I have only been shooting major IBO shoots for one year so I wouldn't consider myself an expert on policies and rule changes but one of the scoring rules IMO really needs to be looked at........
The score of zero for horn or hoof reads as this:

5 – Remainder of the animal touching body color.
0 – A hit in the horn or hoof not touching body color, any other miss, or glance off.

I understand the REASONING behind zero points for a hoof shot, but does a turkey have a hoof? Does a black bear have a hoof? How about a Mt. Lion? See what I'm getting at?..........You can hit a standing bear in the foot which is clearly a zero under the "Spirit" of the Horn and Hoof scoring but qualifies as a "5" based upon the definition of a "5" which says the remainder of the animal touching body color.

This rule really does need to be changed completely........it almost came to bite our group at Snowshoe where one of shooters hit the bedded buck (#18 course D) about 1/8" above the black hoof.
We got to talking about how to score it if it WAS in the black hoof and we couldn't come up with an answer because 1/2 the guys said they would score it as a 5 because the body line sits behind that hoof!
I said by rule it would have been a zero but got to thinking what if it was any other animal target that ISN'T a deer type that has FEET that are the same body color.

IMO change this rule, it makes no sense given thata large #of the targets don't even have hooves.
What probably needs to be done is a molded in scoring line for a zero on all 3D targets..........just simply decide on each target where an arrow would become a zero based upon placement and have a scoring line. On deer legs there would be a line completely encircling each lower leg, same on bears lions etc. Then there is no interpretation.......if the arrow is below that line it's a zero.

So tell me.........a shot smack in the foot of a turkey is scored as what?

It is a rule that is open to judgement calls. I have never seen a "hoofer"....

The bedded buck is one that is rife with potential arguments. Depending on which side you were shooting at, if the member of your group hit right above the hoof, he hit white....is that considered a hit in 'non body color'. I overheard a conversation up there with some saying it was non body color, and was thus a zero...of course, others disagreed.

Seems to me, to make things more simplified it should be either a 0 or a 5....if it is sticking in foam, hoof, paw, claw or foot...???????

We have discussed this rulemany times. It has been around forever and was never a factor until the bedded buck targetwas born.
The rule does not say feet are out it says "horns and hooves are out". The interpretation of behind the hoof is body color would be wrong. Imaginative,but not correct. As the rule is written, a turkey foot scores five.
The premise behind the rule is a demarcation line for scoring. Asking the target companies to add a mold line to all the targets we use is a pretty big deal.
BUT, having said all that, we will place your correspondence in the meeting agenda and talk about it. I will also ask the target makers if an additional scoring line is feasible.
This comes up whenever we set a tough bedded buck shot. About once every couple years or so, thats why it does not get a lot of attention. But we should take a look at it.
ken12

Thanks Ken.......I appreciate the consideration of a members opinions.
You know I doubt I would have thought of the rule until we hit the bedded buck like we did. With people so confused about the scoring on that particular animal/shot the potential was there for disaster if it means the difference between a 5 and a 0.
A simple misinterpretation of the scoring rule for a top shooter could cost him a shot in the finals..........or a spot that they didn't deserve.

I know a new pressed in line might not be practical on all animal legs but boy it sure would remove any and all scoring problems.....well except for the whole cutting vs. touching thing.
But at least you could now clearly define a shot "Below the knee" on any target as a 0.

I know it doesn't happen often and like you said maybe with just that one target but if it was an issue with our group and we had some decent shooters........there were around300 other guys who potentially ran into the same thing just in HC.

Another thing we got to talking about with the scoring rule was in the case of the turkeys.........a shot in the antler of a deer is a 0, but a shot into the edge of the tailfan on a turkey is a 5.
I know there are so many variables and various targets but the "spirit" of a zero needs to match the "Official" zero on all targets.

Thanks for listening.