How Big is That Summer Buck, Really?

by
posted on July 22, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
summer_bucks_f.jpg

You see a buck, antlers slathered in velvet, across a field on a humid late-summer evening and think it looks staggeringly big. But the velvet, the buck’s skinny summer neck and the warm glow of light can lead to gross exaggeration in your mind.

When field-judging a buck’s score on the Boone and Crockett scale, you need to calm down and look closely at specifics: the length of the tines, the inside spread of the main beams, the circumference (mass) of the beams at four locations and the length of the beams. It helps to practice by judging mounted heads; come to an approximate score then compare your estimate to the known score to gauge your accuracy.

Here are four ways to quickly judge a buck’s real proportions. These work anytime; just remember velvet can add the appearance of extra length and mass that will be gone come fall.

The average whitetail buck, when its ears are alert, has an ear tip-to-tip spread of about 16 inches. If its beams are just outside its perked ears, the inside spread of its antlers is around 18 inches.

A buck’s ears typically measure about 6 inches from base to tip. If you see the side of a buck’s rack or are looking at the buck from an angle, visualize this 6-inch increment and use it to judge the length of the brow tines and other points.

The circumference of a buck’s eye averages about 4 inches; use this to judge mass. A heavy-racked buck carries mass that appears to be wider than its eye. Judge the circumference of the main beam between the antler base and the brow tine, and between each point up to the third and fourth (mass beyond the fourth tine doesn’t count toward score). Velvet surrounding the antlers can make mass appear to be much greater than it is, so you’ll have to make some mental deductions.

The distance from the center of a mature buck’s eye to the end of its nose is around 8 inches. When viewing a rack’s profile from the side, this measurement can help you judge beam length. A rack that extends beyond a buck’s nose has very long main beams.

Latest

Pennsylvania Game Commissionlede
Pennsylvania Game Commissionlede

2025-26 Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird Seasons Set

Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 migratory game bird seasons have been set. There are two significant changes to waterfowl seasons. The regular season daily bag limit for Canada geese in the Atlantic Population Zone has decreased from three to one, and for northern pintail, there will be a flat daily bag limit of three.

New for 2025: Christensen Arms Evoke in 450 Bushmaster

Christensen Arms has announced the release of the Evoke rifle chambered in powerful 450 Bushmaster.

Oklahoma Wildlife Commission Passes Rules for Nonresident Hunters, Public Hunting Lands

New emergency rules and resolutions for public hunting lands were approved last month by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.

First Look: Premium and Premium Deluxe Die Sets From Redding Reloading Equipment

Redding Reloading Equipment has expanded its Premium Die Set and Premium Deluxe Die Set product lines, including over seventy of the most popular cartridges in the industry today.

Junior Hunter Gear: Get Your Kids Into the Field

Looking for ways to get your fields out from behind the screens and into the great outdoors this summer? Check out these great pieces of outdoor kit to help spur the process.

Stealth Cam Adds On-Demand Livestream

Shortly after teasing the launch of its new trail camera functionality at the 2025 SHOT Show, Stealth Cam has announced that On Demand Live Stream is available via the Command Pro app.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.