Learn how to guess a muley bucks antler size (on the hoof) as he looks at you

[Jelvis]

Remember that mule bucks are called mules because?
The ears of a mule deer are like a mule -- donkey. :shock: . wide and noticeable
They flap and droop and perk up they move
These ears can be used to measure if you know how wide a bucks ears are?
Take a guess when the mature bucks ears are stretched out as he listens towards you? How wide are they on average?
More later gotta go to the store
Jello Bello Rocka Fello :smile: A 140 or a 150 ? -- we'll make sure you'll be happy

[.264winmag]

20-20" I've heard? Seen my first real mulie buck last year, I'd guess 4-6" outside ears on alert. Missed him, still losing sleep over it...

[IronNoggin]

... Take a guess when the mature bucks ears are stretched out as he listens towards you? How wide are they on average?

20 to 22 inches on average, but they do get bigger Jelly Bean.

Must also consider the qualities of the overall frame, number of points, fork depth, symmetry, eye guard presence & mass.
Usually when you see a Biggie, you will instantly know it.
If you're spending all afternoon analyzing him, he's a likely pass...

One my Ma guessed RIGHT :wink:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Ma_B_and_C_Nontypical_Muley_2.jpg

Cheers,
Nog

[Jelvis]

When those stud muley bucks in the rut of all ages 2 points and up get going in end of October is the time to shine. Your looking for a four point and want a decent rack, we'll cover the ways to measure up within ten inches or so, we're not pro trophy, we're the core of hunters of a BC kind just wanting to get our muley in the season. A decent rack doesn't mean way up in the BC Books, it means a nice four you got and could be a dandy.
Jel -- More later on my way to the store

[IronNoggin]

... Your looking for a four point and want a decent rack... A decent rack doesn't mean way up in the BC Books, it means a nice four you got and could be a dandy...

Not all sport four up top, although that is of course desirable.
Here's a bow hunted Mulie that was a mere 3 x 4 yet still grossed over 180:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Alberta_Buck_1.jpg

Looking Forward to your On The Hoof Scoring descriptions Jelly Bean! :grin:
Hoping to learn another trick or two...

Cheers,
Nog

[Buckmeister]

I don't have much problem judging a rack up close (within 100 yards), but out farther can be challenging. Case in point, I was studying with my binoculars a bedded mule deer buck at about 250 yards. He was a legal 4 point and looked decent from a side profile. When looking head on, his antlers were in line with his ears, but had decent height. No shot taken as I had already cut a tag for muley. A few months earlier I had a game cam set up not 20 yards away from the location the bedded buck was at, and had captured, I think, a picture of this same buck. Looking at the up close pictures made me believe this was a small young buck, unless of course it was in fact two different deer. So I don't know, any tips on judging rack size over long distances??

[Ourea]

It pays to know the mule deer in your area.
Have a couple spots in Reg 8 where mature bucks have extremely big, wide ears.
The heads are overly large on mature bucks as well.
This can cause you to "underestimate" width and antler size

Example:
Mid 190's typical was just outside his ears yet he is 30" wide.
Elephant ears of 26" threw a loop into things

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/193.jpg (http://s1219.photobucket.com/user/browndog100/media/193.jpg.html)

The 240" buck I shared on my "A Giant "Falls" thread had 27" ears and a giant pumpkin.
If I didn't know the buck I would have field judged him at 29-30" not the 33" (just under) that he turned out to be.

http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/md_zpscbsw3vnd.jpg (http://s1219.photobucket.com/user/browndog100/media/md_zpscbsw3vnd.jpg.html)


http://i1219.photobucket.com/albums/dd428/browndog100/Gary_zpsxoemchry.jpg (http://s1219.photobucket.com/user/browndog100/media/Gary_zpsxoemchry.jpg.html)

[btridge]

I have 1 mule buck that is well inside his ears, but he is tall and heavy, scores 186 7/8. Don't pass just because he looks narrow, you have to look at All of the antlers. Hint: a old pot bellied mule buck will be about @18 inchs from top of back to the bottom of the chest.If his G2s are approaching this and the G3s and G4s are over 1/2 this chest measurement along with some good mass-----you should be thinking about pulling the trigger!

[Jelvis]

---- I want you to be honest with thyself and guess without looking it up 1st.

------------->III How high is a mature mule deer at the toppa dah shoulder in inches? III<---------------

Smelly Jelly and the Jammerz -- Mature mluley buck-a-toid @ toppa dah Shoulder from dah ground --

[Sharpish]

Wow those are some beauties! I'm a blacktail hunter but wow those Muleys are unreal.

[Ourea]

I have 1 mule buck that is well inside his ears, but he is tall and heavy, scores 186 7/8. Don't pass just because he looks narrow, you have to look at All of the antlers. Hint: a old pot bellied mule buck will be about @18 inchs from top of back to the bottom of the chest.If his G2s are approaching this and the G3s and G4s are over 1/2 this chest measurement along with some good mass-----you should be thinking about pulling the trigger!

btridge, great comments.
I think Jel was talking about size of frames or was it just score.?
His thread....he will spell it out

[Jelvis]

-- good point Our, I'm thinking, a mule deer hunter whose buddy got a 140 typ muley buck and has been showing his buddy it for two years and now Bud's saying I want a 150 or better to shut this guy up at the bar.
--- Sooo -- Need to guess width, length, point numbers, frame size symmetrical, height is important.
I'm not going for like, Bones and Crewcuts we as mule hunters here enjoy it too much to get too serious but would love to beat buddy's best lol hahaha --
--- You posters are doing excellent posts to help the new and improved.
Jel --- How high is a mule deer at the top of the shoulder from the ground? Guess.

[Jelvis]

=-l------> A mature mule deer stands 39 inches at the top of the shoulder, and that blows the average persons mind, why?

A mule deer appears taller than that to zeee naked eye ball.

When looking at a buck and he's looking at you, his ears are at least 18 inches wide.
-- the biggest bucks might be 20 wide but a normal 4 point mule mature buck is 18.
So now firstly check where the antler spread iz compared to those ears extended out
If the antler appears two inches past both ear tips it's approx. 22 inch wide rack.

[Jelvis]

=-//----> I wood like to emphasize that with a new mule deer hunter who can shoot any four point muley buck in leh or regular season that when you see the buck iz a legal four point then no need to compare sizes of antler, count the four on one side, and shoot as best you can for a killing shot if you choose.
Four point bucks won't hang around too long looking at you, so be ready count the four on one side and aim in a vital area.
---> Guys and gals that have had success and have bagged a few smaller fours might think hey I'll hang on to my tag longer til I see a bigger four, this is where guessing close can help.
Jelly -- When muley buck hunting for four points, you must be quick and accurate, if you stand and stare, he will be gone, you have a window, " There he iz!" Now make sure you control your movements.

[IronNoggin]

Great comments all round!
Ourea, that mirror picture is an awesome showing of the Best BC Muley I've ever laid eyes on!
Many Congrats!!


How high is a mule deer at the top of the shoulder from the ground?

I think here too you have to consider Ourea's statement: "It pays to know the mule deer in your area".
From what I have seen there can be rather wide differences.

Case in point: The area I hunt Mule deer in over in Alberta you will find a handful of the "Top End" Bucks each year that will approach, or even surpass 400 pounds (live weight). In many other areas I have hunted them, they rarely make 250. Quite a range, and quite a spread of height at the shoulder as a consequence.

I'd suggest those big bodied fellows I referred to above will often go just over 3.5 feet at the shoulder, whereas the smaller varieties likely just 3 feet.

Cheers,
Nog

[Jelvis]

=--ll--------> Mule deer bucks come in all sizes by Kamloops and surrounding places, like Louis Crick and Barriere and Savano or Greenstone or Kamloops Lake, Pinitan lake, Jay My Son Creek, watching Creek and Dairy Creek all around Kammy Double Whammy. More hunting spots then any hunter could cover in decades.
=-ll---------> The muley buck is born and he rizes and shakes, and his eyes are opened in May/June with some earlier and later by a week or two. Does and bucks breed from Oct 20th to end of Nov.
The buck grows off milk and searches out with mom and she shows the lil tike what and where and when to eat over the first year.
Now lil johnny after a year old get's his first set of antlers, whoa! I am a buck 4 sure now he says to his mommy and his older sister.
=-ll---------> It's hunting season now and John's first experience with deer hunters besides wild animals now.
+ You get the picture? The bucks who get big, are lucky and smart enuff not to get shot or mauled to death, which in the wilds can be difficult to do. The bucks that are smart and lucky get bigger each year with decent feed available. His antlers start to gain mass and weight. Spread out and up and he iz a stud buck in his area he rules, at least he thinks so till the huge buck from up Skull Mt walks in, looks like Mike Tyson on juice. 33 inches wide and Johnny says, Hey Mike, I'm outta here, see yah next year bro.
Jel -- Johnny eats, drinks and is active and he and his crown is growing some fame -- the fighting game

[Jelvis]

-- If your looking for a wide spread out rack, or a narrow and high rack, it don't matter when you actually see a big mule buck with mass also, thick antlers and heavy tines with at least a 22 inch spread, but long tines at least 9 inches per tine.
-- If your new to hunting mules around Kamloops don't overthink it. If you hunt in any buck October it gives you a better chance to connect with a four point.
-- Your walking along a deactivated road up by Skull in any buck October and you look up on the bluff and in the trees and bushes, a buck, you see his antler base and see bone, now you know it's legal, open shoulder shot BOOM! You dint need to count in any buck, and you saw the antler base and now when you appraoch, it's a whaaa? A big four point whoa! If you had to count all one side for a four, that buck wood have gone out the back door. The bucks shoulder was open for a shot and you could see the antler base with bone but could not count how many tines on one side.
Jel -- Check real good and be sure of four on one side without brow tine, when it's four point or better only.

[Arctic Lake]

Thanks for another good thread Jelvis ! Good to have the other experienced mule deer hunters commenting .! I have yet to get a muley. Here's hoping for this year !
Arctic Lake

[Jelvis]

Good thread for this season to look at if your after a certain sized buck
Jelly and the Hat Racks