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Do you really know how to score a buck? Gross, Green, Net, WTH?

medicsnoke

medicsnoke

Member
Every year, I see guys argue on forums and chat boards across the nation about a bucks score. Sometimes the number can range from anywhere between 20-30 points and both parties argue they are right! The most amazing thing is that maybe they are both correct. How can this be?
Guys are talking about different scores! Sometimes guys talk gross score, sometimes net score, deductions, green scores????? What the hell?
This deer was scored by an official Pope and Young scorer. It was scored as a typical! Do you know why? I was shocked when he informed me it did not qualify! This buck has a 100" right side! How is that possible!
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For the most part, I think a trend in the whitetail world has started of late; most guys now talk about Gross Non-typical Scores. No net scores! Gross Non-Typical scores even apply to typical deer. Does this sound confusing? It can be. So if I lost you, my latest article clears the air and will have to you talking like an Official Pope and Young scorer at the next harvest celebration! But for the record NETS are for fish.
The Basics on Scoring a Buck! Gross, Green, Net, WTH?
So as a closer, I ask.......What’s your opinion and what number do you prefer when talking big whitetail bucks?
 
I typically talk net, since that is what will show in the books. I agree, net is dumb. But it's still what I usually go by.
 
Definitely scoring what he grew and I agree that nets are for fishing. If I ever get something world class and feel like entering it into a book that uses a twisted concept of "trophy", I'll accept the net, but otherwise, I'll still go by what he grew!
 
I always go by gross. Net is stupid because if I see a 140 class perfect symetrical buck with a 10" droptine, and I shoot him just because of the droptine, its going to hurt him. Instead of it being 150, hes really gonna be 140? Very dumb if you ask me
 
I have tried to get good at aging,,by body size. Alot easier, and is what I care about. Yearlings are obvious,,2 yr olds, I think I know. Three yrs,,they get quite a stocky body. On up from there the shoulders get big,the legs shorter,belly saggy.The antlers,,secondary to me.Has helped having some of my bucks tooth aged, by the DNR.
 
I didn't realize P&Y had a minimum of non-typical growth that a deer had to have in order to be a "non-typical". B&C does not have a minimum though does it? Just curious, what did that deer in your picture end up netting as a typical?
 
LYON said:
I didn't realize P&Y had a minimum of non-typical growth that a deer had to have in order to be a "non-typical". B&C does not have a minimum though does it? Just curious, what did that deer in your picture end up netting as a typical?
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127 net typical if I remember correctly
 
After measuring for B&C/P&Y for over 10 years, I got very dissappointed in hunters' attitudes towards measurements. Trying to tell a hunter that his deer is still a trophy after giving him the official "dissappointing" score gets old. We put WAY too much emphasis on the score, ANY deer is a trophy and the memories should remain positive forever.

Just my personal opinion
 
I like to look at the net and compare it to the gross just to see how symmetrical it is, but the gross score is what I am all about. I don't see a deer out while hunting and try to judge by what he would net, I estimate the gross.
 
The deer I killed this year scored 175 gross/168 net typical. That is the only way to truly describe my deer without pictures. To say my buck scored 175 is misleading and a slam to someone who killed a 175 net typical B&C.
 
adamo said:
After measuring for B&C/P&Y for over 10 years, I got very dissappointed in hunters' attitudes towards measurements. Trying to tell a hunter that his deer is still a trophy after giving him the official "dissappointing" score gets old. We put WAY too much emphasis on the score, ANY deer is a trophy and the memories should remain positive forever.

Just my personal opinion
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I had an uncle insist I get a bucked scored so it I could get my name in P&Y. After letting it dry for 60 days made a trip to the taxidermist (45 min trip) drug my one year old out on a different cold night for another 45 min trip to the "official scorer" wrote a check and never received any paperwork or anything from P&Y, inquired with the P&Y office and they said they had no record of it and it would have to be rescored. Will never happen, lost my faith in P&Y and its "official scorers". The score is overrated, just be happy with whatever you harvest and you'll never be disappointed.
 
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