Just curious if this scoring thing is regional? Or the practice of talking about deer in relation to their score?
It was not common when I started hunting in 1992. Today I live 40 miles north of where I did in 1992, and it is still not common around here at all. People don't talk in inches, they say things like "it was a wide 8 point" or "a basket rack 6 point". I live in the northern part of Virginia.
Not really. Most of the deer that are scored are very rough gross scored for contest purposes. I only know one guy that has entered an animal in P&Y, although many of my hunting friends have killed at least one that would make book.
Very well known around here. To be honest though I'd say maybe 5% of the people around here actually know how to score a buck.
This is how it is in my neck of the woods. Once they kill a good one though, they get it scored pretty quickly or at least have interest in knowing. I spent time this fall with a new camp in the Adirondacks. These guys had killed some real studs (for NY) over the last 15 or so years. They were all super interested once they learned that I knew how to score racks. Next time we get together, I fully expect a pickup truck load of racks, masking tape, pencils, and a 6 pack of beer to be waiting for me.
It's not very common here either...just described in points. Although I am a part of the North Carolina Bowhunters Association and they are one of the only clubs that keeps track on record of every members harvest. So I get every buck scored but still refer to them as "pointers". I'm actually going to start measuring to offer it to others around my area since there are not many that do it.
Scoring "talk" in my area is something utilized by the younger generation of semi serious to serious hunters and serious hunters who are older. Most (forgive me) average gun hunters and the older generation of hunters who spend less than two weeks a year in the field after a buck, go by points. I guess I sound like a snob when someone says, "yeah, I killed a nice 8 point" and I ask how big and they look at me puzzled. Nothing wrong with it, but a "nice 8" (to me) would score 110 plus. A nice 8 to the guys around here that don't score their deer, could be a 75 incher. (again, nothing wrong with it)
No offense....but that sure doesn't make sense, to me. You'd think they'd learn, if it was "that" popular. Not really important around here. I hear a lot of "nice 8 pointer"......"basket rack 6" talk. When I hear of a score.....and later see the photo of the deer....I'm POSITIVE many here don't know how to score a deer.
No one I know can score a deer or talks about inches. Sometimes it's not even points, just a nice buck, big buck or spike or button. Big does are referred to as a horse. Smaller does are "nice sized" and then there's yearlings/does. That's about all we use in my tiny circle of deer hunting friends and neighbors.
Jeff P&Y have official scorers so most know of scoring but leave it up to the Official folks to do it. Myself I kind of know how to do it but dont bother with it and If I happen to shoot one to qualify I let them do it as I will enter it. We also do the same thing as bruce stated but more up in Northern Wisconsin during the gun season. I am also seeing that a lot older folks don't bother with P&Y to much. If the younger crowd doesn't its because something they read or seen on tv in their younger days that had a influence on them in my opinion.
Just because people talk about It doesn't mean anything. I've measured a pile of 110 to 115 Inchers over the years that were 130's In their eye's when they brought them over. You should hear the story's, I could go on and on. Most will admit It too that they probably don't know the correct way to score. I've showed allot of people how to do It but like Peak said they leave It up to the P&Y or B&C officials or people such as myself who just love to score racks.
I'd say it's pretty common here. Maybe its just the people i know. Younger guys & "hardcore" guys usually talk in score if the buck is big enough. Old guys generally don't have a clue.
I know people who refer to them in inches because they see it on tv. I think i only know of 2 people who actually know how to score them
I'd venture a guess......that less than 5% (WAY less) know of the P&Y minimum in my area. I honestly don't know of a single member of the org. in my circles. B&C? Even less (IMO) know of this org. OR its' scoring system. Lots of guys, here, are members of my state's bowhunter's assoc.. I'm not even sure if many of them know the 100" gross min. for entry into their "records". There's a LOT of bucks that get scored by the NCBA each year at the DIxie Deer CLassic, though (deer taken by all weapons). In fairness, I guess I need to include those. Still, overall, I think the <5% number is valid (citing my view that most of these folks still don't know of the org's minimums). So, I guess I'm saying......if you live near water....you learn to fish.
very common in my area for scoring I do have a few buddys that are very interested in scoring, actually ate up with it, but are to lazy to do it, they always make me do it :D
