“beams”

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.

The configuration and dimensions of deer antlers are dependent on genetics and physical condition, and at times can be quite odd.

Ron Shaulis of West Newton, Pa., took the new Pennsylvania state typical archery record buck on Oct. 24, 2017, with a compound bow on public land in Westmoreland County.

Before you pull the trigger or release an arrow, do you know how to field judge a whitetail deer’s antlers? Those who hunt simply to fill the freezer, this is not really an issue. But for those who are hoping to shoot a buck with antlers that meet or exceed a certain numeric score, more often than not, overestimate the size of the antlers, leading to that common malady known as “ground shrinkage.”

The NightVue, from Axeon, is a binocular-mounted green laser illuminator, which transforms a standard set of binoculars from being a daytime-only tool, to a round-the-clock optic.

Here are five ways to quickly and confidently judge a buck’s real proportions.

14-year-old Hannah Helmer may be joining the record books. Last month, Helmer killed an elk that could soon be named the all-time Nebraska state record.

Bridge officer Rob Bittner couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Brandi the beagle casually strolling along the Burlington Country (PA) Bridge last week.

How do you determine whether the buck you’re looking at is good, great or a monster? Here are a few tricks you can use to quickly and confidently judge a mule deer’s real proportions.