Field judging tall and narrow mule deer

[Hunthigh1]

Last year I went into a new spot that has different antler genetics than I am accustomed to. I found a couple bucks that were tall in the back but relatively narrow. Any tips on judging bucks like this? See photo below. I Would love to hear some score guessed on this example buck. As well as judging tips/ breakdowns for bucks with this type of configuration.

 

[Rob5589]

I don't know but, love those big and tall bucks in velvet!

 

[b0nes]

 

[b0nes]

Looks very similar to this buck that I killed in 2015. Scores upper 170’s. 13 inch G3’s. 45 inches of mass. They look like brothers on the hoof.

 

[WoodBow]

Real similar to mine. He was 170 3/4 I believe.

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[Hunthigh1]

Looks very similar to this buck that I killed in 2015. Scores upper 170’s. 13 inch G3’s. 45 inches of mass. They look like brothers on the hoof.

Wow VERY similar. Thanks for sharing! Your buck prob has more mass.

 

[jolemons]

Short brows, avg forks. I'm going with 162ish.

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[Cahunter805]

I really like the look of the tall narrow bucks. The buck you posted has some average back forks and decent fronts. I’d bet he’s mid 160s.

 

[Dos Perros]

I'd have guessed @WoodBow 's buck as a size larger than 170.

 

[Dioni A]

These are all 23-25 wide. Scores are 175,185,195 and 182. I would guess your buck is approaching 170.

 

[Laramie]

My best guess is gross around 165-170. Another way to judge "narrow" deer - if that deer had the same forks but was 30" wide, how big would that deer look? I'm guessing most on here would put him in the upper 180s. In reality that deer is only losing about 7 inches of spread and then another few inches of main beam on each side.

 

[WCB]

Judge them the same as any other deer....not sure what is different with a narrow deer.

 

[TreeWalking]

I am not seeing 160" but one way to know is to harvest that deer and measure. I would also expect a few more inches before the velvet starts to peel.

Is a nice buck and I would say half the bucks I have harvested are larger and half are smaller.

As for narrow vs wide antlers and estimating inches...a wide rack out at 27" - 30+ spread tends to confirm is mature. I expect that two bucks with same total inches next to each other and one is 28" wide and one is 24" wide would find most of us glassing the wider buck longer and more likely to pull the trigger. Maybe that makes it easier to feel comfortable with estimating wider racks.

 

[Cahunter805]

I am not seeing 160" but one way to know is to harvest that deer and measure. I would also expect a few more inches before the velvet starts to peel.

Is a nice buck and I would say half the bucks I have harvested are larger and half are smaller.

As for narrow vs wide antlers and estimating inches...a wide rack out at 27" - 30+ spread tends to confirm is mature. I expect that two bucks with same total inches next to each other and one is 28" wide and one is 24" wide would find most of us glassing the wider buck longer and more likely to pull the trigger. Maybe that makes it easier to feel comfortable with estimating wider racks.

From my experience with deer A wide rack on a buck has very little to do with maturity. Lots of older bucks never make it to the 27-30” range and some very young bucks can be 27”+.

 

[WoodBow]

I'd have guessed @WoodBow 's buck as a size larger than 170.

Those pics do it some favors. Weak spread and weak beam length are what kill it.

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[204guy]

I'd put him 158-163 ish.

I want to see more pics of the buck with 45" of mass.

 

[Cahunter805]

Here’s a narrow heavy buck I killed in Wyoming a few years ago. Best buck to date also.

 

[Dos Perros]

Those pics do it some favors. Weak spread and weak beam length are what kill it.

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I just go off known bucks and adjust. Buck I shot this year was 163 but had 5 broken points, figured he’d be right in there 170”+ if he wasn’t so broke, but he’s just a 4x4 with a couple extras. Yours has that legit split, seems taller too. Awesome buck, really pretty mount too.

 

[nphunter]

I would guess 160 gross. He really doesn’t lose much at all on width since his speed credit can’t exceed his longest beam. Maybe 3-4” tops is all he would lose. Decent buck for most people, he will be bigger this year!

Short main beams, not very heavy, poor G-1’s all hurt him more than width.

This buck grosses right at 165” with 12” deep forks.




This is him last fall, I’m guessing he was low to mid 170’s then.

 

[Hunthigh1]

All these example bucks are helpful. Thanks!