Field Judging Coues

[DubTee]

hello most people got the idea that 100 is the magic # of coruse anything over helps - here what a kinda need to look for

 

g-1's - 5 in = 10in ---- the eyes guards

g-2's - 8 in = 16in ---- the first point

g-3's - 6 in = 12in ---- the second point

mb's - 14 in = 28 in---- length of each antler

spd - 14 in = 14in ---- spread- insides greatest width

mass - 10 in = 20 in---- mass in 3 measurements - (4 1/2 )(3)(2 1/2) 10in --- total mass 20 approx

----

100

 

for a perfect score of 100 on a typical 3x3 coues

 

It doesn't seem like I get a whole lot of time to look at the points and estimate how long they are and come up with a score when I find a shooter, maybe one of these days I'll find a shooter bedded so I can do that. My advice is to look for length, length in his main beams and his points (where obviously the more points the better), that is where you'll make up a lot when it comes to score. Spread and mass do not make big differences in score when it all boils down to it. BTW, in reference to the above post, even on a 3x3 you get 4 mass measurements per side, you just take the last one (H4) between the G3 and the end of the main beam. You hit the nail on the head in your original post, look for a mature buck, and to do that you have to look at their bodies to determine age on the hoof. Any mature buck is a trophy, remember it is a buck's age that makes him elusive, not his horns.

 

Please allow me to disagree....first one question. Why you dont get a lot of time to estimate a buck a buck and gues a score?? You do not glass or how do you hunt? why?

And second I disagree on the statement "Spread and mass do not make a big difference" believe me...they do!!

 

If a buck has eye guards of 3 inches or more, second point of 7 inches or more, 3rd point 5 inches or more, main beams of 15 inches or more and mass of 14 inches or more and spread of 14 or more you will have at least a 100 inch buck.

 

Make sure you read the topic on this forum " The 2009 100 inch post" on the Hunting AZ forum; there you will see lots of pictures and their scores that way you can have an idea what a 100 inch buck look like.

 

Ernesto C

 

All I was trying to say is that bucks are not always just sitting in the open, standing still so you can take your time and estimate every tine and how long it is. Yes, I glass, and most of the time a buck is moving, usually through vegetation, late hunts they are chasing does etc., judging them in these situations seems to be what I encounter the most, all the while thinking where are they going, why are they going there, where would my shot be, etc. With regard to mass and spread, yes every inch counts but think about it. If an avg mature coues has a spread of 13 inches, I would say a wide one would would have a spread of 16 inches, that is only 3 inches more to the score. Mass is more important than spread, but still not as important as length. If you added and inch, inch, 3/4, and 1/2 to the four mass measurements (which would turn an avg massed buck into a good massed buck) we are talking about an extra 7 inches on the score, nice to have, but not as important as an extra 1 1/2 inches on each point (which would turn an avg length buck into a better than avg length buck) that would amount to 12 inches extra on a 3x3. Not to mention that determining better than avg length is much easier in my opinion than determining better than avg mass on the hoof, in conditions where the buck is moving around a bit or bedded in cover. Disagree if you want, but points and their length are much more important than spread and mass in my opinion when score is the only thing that matters to the person.

[justanotherpunk]

big deer look big. if you have to look, think and study he's not a monster. every really big one i've seen has never even left me with a question. that being said, every 85 to 90" deer and even some at a 100" have always made question.

[Ernesto C]

This is what 5 inch eye guards look like in the field......

 

 

 

Ernesto C

[tanclan4]

If you see a deer and you lose your breath for a sec. or you say something like "oh my gosh" shoot. He'll be big enough and you should be happy.

[Tines]

In general, tine length makes all the difference. Like mentioned earlier, mass and width don't add near as much in the final score of a buck. Although they look WAY COOL when they're heavy or wide, it's generally not enough to take it to the next caliber of a buck like an inch or 2 on each point (which isn't as noticable in most cases like unusually heavy or wide bucks). I've looked over a fair share of 100" bucks and RARELY are they that big because mass or width took them there.

 

I'll post some pictures later to give you a comparison on heavy bucks, wide bucks, tall bucks.....etc....

 

Good luck this year!

[Coffeeman]

Thanks for all the info guys. Just need to get out there and start glassing. Again appreciate all the help! I'll keep you posted.

[Condor]

I don't worry about field scoring, just look at tons of pictures of bucks online guess the score just by looking at it and not trying to measure it out and then see what it actually scores. Once you do this for a while you will be able to get a pretty close score of a buck just by glancing at it. just my 2 cents

[BELLOTABUCKS]

new to coues and got a december tag!?! soak up this hunt may be a while before you get another late tag. its the longest hunt so if your seeing deer everyday you can pass on a buck that you would shoot on the last day. unless of couse its the buck that makes your heart jump in to your throat. as the home page says coues are the toughest deer to kill and at the end of the day any kill is memorable and meaningful and a blessing. not anyone can consistantly kill 100" plus every year. fact is the real world doesnt allow many of us to spend enough time scouting and honing the skill. you have a great tag good luck to you.

[BELLOTABUCKS]

This is what 5 inch eye guards look like in the field......

 

 

 

Ernesto C

cool pics. organ pipe and palo verde crazy coues country