Montana deer questions

[cgasner1]

For those calling this a 4 point, how do you arrive at calling it a four point? The brows are scoreable are they not?

It’s not a white tail that’s how

 

[bigsky2]

I'm really surprised how many people are saying "with eye guards" or "with brow tines". I know it's more common for a mule deer to be missing it's brow tines than it is for a whitetail, but at least in all the areas I've hunted, most mature mule deer bucks have their brow tines. When I'm describing a mature mule deer to someone, I don't mention the brow tines unless they are missing or out of the ordinary in some way.

 

[golfer]

It’s not a white tail that’s how

Good talk.

 

[BuzzH]

1. How do you describe this buck to your buddies on the internet with no picture?
2. How do you describe how many points it has?
3. Is it going home with you?
4. Why/why not?

The way I would describe it in Montana....Lucky to be alive.

 

[TOGIE]

group text -
me: boom, just nailed an actual mule deer guys.

group: heck yeah! so he's decent?

me: yeah, has two antlers. solid 4x4. kurt still wouldn't be proud tho.

 

[fishing4sanity]

I'm really surprised how many people are saying "with eye guards" or "with brow tines". I know it's more common for a mule deer to be missing it's brow tines than it is for a whitetail, but at least in all the areas I've hunted, most mature mule deer bucks have their brow tines. When I'm describing a mature mule deer to someone, I don't mention the brow tines unless they are missing or out of the ordinary in some way.

I go by main frame and throw in eye guards as a way of saying legally/technically he's a 5x5. Honestly, I want to make him sound a little bigger.

 

[Oak]

I'm really surprised how many people are saying "with eye guards" or "with brow tines". I know it's more common for a mule deer to be missing it's brow tines than it is for a whitetail, but at least in all the areas I've hunted, most mature mule deer bucks have their brow tines. When I'm describing a mature mule deer to someone, I don't mention the brow tines unless they are missing or out of the ordinary in some way.

Because my friends know I won't shoot a buck without eyeguards.
Now queue all the pics I've been sent over the years of giant bucks with no eyeguards...

 

[bigsky2]

Because my friends know I won't shoot a buck without eyeguards.
Now queue all the pics I've been sent over the years of giant bucks with no eyeguards...

The big buck I had been trying to kill the last few years didn't have eyeguards. Most years he didn't anyways. I've definitely seen big bucks without eyeguards, I'm just saying that in Montana, at least, it's more common that they will have eyeguards.

 

[Oak]

The big buck I had been trying to kill the last few years didn't have eyeguards. Most years he didn't anyways. I've definitely seen big bucks without eyeguards, I'm just saying that in Montana, at least, it's more common that they will have eyeguards.

I was responding to this:
"How do you describe this buck to your buddies"
It's a standing joke with my buddies that I won't shoot a buck without eyeguards. So If I'm describing him to my buddies, I'm definitely giving them the most important detail of all.

 

[easternmt]

Nice mature 4 point around 22 wide maybe mid 150’s. I’d let my kid shoot him but I’d let him walk.

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

No way this thing scores 160. I have a 165 buck on my wall, with eye guards and mine is taller, wider, with bigger forks. I would guess about 145, could be a little less than this.

Most people that guess a deer have never actually measured one themselves and don't know what a true 160, 170, or 180 buck even looks like. It doesn't help that it's very hard to find one of those running around in the woods in Montana anymore.

 

[WanderWoman]

No way this thing scores 160. I have a 165 buck on my wall, with eye guards and mine is taller, wider, with bigger forks. I would guess about 145, could be a little less than this.

Most people that guess a deer have never actually measured one themselves and don't know what a true 160, 170, or 180 buck even looks like. It doesn't help that it's very hard to find one of those running around in the woods in Montana anymore.

On a similar vein, how do you all quickly judge a deer? Not like adding inches and tines and counting how many ears long an antler is, but what do you look at on a glance that says a deer is 150, 160, 180, etc.?

 

[phutch30]

20" upper 130s

 

[daltrix99]

On a similar vein, how do you all quickly judge a deer? Not like adding inches and tines and counting how many ears long an antler is, but what do you look at on a glance that says a deer is 150, 160, 180, etc.?

Highly recommend Jay Scott's podcast and youtube channel for exactly this. IMO he is the best at field judging animals.

 

[JEL]

On a similar vein, how do you all quickly judge a deer? Not like adding inches and tines and counting how many ears long an antler is, but what do you look at on a glance that says a deer is 150, 160, 180, etc.?

Width, mass and deep forks.

 

[antlerradar]

On a similar vein, how do you all quickly judge a deer? Not like adding inches and tines and counting how many ears long an antler is, but what do you look at on a glance that says a deer is 150, 160, 180, etc.?

If there is a lot of dark above their head it is probably a good one.
I have seen a few real big deer, On a deer like this one you see the deer and look for antlers. On a big one the antlers are the first thing you notice.

 

[JT88]

With the big ones, there's a sort of panicked awe that is unique. Haven't seen one in MT in years

 

[mtmiller]

Width, mass and deep forks.

But not on that order

 

[DFS]

A big muley regardless of score makes your heart skip a beat. If you are analyzing it, it probably isn’t big. I haven’t seen many. None compared to some of the guys on this site. Muleys can get huge even in Montana.

 

[Raisin Bran]

1. How do you describe this buck to your buddies on the internet with no picture?
2. How do you describe how many points it has?
3. Is it going home with you?
4. Why/why not?

Decent 4 point Mule Deer buck with average eye guards. So a 5 by. Pretty symmetrical. He was as tall as he is wide. About 22” wide to be exact.
Not a shooter for me. If he survives the season I look forward to seeing him next season. I would consider him next season.
I went back the next season after a good growing season for antler growth and a mild winter.
This is what he turned into !