Common Mistakes When Scoring Your Own Buck

Stop Guessing, Start Measuring, And Don’t Lie To Yourself.

The biggest mistakes guys make scoring their own buck are measuring too soon, using the wrong tape, and “rounding up” when nobody is watching.

If you want a score you can trust, wait until the rack is dry, measure the same way every time, and write every number down before your brain starts changing them.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I killed my biggest buck, a 156-inch typical, and I still almost screwed the score up because I was rushing and excited.

I hunt 30+ days a year and I’ve scored enough racks in my garage to know this is where a lot of “big deer stories” are born.

Decide What You’re Scoring For, Because That Changes The Rules.

You need to decide if you are scoring for your own record, a friendly bet, or a real entry like Pope and Young or Boone and Crockett.

If you don’t decide that up front, you will measure one way today and a different way next season, and your “system” will be a mess.

Here is what I do when it’s my deer and I just want the truth.

I score it like a clean typical first, then I score the non-typical junk separate, and I write both down on the same sheet.

When I am trying to keep my own notes straight year to year, I also label the deer right in my log as a buck, because people still confuse terms, and it connects to what I wrote about what a male deer is called.

If I’m scoring a doe for a kid or freezer hunt, I don’t score, but I do keep weights, and that ties into how much a deer weighs because guys guess wrong by 40 pounds all the time.

Mistake To Avoid, Measuring Before The Rack Dries.

I learned the hard way that measuring a rack fresh can change numbers once it dries out.

It won’t change 10 inches, but it can change enough to make you argue with your buddy for no reason.

Back in 2007 in the Missouri Ozarks, the same season I gut shot that doe and never found her, I also rushed a buck score in the garage and “lost” almost an inch after the rack sat a few weeks.

That year taught me two lessons, don’t rush tracking, and don’t rush scoring.

Here is what I do now.

I give the rack at least 30 days in a dry spot, no direct heat, and I don’t soak it or bleach it before I measure.

If you are the guy that boils skull plates or messes with peroxide, do that after you write down your official numbers, not before.

Tradeoff, Cloth Tape Versus Steel Tape, And Why It Matters.

Guys try to use whatever tape is on the workbench, and that’s a fast way to get bad numbers.

A cloth sewing tape stretches, and you can “gain” an inch without even trying.

My buddy swears by his cheap cloth tape because it wraps easy, but I have found a steel tape plus a flexible cable works better and doesn’t lie.

Here is what I do in my garage.

I use a steel Stanley 25-foot tape for straight beams and long runs, and I use a small flexible measuring tape for inside curves when I have to.

I wasted money on a $400 ozone scent control system that did nothing, and that’s why I get picky about tools now, because some gear is just a cash fire, and scoring tools can be the same way.

Mistake To Avoid, Not Using A Real Score Sheet And “Doing It In Your Head.”

If you try to score a buck from memory, you will forget a tine, double count a tine, or “accidentally” ignore a short one.

I’ve seen guys measure a G4 twice because they got talking about the hunt and lost their place.

Here is what I do.

I print a Boone and Crockett style sheet even if I’m not entering it, and I fill it out in pencil.

I call out each measurement out loud and write it down before I touch the rack again.

If you are new to deer hunting terms and you keep mixing up doe, fawn, and buck talk, read my quick pages on what a female deer is called and what a baby deer is called so your notes don’t look like a mess later.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If the rack is less than 30 days dry, do not call it “final,” and measure it again after a month.

If you see a broken tine tip or a chipped brow, expect your score to change depending on whether you measure to the break or to the original point.

If conditions change to a weird non-typical rack with stickers, switch to scoring typical first, then add abnormal points last.

Decision, Are You Scoring Typical Or Non-Typical, Because Guys Mix Them Up.

This is where most garage scores go off the rails.

A typical score is not the same thing as “total inches of antler,” and pretending it is makes you look goofy.

Here is what I do.

I score the typical frame first, which means main beams, normal points, inside spread, and mass.

Then I list abnormal points as abnormal, and I don’t “sneak” them into the typical side.

I also decide if I care about deductions.

For my own records, I write gross typical and net typical, because I want to know what the deer really was, not just what the rules punish.

If you’re curious why deer even carry headgear that causes all this drama, it connects to why deer have antlers.

Mistake To Avoid, Measuring Inside Spread Like You’re Stretching A Rubber Band.

Inside spread is one measurement, and guys try to “find” a wider spot by sliding the tape around.

That’s not scoring, that’s shopping for a number.

Here is what I do.

I measure the greatest inside spread between the main beams, at a right angle, and I do it twice.

If I get two different numbers, I stop and reset instead of picking the bigger one.

Back in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, during a cold sit where the wind cut through my bibs, I watched a guy at camp brag on a spread that was wider than the buck’s ears, then his photo proved it wasn’t.

That’s how you get a nickname that sticks.

Tradeoff, Measuring Main Beams Fast Versus Measuring Them Right.

Main beams are where excited hunters “gain” inches by running the tape on the outside of the curve.

If your tape floats off the antler, you are cheating yourself or lying, and you know which one it is.

Here is what I do.

I start at the burr on the outside edge, run the tape along the center of the beam, and I keep it tight to the antler the whole way.

If a beam has a weird kink, I use a flexible cable or a soft tape to follow the true line, then I check it with the steel tape for sanity.

Mistake To Avoid, Calling Every Bump A Point.

A point has rules, and your buddy’s “that’s a point” finger doesn’t count.

If the bump isn’t at least 1 inch long and longer than it is wide at the base, it’s not a point in most scoring systems.

Here is what I do.

I measure every questionable bump from the tip to the base, then I measure the base width, and I let the numbers decide.

My buddy swears by “eye test” and he’s wrong half the time, especially after two beers.

Decision, How You Handle Broken Tines Changes The Story.

A busted G3 can turn a “mid 140s” buck into a “high 130s” buck in a hurry.

You need to decide if you are scoring it as it sits, or telling a camp story about what it “would have been.”

Here is what I do.

I score it as it sits, then I write a second note in my log that says “G3 broken, missing about 2.5 inches,” if I can see the break.

That way I keep the truth and the what-if, and I don’t mix them.

Mistake To Avoid, Forgetting Mass Measurements Or Taking Them In The Wrong Spots.

Mass is boring to measure, so guys rush it, and it costs inches.

Most systems use four circumference measurements per side, and they have specific locations.

Here is what I do.

I take H1 at the smallest place between the burr and G1, then H2 between G1 and G2, and I keep going the same way every rack.

If a tine is missing, I still measure at the correct spots based on where that tine would be.

I learned the hard way that if you “move” a mass measurement to a thicker spot, you can add 0.5 inches per wrap, and it looks nice, but it isn’t real.

Tradeoff, Green Score Bragging Versus Real Score Patience.

I get it, you want to text the group chat a number the same night.

But a green score is a guess, and a final score is a record.

Here is what I do on kill night.

I tell people an honest range like “low 140s gross,” then I shut up until I measure it dry.

Back in the Missouri Ozarks on public land, I’ve seen guys post a number, then delete it later when the tape didn’t agree.

I’d rather be the guy that undershoots and is right.

Mistake To Avoid, Not Double Checking Side To Side Before You Add Everything.

Left and right get mixed up all the time, especially if you flip the rack around on the table.

That’s how a short G2 becomes a long G2 on paper.

Here is what I do.

I label the rack with painter’s tape that says L and R while I measure.

I also measure the left side completely, then the right side completely, instead of bouncing back and forth.

Decision, Your Shot And Recovery Affect The Rack More Than You Think.

If you bang antlers off a rock while dragging, you can break tips and change the score.

If you cape it sloppy, you can damage burrs and make the rack look weird on the wall.

This ties into shot placement too, because a deer that runs 350 yards through brush gets beat up more than one that tips over fast, and that connects to what I wrote about where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks.

I process my own deer in the garage, taught by my uncle who was a butcher, so I’m handling racks and heads a lot.

If you want to keep your trophy clean while you work, it helps to have your field work tight, and it connects to how to field dress a deer.

Mistake To Avoid, Using Photos Or Ear Width As A “Score Shortcut.”

Ear tips are not a ruler, and phone camera lenses distort racks bad.

I’ve watched guys in Southern Iowa claim a 170 because the picture made him look wide, then the tape said 151.

Here is what I do.

I don’t estimate scores from trail cam pics anymore unless I’m just deciding if I want to pass him.

If I’m deciding pass or shoot, I focus on age, frame, and behavior, and when I’m trying to time movement I check feeding times first because it helps me decide if I should even be in that stand that evening.

Tradeoff, Scoring Alone Versus Scoring With A Buddy.

Scoring alone is calm and accurate, but you can miss stuff.

Scoring with a buddy is fun, but you’ll also get pressured into rounding up.

Here is what I do.

I measure alone first, then I have a buddy re-measure just the main beams, spread, and the longest tines.

If our numbers don’t match within 1/8 inch, I measure again instead of arguing.

Gear I Actually Use, And One Cheap Thing That Has Lasted Forever.

I’m not a gear snob, but I hate junk tools that make bad data.

My best cheap investment in the woods was $35 climbing sticks I’ve used for 11 seasons, and the same mindset applies in the garage, buy simple stuff that doesn’t fail.

For scoring, I keep it basic.

A decent tape, a pencil, a score sheet, and a flat table beat any “digital scoring system” I’ve seen online.

FAQ

How Long Should I Wait Before I Measure A Rack For A Final Score?

I wait 30 days in a dry spot in my garage, then I measure twice on two different nights.

If it’s late season and the heat is running, I still wait, because forced heat can dry it uneven.

Can I Use Gross Score Instead Of Net Score When I’m Talking About My Buck?

Yes, and I do, but I say “gross” out loud so nobody thinks I’m hiding deductions.

If a buck is super clean and symmetrical, gross and net will be close, and if it’s funky, they won’t.

What’s The Most Common Place Guys Add Inches By Accident?

Main beams and mass are where guys “float” the tape and gain length.

Inside spread is where guys hunt around for a wider spot.

Do Broken Tines Still Count In The Score?

You score what is there, not what used to be there.

If you want, write a note about what you think broke off, but don’t mix it into the number.

Should I Score A Buck Right After The Kill If I’m Just Curious?

You can do a rough green score for fun, but don’t carve it into stone.

If you’re going to mount it or brag on it, measure it again after it dries.

What If My Buck Has Weird Stickers And Trash Points Everywhere?

Score the typical frame first, then list abnormal points after, and don’t sneak them into the typical columns.

If you try to “total everything” without a system, your number won’t mean much to anybody but you.

What I Want You To Remember Before You Tell Anybody A Number.

**Scoring isn’t hard, but it’s easy to mess up when you’re excited and you want the buck to be bigger than he is.**

**If you slow down, use the same method every time, and write it all down, you’ll have a score you can say with a straight face five years from now.**

I’ve lost deer I should have found, and I’ve found deer I thought were gone, and that same honesty has to carry over into scoring too.

If you lie to yourself on the tape, you’ll lie to yourself on the hunt, and both will cost you in the long run.

Decision, What Number Are You Actually Going To Share.

Decide right now what you’re going to tell people, gross typical, net typical, or a full non-typical number.

If you don’t pick, you’ll end up blurting out whatever sounds best in the moment.

Here is what I do when a buddy asks me, “What did he score.”

I say, “Gross typical is X, and he’s got Y in abnormal,” and I stop talking.

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, when I shot my first deer, an 8-point buck with a borrowed rifle, I didn’t know what scoring even was.

I just knew he looked huge in my hands, and I think that feeling is why guys still stretch the tape today.

Mistake To Avoid, Letting Ego Turn A Tape Measure Into A Fishing Story.

I learned the hard way that once you tell a number to the group chat, it turns into “fact” even if it was wrong.

Then you either correct it later and take heat, or you double down and look worse.

Here is what I do now if I’m not ready to measure.

I tell people the truth, “I haven’t put a tape on him yet, but he’s a solid 8 with good mass,” and that’s it.

This is the same reason I don’t pretend deer are dumb, because they aren’t, and it connects to what I wrote about are deer smart when I’m trying to explain why details matter.

Tradeoff, Getting An Official Number Versus Keeping The Memory Clean.

If you want a real entry score, you need the rack handled and measured carefully, and that can kill some of the “just enjoy it” vibe.

If you only care about the memory, don’t let scoring turn into a fight at the kitchen table.

Here is what I do with my two kids when they’re part of the hunt.

We take pictures, we tell the story, we eat backstrap, then I score later when the house is quiet.

Mistake To Avoid, Mixing Up What Counts As A Point With What Looks Cool.

Sticker points and trash look awesome on the wall, but the score sheet wants you to be strict.

If you count every little bump as a point, your “160” turns into a 147 the second anybody competent checks it.

Here is what I do when I’m not sure.

I measure the point length and base width and let the rule decide, even if I don’t like the answer.

Decision, Don’t Let Weather And Season Change Your Scoring Habits.

Late season bucks can be beat up, chipped, and broken, and that’s where honesty matters most.

Early season racks tend to be cleaner, and guys get lazy because everything looks easy to measure.

If you are hunting thick public land in the Missouri Ozarks, forget about babying the rack during a drag and focus on getting the deer out clean and fast.

If you are on a Pike County, Illinois lease with short drags and good access, you can protect the rack better, so there’s no excuse for broken tips from carelessness.

My Last Little System That Keeps Me From Screwing It Up.

Here is what I do every single time in my garage, the same place I process my own deer like my uncle taught me.

I set the rack on a flat table, I put painter’s tape labels on left and right, and I measure in the same order on the sheet every time.

Then I walk away for 10 minutes and come back and re-check beams, spread, and the longest tines.

I learned the hard way that your brain gets “number blind” after 20 minutes of staring at antlers.

A Few Notes That Keep You Honest When Your Buddy Starts Pushing Numbers.

My buddy swears by “rounding to the nearest quarter inch because it’s close enough,” but I have found that’s how 2 inches appear out of nowhere.

If I’m not sure, I round down to the closest eighth, and I sleep fine.

If you’re the guy who wants to argue every measurement, score alone, then have your buddy verify a few key ones only.

That keeps it friendly and keeps your score from turning into a contest.

One More Thing, Score Doesn’t Taste Like Anything.

I love big racks, but I also care about full freezers, and that connects to what I wrote about how much meat from a deer because score and meat aren’t the same conversation.

Some of my best eating deer never would have made a guy look twice at the rack.

Get your number if you want it, but don’t let it be the only thing you remember about the hunt.

Wrap Up, Say The Number You Can Defend.

If you dry the rack 30 days, use a real score sheet, measure tight to the antler, and stop rounding up, your score will hold up anywhere from Buffalo County, Wisconsin camp talk to an Illinois lease skinning shed.

And if it still stings a little because the number came in lower than your “green score,” that’s normal, because excitement always adds inches.