How to Score Whitetail Deer
The gross Boone & Crockett (B&C) score for a Whitetail Deer is comprised of four items, each measured to the nearest eighth of an inch: inside spread, length of the main beams, total length of all scorable tines, and the total of all main beam circumference measurements.
Inside Spread
The inside spread is measured at the widest point between the main beams, with the tape held at a right angle to the center point of the skull.
Main Beam Lengths
Each main beam is measured along the outside of the beam, starting at the center of the lowest outside edge of the burr, and finishing at the most distant point of the beam.
Total Tine Length
Total tine length is made up of all typical and non-typical tine lengths longer than one inch. Typical tines are those extending upward from a normal position on the main beam, and are referenced on an official score sheet as G1 (brow tine) through G7. Non-typical tines are all other tines extending from a main beam or another tine.
Total Circumference
Total circumference is made up of four measurements taken around each main beam, referenced on an official score sheet as H1 (taken between the burr and the brow tine) through H4 (taken between each of the succeeding typical tines). Each measurement is taken at the narrowest point between two relevant tines. If a main beam is missing the brow tine, both the H1 and H2 are measured at the narrowest point between the burr and the G2. If the G4 is missing (common to many 8-point deer), the H4 is measured halfway between the G3 and the tip of the main beam.
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By the way, the "G" and "H" nomenclature for tine length and circumference measurements does not come from some Latin phrase or other clever reference point. Those letters simply refer to the column locations on the inaugural spread sheet used for recording official B&C scores.
Official B&C scores are taken after 60 days drying at the room temperature. Net B&C scores for Whitetail Deer are computed by deducting differences between the beam lengths, tine lengths and circumferences of the left and right antlers.
For further details of scoring Whitetail Deer, go to the
Boone & Crockett Club website.