Coues deer demension

[deernut]

Thanks for the documented info Jim!

 

I wonder how different the measurements would be on bucks from the Northern Central part of the state? I would guess they would be a few inches longer?

 

When you say the range was from 11" to 15" but the average was 12", did that study separate the mature bucks from juvenile bucks? I would think that the measurments from the backline to the bottom of the brisket would vary quite a bit from a mature buck 3.5 yrs + and a 2 yr old.

 

I would certainly buy the idea that Coues on the rim are 1-2" bigger from brisket to backline. Bergman's Rule states that body size tends to increase as you go north or south from the equator. Val Geist wrote a paper saying that wasn't always true, but it is 90% of the time and is a good general rule. The larger size may have something to do with body surface to mass ratio and the importance of that in keeping warm Round people stay warmer than skinny people because they have thicker body cores to retain heat (and more fat tissue insulation under the skin layer, but the body shape also is important). Our rim Coues are bigger but I don't know of any good data documenting that.

 

Regarding age - yes it would differ between yearlings (1.5yrs old) and older deer. I don't think you'd see enough difference between 2.5yr-olds and 3+yr-olds to worry about separating them. I do have ages associated with those measurements, but they are in another database that I would have to link them and resummarize it that way and I don't have time before Christmas to do that. Those measurements I gave are for all ages combined and using that average to calibrate your eye through the scope is probably good enough for most people. I always made my own paper targets and trimmed them so they were 12" top to bottom. I could then look through the scope set for 12x at 100, 200, & 300yds and see how big a Coues would appear compared to the duplex crosshairs at those distances. I could then look at a Coues at the same magnification (12x) and estimate how far it was.

 

 

JIM

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