Field Judging Antelope

[sqdougherty]

Anyone have any good recommendations or thoughts on where to get some good info to help with field judge Antelope?

 

[Jimss]

Here's a pretty good video by Randy Newberg to get you started:

antelope field judging - Search Videos

www.bing.com

Tony Grimmett has a video but most of the bucks in his video are so outrageous it really doesn't help much in Wyo and other states. I myself don't like using eye and ear measurements for field judging but Tony has good success using them. Here's a link to his website: http://www.pronghornguideservice.com/

A few tips: MASS is the biggest chunk in horned game's score. In Wyo I usually look for a buck with "core" measurements of 15" length, 7" bases, 7" 2nd, 4" 3rds, 2 1/2" 4th quarter, and 5" prongs. If you add all these up the score comes to 40 1/2" x 2 = 81". If a buck is less than this in one measurement he'll have to make up for it in another. 80 is the minimum for Awards and 82 for B&C Alltime.

If you are looking for B&C the core measurements may change from one area to another and from one state to the next. The measurements given above are fairly consistent for B&C bucks found throughout most of Wyo. There are very few antelope bucks in Wyo that ever reach the 16"+ horn length mark. This likely doesn't hold true in N Mex, Nevada, or Arizona where longer horns are possible.

Anyway, this may get you started!

 

[Oregonmuley]

Good post Jimss, not much I can add to that and agree that is a good way to try and judge antelope. Especially Wyoming bucks that tend to have better mass than length, at least in the central units I tend to hunt. Not to say you can't find 16" bucks in Wyoming, but I think you will find more with 7"+ mass, IMHO that makes them tough to judge because for me it always makes them look shorter than they are.

 

[Jimss]

Oregonmuley, I agree completely! A buddy of mine passed up an 84+" buck several years ago. I happened to run by the same buck later the same day and told a different buddy I was hunting with...."if he doesn't whack him I will!" I could see the buck had incredible MASS. The mass hid prong and overall horn length. The buck ended up having 7 2/8" bases, 6" prongs, and just shy of 16" length.

Some bucks are "no-brainer" type bucks that you can instantly tell are booners. Other bucks can hide exactly how big they are unless looked at in great detail from different angles through the best quality spotter available.

If you've hunted antelope long you figure out that antelope are one of the toughest critters in NAmer to field judge correctly. Ground shrinkage is a real possibility unless you have lots of experience and truly know how to field judge them. The more horns you can actually get a tape on plus view in the field the better you become!

 

[wytx]

Ears are about 6", look for top heavy horns with bases larger than the eye. Long prongs will be easy to spot.

 

[sqdougherty]

Wow! Great info

I haven't been around antelope much and I'm planning a trip with a buddy so I just kind of wanted to get some pointers. This all really great info! Thanks

 

[Oregonmuley]

One other suggestion is maybe also just surf the various hunting forums and look at pictures guys have posted, we have a good one right here in the success thread. Lots of antelope big and not so big. But like Jimss said they are just darn tough to judge. Its not like on deer, on antelope you are talking an inch here or there that can make a huge difference. Here is an example for you - you see a buck like this keep looking

 

[Big Ern]

Field judging speed goats is one of the trickier things to do. Big boys are always easy. It's the mid-70's to low 80's that are really tough. Good optics (ie. spotter) make it easier, but still tough especially at distance.

I start with the ear and eye method. That is to determine if the height makes it worth taking a closer look or spending some time on him. Remember, mass is very important, especially above the paddles. Also, big paddles can push you over the edge. But even a tall goat without mass up top will score lower than you think.

The more you see/field judge, the better you get at it. Plus, it's darn fun just watching them chase after their girls and fight off young bucks.

 

[Oregonmuley]

Field judging speed goats is one of the trickier things to do. Big boys are always easy. It's the mid-70's to low 80's that are really tough. Good optics (ie. spotter) make it easier, but still tough especially at distance.

I start with the ear and eye method. That is to determine if the height makes it worth taking a closer look or spending some time on him. Remember, mass is very important, especially above the paddles. Also, big paddles can push you over the edge. But even a tall goat without mass up top will score lower than you think.

The more you see/field judge, the better you get at it. Plus, it's darn fun just watching them chase after their girls and fight off young bucks.

Exactly! Seeing antelope is the best way to start to get an idea of what they score. And I know I suggested looking at ones on the internet which can be hopefully but pictures make stuff look bigger or smaller than real life. Here is a good example, in the picture I would think this is a pretty darn good buck, he is right at 15" and mass from the side looks good IMHO. But just a rough score on him puts him right at 76"-77". I passed him on day 1 and ran into him and some does on day 2 and figured what the heck!

 

[BuzzH]

Some good general advice, but a couple things not mentioned, unless I missed it, where the prongs fall is also something to look at when nit-picking bucks for score. Low prongs usually result in smaller upper mass measurements. The closer you get the 3rd mass measurement to the prong, the better it will be.

Also, while on the subject of upper mass...IME, those measurements make a huge difference, and in general, if a buck is spindly on top, I usually don't look long at that buck.

Its also a good idea to not focus on a bucks strengths, but rather where the weaknesses are and be honest. Too often, I think hunters looking for a B&C buck find a buck that has one or maybe 2 things that they like. Its tough to walk away from a buck that you think is 16 inches even when it has chit for prongs or just average mass. Sometimes a buck that has really good everything, but nothing that's really great but maybe has a shape you prefer is also hard to pass up.

IMO, the higher scoring bucks aren't necessarily the "prettiest" bucks out there and may not even be the shape or what you want for eye appeal.

Its also critical to look at bucks from several angles, if they look good from only one view...again, I usually keep looking.

Its also tough when you look at a couple hundred bucks in a trip and maybe 4 or 5 are solid bucks with maybe only 1 or 2 of those that might make the book. They start to blend after a while.

Another thing to consider is that if you find a buck that checks most of the boxes you like in a pronghorn, you're going to be the one that has to look at it everyday the rest of your life. I wouldn't recommend passing a high 70's buck that you really like the look of to shoot one an inch or two bigger that doesn't look as good. About 99% of the people that hunt pronghorn couldn't tell the difference between a 79 and 81 inch pronghorn.

All I can say is the B&C minimums are set at the perfect place, it takes a pretty exceptional buck to make 80 net officially.

 

[BuzzH]

A few to look at.

I always have liked this buck even though I didn't get him killed, wished I would have. It was in a unit that had a ton of tags that I drew on a second choice.

Has good length, good prong, good upper mass and I think is 15.5. I think its on the edge of B&C but I always have thought it would make 80-81 net. Surely would be high 70's.

Same buck:

Another view same buck:

I don't know, sure like the shape, pretty solid all the way around...

 

[Oregonmuley]

Good stuff Buzz - I was hoping you would chime in since you have killed a buck or 2

 

[BuzzH]

I killed this buck, Wyoming buck just shy of 17 inches. Low prong and average mass equals just right at 80. Never had it officially scored.

Same year I passed this buck and I'm sure it was over 80 net.

One my wife passed, super good prongs, heavy mass...didn't seem to have enough length. Great big bodied pronghorn.

The buck my wife ended up killing the next day after passing that buck:

 

[BuzzH]

A couple more that I think are the type of bucks a person should take a closer look at from more angles:

Decent buck...spindly on top though:

 

[BuzzH]

Every once in a while you find a no-brainer score or not:

 

[Jimss]

Nice pics Buzz, that's for sharing! If you want to see bucks with mass and prongs take a look at photos on Tony Grimmetts website: http://www.pronghornguideservice.com/older-photos.html

 

[BuzzH]

Nice pics Buzz, that's for sharing! If you want to see bucks with mass and prongs take a look at photos on Tony Grimmetts website: http://www.pronghornguideservice.com/older-photos.html

Any of these have mass and prongs? Pretty good 4-5 day stretch.

How about this one, any mass and prong?

Second choice from a few years back, any mass?

Sort of lacking on mass and prong:

Third choice area a couple years back:

 

[BuzzH]

Enough mass and prong on this one to book:

Enough mass and prong on this one to book as well.

Yet another with enough mass and prong to make the book:

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I have found big, mature Wyoming bucks to have larger bodies and heads that the average buck running around, which can disguise horn size. The fact that big Wyoming bucks tend to have big mass also can disguise prong length. A small-bodied buck with thin mass can appear at first glance to have super long prongs and garner the attention of many a hunter, who will walk up to an average buck with average prongs. I admit that hunter has been me, more than once. Haha...

 

[PNWGATOR]

Fantastic pics!

So much to learn about antelope...