

I have also shot some small 6x6 bulls that I considered rag horns, and years ago one of my friends shot a very small 7x7 that we considered a rag horn.

The "inches" score of deer and elk is thrown out frequently on many hunting shows and in trophy talk, but I believe that most hunters, myself included, have absolutely no idea how many inches of horn an animal has when he is running around in the woods. I have never heard of an inches definition for a rag horn. Twenty of the bull elk that I have shot had at least one antler with 5 points on it. I have absolutely no idea how many inches any of those bulls would score, and I would call all of them rag horns. I have only put a tape on my two largest 6x6 bulls.
 
To me a raghorn is a very youmg bull with short mismatched times. Rarely bigger than a 5x5. Usually smaller beams than 18-20 inches.
Larger than that like most have shown is just a young bull - long on hopes but short on intelligence.
When asked usually respond by " nice little XxX bull" . As they approach the big boy club - they tend to get thinner and more memorable chewing. Hard to pass up but not big enough to be memorable except on the plate.
 
I almost had a shot at this raghorn. I later killed a huge 6 pt, but I beat myself up a little over the blown opportunity.2636.jpeg
 
I am still early enough in my elk hunting career that every public land bull is a trophy no need to worry about raghorns yet!
 
When the Main beam kicks down in a dogleg at the 5th point that is the cutoff from raghorn to 5 pt. 4 pts are always raghorns (not if because broken points) Raghorns also lack mass and have smoother antlers.

Also the facial hair is lighter on raghorns. Darker on mature bulls.
 
Is a raghorn by definition a young bull with small or thin antlers or is it antlers that just aren’t quite symmetrical, or is it just a bull with antlers that are not appealing to the eye of the beholder? I hear this term in so many hunting episodes. Being a Midwest whitetail guy I am just trying to understand all the lingo of western elk hunting. Hek, Not that long ago I learned what a scree field is, along with knobs benches and saddles. Some might just take all that for granted. Applied for my first western hunt and just trying to learn all I can.

Thanks in advance!
In my circles a raghorn is a bull that is 2 1/2 years old.....or his second set of antlers.
 
Dark beams and white tips. Ha! I bumped into him at 12 yards rifle hunting in the North Idaho Jungle. He was trashing a small tree. It was pouring rain. He took 6 rounds from my '06. It could have been his adrenaline or it could have been mine. He ended up legs down between two blow downs. I got two quarters out that night and found the next morning a black bear had taken one of the remaining quarters. I dropped my pack and followed the drag marks, RedHawk in hand. I guess I was wound a little tight because a chipmunk popped up over a blowdown and I smoked it. I recovered the quarter, missing one huge bite out of it. Through the game bag, the ham and femur. It looked like a shark attack photo. Too late to make this short, but if I had passed on this Raghorn, I would not have this great memory.

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