Need Help Judging Spread

eamyrick

WKR
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
1,254
Location
Central Texas
Take a look of this Texas Mule Deer Buck. The area I hunt doesn’t have stellar genetics and you tend to see all kinds of configurations. The county is in an experimental 20 inch inside spread restriction. Due to this guys left main beam I’m not sure if he’ll make it. What do you think? Also overall score?

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MKern85

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
177
He's close but I think he makes it. It's only close because the one side doesn't curl out as far.
 

Stevek

WKR
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Dec 14, 2021
Messages
409
I don't think he will make the 20" inside spread minimum. I measured ears on bucks killed on our Trans Pecos lease the last 2 yrs and they ranged from 9" to 10.5" in length. IMO the left beam is keeping him from making the spread restrictions. He would be to close for me to comfortable shoot him and he does not appear to be that old either.
 
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
414
Location
Wyoming
I would say NOT 20" inside spread, and not a whole lot of leeway on the outside (maybe 23"). I think if you stuck a tape to him you would get into perhaps the low 150"s mark. Rounding that up and factoring in inflation, no problem call that thing a "160-class"
 
Joined
Feb 13, 2022
Messages
27
Can’t imagine trying to make that call in the field… 4 point restrictions are one thing, this is something completely different.
 

wytx

WKR
Joined
Feb 2, 2017
Messages
2,057
Location
Wyoming
So it is outside main beam spread, he may be close. Main beams though not points for the spread.
 

S-3 ranch

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Jan 18, 2022
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980
Location
Sisterdale Texas / Hillcounrty
I am in presido county no antler restriction out west (thank goodness) only in the panhandle
TP&W site
“”
An experimental antler restriction for mule deer bucks applies in Briscoe, Childress, Cottle, Floyd, Hall, Lynn and Motley counties:

  • a legal buck deer is defined as a buck with an outside antler spread of the main beams of 20 inches or greater.
  • any buck for which the outside spread of the main beams is less than 20 inches is NOT legal to harvest.
  • any buck with at least one unbranched antler (e.g., spike) is NOT legal to harvest, unless the outside spread of the main beams is at least 20 inches in width.
The average ear-tip to ear-tip spread of mule deer bucks standing in the alert position is 21 inches, as shown in the buck illustrations. The outside spread is estimated in a similar””F497CD19-076E-4C17-9EE5-159F0B97A159.jpeg
 

Stevek

WKR
Joined
Dec 14, 2021
Messages
409
I am in presido county no antler restriction out west (thank goodness) only in the panhandle
TP&W site
“”
An experimental antler restriction for mule deer bucks applies in Briscoe, Childress, Cottle, Floyd, Hall, Lynn and Motley counties:

  • a legal buck deer is defined as a buck with an outside antler spread of the main beams of 20 inches or greater.
  • any buck for which the outside spread of the main beams is less than 20 inches is NOT legal to harvest.
  • any buck with at least one unbranched antler (e.g., spike) is NOT legal to harvest, unless the outside spread of the main beams is at least 20 inches in width.
The average ear-tip to ear-tip spread of mule deer bucks standing in the alert position is 21 inches, as shown in the buck illustrations. The outside spread is estimated in a similar””View attachment 382844
I have hunted in Pecos County since 2007 and our ear tip to tip has ranged from 19" to 22". Dressed weights are the same with a wide range. Smallest mature buck at 134 lbs and largest at 218 lbs dressed. The largest one had 22" tip to tip in the alert position.
 

Bghntr416

FNG
Joined
Dec 28, 2020
Messages
57
Outside main beam spread about 21 to 22 inches. I think the point though is that if it is that hard to guess, you let him walk. This is how a buck like this gets another year or 2, and then becomes a really nice buck. The reality though is that there will be bucks shot and left that weren't quite 20 inches.
 
OP
eamyrick

eamyrick

WKR
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
1,254
Location
Central Texas
Outside main beam spread about 21 to 22 inches. I think the point though is that if it is that hard to guess, you let him walk. This is how a buck like this gets another year or 2, and then becomes a really nice buck. The reality though is that there will be bucks shot and left that weren't quite 20 inches.
It’s big ranch country. No bucks are getting left. They just get dressed and thrown in the cooler. The idea of letting deer walk seems simple enough but the genetics in some areas seem to favor the curled in beams that will never make 20. I’ve measured a ton of awesome bucks in hunting lodges around the area and not many are making 20 inches.
 
OP
eamyrick

eamyrick

WKR
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
1,254
Location
Central Texas
I am in presido county no antler restriction out west (thank goodness) only in the panhandle
TP&W site
“”
An experimental antler restriction for mule deer bucks applies in Briscoe, Childress, Cottle, Floyd, Hall, Lynn and Motley counties:

  • a legal buck deer is defined as a buck with an outside antler spread of the main beams of 20 inches or greater.
  • any buck for which the outside spread of the main beams is less than 20 inches is NOT legal to harvest.
  • any buck with at least one unbranched antler (e.g., spike) is NOT legal to harvest, unless the outside spread of the main beams is at least 20 inches in width.
The average ear-tip to ear-tip spread of mule deer bucks standing in the alert position is 21 inches, as shown in the buck illustrations. The outside spread is estimated in a similar””View attachment 382844
I spent a week hunting a ranch outside of Big Bend State Park. Sat behind the glass all day everyday. Could see a butterfly a mile away and saw one spike all week. Tough going.
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2020
Messages
26
Man, I’m not in a county with antler restrictions but that’s a shooter for damned sure. I get where TPWD is coming from but mule deer vary greatly in body size. Applying the same East TX whitetail rules to mule deer out west isn’t the answer. There’s a lot of ag land in my area and I’ve shot some giant bodied mule deer. If they had to be outside the ears to be legal, you might as well cancel the season.
 
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