HuntingNet.com Forums - Measuring a rack at home. Second and final part of series.(lot's of pics)

I decided to write this up in an attempt to answer some questions and to shed some light on the scoring process to those who are interested...... This was done with just basic "tools" you most likely already own. This by no means is an "official" score but will get youreally close.

I started this series off with this thread asking for "guesses" on this bucks score....

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2527611

Now to start you will need just a rack and a few basic "tools", such as a masking tape, a writing utensil, a piece of paper and something that is circular and rigid. A heavy duty zip tie would work among many other things if you do not have metal band deer tags like I use.

This shows all the "tools" I used to score this rack.

My first step is to tear pieces of masking tape about an inch or so long. I then place the pieces along the main beam at the point of origin of each tine. You also do this for any non-typical growth. If the non-typical growth comes off of another tine, you still follow the same procedure to find it's point of origin and mark it off of the antler tine.

I Use the masking tape so you do not have to mark the rack with your writing utensil.

Now, I will use my metal band deer tag to mark the point of origin of each tine. To do this you want to draw a line across the base of the tine where it meets the top of the main beam...... What you are basically doing here is determining where the top of the main beam would be if there was not a tine there at all.... If you can mentally envision the rack with no tine present, your line would need to be where the top of the main beam would have been.

This shows where to place the straight edge to create your point of origin.

This shows one side of the rack with each point of origin marked. Do the same to each tine on both sides.

OK, we are now ready to start measuring the rack. I always start with the main beam measurement. Start with the tag end of your tape at the burr. Follow along the center line of the main beam on it's outside edge.

I will use some of the masking tape to hold the tape in place as I measure the main beam to ensure the tape doesn't slip on me.

This main beam measures 22 4/8's.

OK, we are now ready to start measuring antler tines. Place the tag end of your tape on the point of origin you created and follow the center line of the tine all the way to the tip of the tine and record your measurement. Do this for each typical and non-typical tine.

You are to measure to the nearest 1/8. For example, if a tine measures 5 3/16's long you would round up to 5 1/4. If the tine was just short of 5 3/16 you would mark the measurement down as 5 1/8. So basically, like previously mentioned round to the nearest 1/8.

This tine measures 9 3/8's inches.

Ok... Onto the mass measurements..... These are very simple.... For each mass measurement you are to take the measurement at narrowest point.... In other words..... You get credit for the smallest area of circumference for each of the 4 locations per side.

The first measurement is to come between the burr and first point. The second measurement comes between the first and second point. The third measurement comes between the second and third point. Finally the last measurement is taken between the third and fourth point. If no fourth point is present (like an 8 point) you take the mass measurement half way between the third point and the end of the main beam.

This is the incorrect place to take this measurement! You do not take this measurement over the burr!!!!!!

This is the correct place to take your first mass measurement!

Here is another example of where to and not to take a mass measurement from. This goes for each and every mass measurement.

Do not take your measurement here! It is always taken at the smallest area.

This is the correct place to take the measurement.

Finally inside spread. Should be self explanatory but here is a photo anyhow..... Keep your tape "square".... Mine is out of square a little bit in the photo.. I was working with the camera on self timer for that photo.

There are many categories for deer scores... " gross non-typical, net non-typical, gross typical, net typical."

Ok.... Time to add it all up!

Right...........Left........ Difference

MB 22 4/8.....21 7/8...... 0 5/8
G1 3 5/8.......3 7/8.........0 2/8
G2 9 3/8.......8 0/8........ 1 3/8
G3 7 7/8...... 8 2/8.........0 3/8
G4 4 3/8...... 5 5/8........ 1 2/8
G5 2 4/8.......................2 4/8

Abnormal Points.

3 2/8........................... 3 2/8
4 0/8............................4 0/8

Mass

H1 4 6/8........4 5/8......... 1/8
H2 4 2/8....... 4 1/8 .........1/8
H3 4 6/8....... 5 0/8......... 2/8
H4 4 3/8....... 4 3/8......... 0

Total Right.. Total Left...Total Difference

65 7/8........ 68 2/8..........14 1/8
(+ abnormals
73 1/8)

Inside spread

17 1/8

Gross Non-Typical- 158 4/8 (Gross non-typical includes every inch of antler no deductions.)

Net Non-Typical- 144 3/8 (Net non-typical includes the gross typical score, minus the side to side differences, but then you add on any abnormal points.)

Gross Typical- 151 2/8 (Gross typical score includes all typical points, including deductions that are not considered abnormal points. Abnormal points are never added to the typical score.)

Net Typical-137 1/8 (Net typical includes all typical points, then subtract all side to side differences andany abnormal points.)