Judge this Caribou

[Alpine Addict]

I know they can be hard to judge, and it isn't a great picture but my friend guessed 415?

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/50.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=15505&size=big&cat=500)

[amerikazmoswanted23]

thats a sweet boo man was the pic took in bc ?

[Alpine Addict]

thanks. Nope it was in the Yukon.

[cuervosail]

You;'re right - it's not that great a picture. It's difficult to count the number of points on each side - which makes a BIG difference in the score - and the cirumferences. I don't think it would break 400 though.

[cuervosail]

I'd be interested to find out what your friend thinks this bull scored.

http://notherCaribou_hunt_08_052

[cuervosail]

Sorry, still trying to figure out how to include pictures in a message/reply (if anybody can give me some instructions, I'd appreciate it). Meanwhile, I posted the pic in the gallery.

[bigwhiteys]

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/bigcaribou.jpg

How about this one....?

[pointandshoot]

guilty....

[Maxx]

Carl- 410"

[IronNoggin]

Tough to make the call based on that particular photo. First impression is that it likely won't break 400, but again, need a clearer shot with a better angle to determine.

Care to guess:

http://gallery.fishbc.com/albums/Ironnoggin/Caribou_2a_copy.jpg

Cheers,
Nog

[rifleman]

Does'nt look like a double shovel, not many points up top, bezes aren't palmated I'll guess 375

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/50.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=15505&size=big&cat=500)[/quote]

[Alpine Addict]

It was my first season working in the Yukon so Im new to caribou and sheep. Any tips for judging them?

[IronNoggin]

Any tips for judging them?

All caribou look BIG to those first encountering them. They have a lot of antler for body size. I found them to be amongst the toughest to accurately "guesstimate" their score in the filed, and that's with better than 25 years as a B&C Scorer. Even having taken a few "Biggies" over the years I was in the Arctic, I still had to REALLY look hard at them on the hoof.

Some good info already presented here on how to determine what a "Shooter" is. Most caribou will be either top-heavy or bottom (front end) heavy and lacking in the other department. What you want to find is one with a lot of mass both up and downstairs.

Things to look for:
Mass - large circumferences that carry well up.
Double shovels - most of the higher scoring racks carry these.
LOTS of points upstairs - even better when these are palmated.
Palmated bezez.
The addition of longish rear "kicker points" doesn't hurt at all.
Overall symetrical (even) rack.
Height and width of good proportions.

Best advice is to get ahold of B&C's books, review these carefully, and you'll know what represents one that made The Book. Also there are more than a few decent videos out there (try a Google Search on Field Scoring Caribou) that can help.

Good Luck in your pursuit! Been a few years since I was up in the Yukon and NWT, and do miss it! Likely head back some year for some more FUN! The luxury you have is that the Yukon's heards are by and large rather healthy these days, which should afford a boo at a good number before making your decision. That said, often you will instantly recognize (as in Oh My Ghawd! :eek:) when Mr. Wonderful comes along! :-)

BTW, where you working out of?

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Nog

[ElkMasterC]

Judge not, lest ye be judged....
Matthew 7:1

[srupp]

first one 370 and change..

steven

[cuervosail]

All caribou look BIG to those first encountering them. They have a lot of antler for body size. I found them to be amongst the toughest to accurately "guesstimate" their score in the filed, and that's with better than 25 years as a B&C Scorer. Even having taken a few "Biggies" over the years I was in the Arctic, I still had to REALLY look hard at them on the hoof.

Some good info already presented here on how to determine what a "Shooter" is. Most caribou will be either top-heavy or bottom (front end) heavy and lacking in the other department. What you want to find is one with a lot of mass both up and downstairs.

Things to look for:
Mass - large circumferences that carry well up.
Double shovels - most of the higher scoring racks carry these.
LOTS of points upstairs - even better when these are palmated.
Palmated bezez.
The addition of longish rear "kicker points" doesn't hurt at all.
Overall symetrical (even) rack.
Height and width of good proportions.

Best advice is to get ahold of B&C's books, review these carefully, and you'll know what represents one that made The Book. Also there are more than a few decent videos out there (try a Google Search on Field Scoring Caribou) that can help.

Good Luck in your pursuit! Been a few years since I was up in the Yukon and NWT, and do miss it! Likely head back some year for some more FUN! The luxury you have is that the Yukon's heards are by and large rather healthy these days, which should afford a boo at a good number before making your decision. That said, often you will instantly recognize (as in Oh My Ghawd! :eek:) when Mr. Wonderful comes along! :-)

BTW, where you working out of?

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Nog

Circumferences are pretty tough to judge and they don't add a whole lot to your score. Length of bez, # of points on bezs and shovel(s) will rack up the score pretty quick. I'd say about 408 for that bull of yours, Nog.

[kennyj]

One thing that can really bump up the score is palmated tops.The 2 longest top pionts are measured to the lower edge of the beam, and the 4th circ measurement is taken at the smallest spot between the 2 longest top points.The width of the the top palm is also included in the score.A bull with really strong tops can be lacking a little in other areas ( single shovel for example ) and still score well.
kenny

[Buck]

In my mind caribou are the very finest looking beast.I hope to get a good one some day.

[bruin]

The first thing I look at is main beam length. You can easily loose 20-30" on short mains. Look for a double shovel, even that first bull will gain 15-20 inches on his "spike" on his right shovel side. Length and curve of bez is important. Palmation of the bez doesn't really matter because its not measured but that usually means more points, which is nice but adding 2 or three points onto the score isn't really that important. Other than that there's some good advice in the other posts.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

[quote=bruin;523968]The first thing I look at is main beam length. You can easily loose 20-30" on short mains. Look for a double shovel, even that first bull will gain 15-20 inches on his "spike" on his right shovel side. quote]

Those reasons right there are the reason why this bull doesn't score that great(360+ gross.....IIRC). Also no real points on his shovel....and just a short point on his other side.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Brent_s_Cassiar_bull.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=7823&perpage=18&ppuser=1509)


SSS

[kennyj]

Beautiful bull SSS.A shooter any day.
kenny

[kennyj]

Heres another one with short beams.372 net.
kennyhttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/BT_deer_100.jpg

[Stone Sheep Steve]

That's an awesome heavy old bull, Kenny! Caribou are pretty cool in that their antlers have so much variation in them.
Hope to hunt them again sometime in the future.

SSS

[bruin]

Great bulls guys, those late season capes look fantastic

[Maxx]

http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/bigcaribou.jpg

How about this one....?


so, what did it score?

[bigwhiteys]

Originally Posted by bigwhiteys http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=523556#post523556)
http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/bigcaribou.jpg

How about this one....?

so, what did it score?

That bull scored 427"

Carl