Field Judging Big Game

The first thing you will notice about a large whitetail buck’s rack is the overall height and width, followed by the number of points, and mass. When assessing a potential trophy’s score, we need to look at the lengths of the main beams, lengths of the points, the inside spread of the main beams, and the mass or circumference of the main beams at four locations. Learn more about the different components that contribute to the overall score for a whitetail and other big game animals recognized by B&C.

A bull elk is one of North America’s most majestic creatures, and a really big bull elk is the best of the best, one of the most regal, most dramatic, and most impressive creatures in the entire world. There is a big difference between a nice, normal, respectable, good bull and a monster that will make the records book. It isn’t hard to tell the difference, but the first decision you need to make is whether or not you care.

The major features that make up a B&C score for mule deer and blacktails are: F - main beam length, G - point lengths, H - circumferences, and D - Inside Spread. Mule deer may not have as much going on above their heads as other members of the deer family, like elk and moose, but judging them...