Is it a 10 point, 5 point, 5x5, 4 point with eye guards, or a 4x4?

Joined
Jan 12, 2021
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830
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Upstate NY
I wouldn't want to have to explain to the game warden that I filled the tag out for a 4x4 points cause he's a main frame 4x4 but he's got 13 scorable points including eye guards over an 1". Seems like that might be a sticky conversation.
 

scwilso35

FNG
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
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57
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West Virginia
WV here, also. This is how I call it for whitetails, as is how the WVDNR does it as well, I believe.

Any point that is at least 1" counts as a point, including brow tines and kickers.

Eight points at least 1" = eight pointer.

Three points at least 1" = three pointer

Both antlers are a single tine and at least one is at least 1" OR only one tine present but it is at least 1" = spike

Bare tine(s) <1" OR a male without exposed antlers = button buck
 

OneShot

WKR
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Jun 19, 2019
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Growing up in the west I call it a 4 pointer or 4x4. When someone said “I saw a nice 4 pointer” we knew he was talking about a 4x4 regardless if it had eye guards or not.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
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3,581
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Western Iowa
I wouldn't want to have to explain to the game warden that I filled the tag out for a 4x4 points cause he's a main frame 4x4 but he's got 13 scorable points including eye guards over an 1". Seems like that might be a sticky conversation.
In Iowa its only an "antlered buck" or doe when you check them in the system.
 

nobody

WKR
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Sep 15, 2020
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2,121
In NY we have to identify points over 1" when filling out the tag. Left antler points and right antler points. I always assumed that was normal everywhere. Do you guys with mulies that don't count inlines or cheater points not count them when filling out the tags?
Nothing to fill out on a tag in Utah. Just notch the month, day, and gender. No point counting or anything. Only time you fill out the "number of points" is on the limited entry (special draw) tags where they take the information from a harvest survey you fill out at the end of your hunt. But I've only ever had a limited entry elk tag, not limited entry deer. So IDK what the harvest survey for like a Henry Mountain deer tag is. My assumption is it follows what's shown in the hunting regulations and proclamation, which is that eye guards don't count.

On another note, I've never understood notching the gender on my tag because the tag is for a "buck deer," so of course I'm going to notch it male. Unless it identifies as a doe, or a doe that identifies as a buck. But I haven't asked any of them lately. Maybe I should check with them this season so I don't offend them?
 
Joined
Dec 3, 2017
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311
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North Idaho
This has been a great read! Where I grew up it was mostly white tail and elk, down the river near Lewiston you would start getting into mule deer. My cousin who grew up and lives in Texas have done a lot of explaining over the years. He would call and say I shot a 10 point, of course I immediately assume he shot something outrageous and then I would edited it to myself as being a 5x5.

Whitetail - 4x4 would be a 4 point- counting eye guards
Elk - 6x6 would be a 6 point
Mule deer - 4x4 would be a 4 point - not counting eye guards

Now if there is a difference between sides than we would say pretty much that, one of my best bucks was a 4x5, was just missing an g4 on one side
 

Vaultman

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Mar 30, 2019
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996
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OREGON
... On another note, I've never understood notching the gender on my tag because the tag is for a "buck deer," so of course I'm going to notch it male. Unless it identifies as a doe, or a doe that identifies as a buck. But I haven't asked any of them lately. Maybe I should check with them this season so I don't offend them?
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bsnedeker

WKR
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May 17, 2018
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3,019
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MT
Each animal gets it's own system.

Whitetail: 10 pointer
Mulie: 4x4 with eye guards
Elk: 5x5
Bear: 23 inch skull
Ram: Inches of horn
etc.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
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5,398
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oregon coast
I live in WV. A whitetail buck with 10 points is called a 10 point. I also lived in Idaho at one point of my life for 8 years. When I was there we called a buck a 5x5 counting the browtines (eye guards) but locals we met would call that same buck a 4 point. Just curious on what other members call them and what region or state refers to them as such so when I’m out there hunting I don’t get cross eyed looks when explaining to someone what I saw or what I’m after!
(Also, if you have a 3x4 in an area that calls a 4x4 a 4 point would that 3x4 be called a 3.5 point???? Lol)
Around here, it’s a 4x4 with eye guards… it’s a regional thing, we are right, everyone else are different levels of wrong 😉
 

ChrisAU

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Jan 12, 2018
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SE Alabama
So, brings up something I haven’t thought about as a lifetime whitetail hunter going on my first mule deer hunt in a few weeks in WY - I have a general tag and one area has a 3 point minimum on one side and a couple others are 4 point minimum. Does that include brow tines?
 

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