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Mulie antlers to edge of the ears???
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What is the estimated measurement on width if a mulie's antlers are even with the outer edge of his ears?


Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10136 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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24"
 
Posts: 294 | Location: Omaha, NE | Registered: 29 September 2005Reply With Quote
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Now that's a toughie. Depends on how wide their ears are and if they're listening or not. dancing I generally believe that on a mature buck, they are about 26" but that's on our desert mulies down here. Might be different in other places. killpc


Pancho
LTC, USA, RET

"Participating in a gun buy-back program because you think that criminals have too many guns is like having yourself castrated because you think your neighbors have too many kids." Clint Eastwood

Give me Liberty or give me Corona.
 
Posts: 937 | Location: Roswell, NM | Registered: 02 December 2002Reply With Quote
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So what do we think of this one...



Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10136 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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Mike, I believe that buck is 23-25" wide.

I just measured one of mine on the wall, and my taxidermist modifies the head to match the exact skull measurement.

My buck's ears are 9" long giving 1" of ear butt at the skull, for forward or "alert" look. Using calipers, the frontal view skull measurement is almost 7".

9+9+7....25 for my deer, and his widest spread is 23" for the rack. Your photo looks to me like that buck's antlers are also barely inside his alert position.

My ultimate guess is he's 23".


Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns
 
Posts: 7906 | Registered: 05 July 2004Reply With Quote
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quote:
Mike, I believe that buck is 23-25" wide.


+1

I have found muleys to be 19 - 23" wide across the ears.

Some muley experts use 22" for field judging. I shot one this year that I measured at 23", and he was quite big bodied.

Cheers,
Canuck



 
Posts: 7122 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001Reply With Quote
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I always give the ears in the flat "listening"
position 22"

I would agree with the estimate of 23-25"

KC
 
Posts: 295 | Location: Oregon | Registered: 24 June 2006Reply With Quote
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Canuck,

Let's see your buck...


Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10136 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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Based on the mulie 24-25 bucks I've shot I'd say no more than 22-23 inches
 
Posts: 161 | Location: United States | Registered: 16 May 2006Reply With Quote
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Looking at the picture, I'd guess about 22 " spread.
 
Posts: 1681 | Registered: 15 October 2006Reply With Quote
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my rule of thumb after 15 yrs of guiding mule deer in 5 western states and ole'mex is 22".if the buck turns out to be 24" ear to ear you got a bonus 2"+.buck in the photo looks like a 160 kinda deer
 
Posts: 2141 | Location: enjoying my freedom in wyoming | Registered: 13 January 2006Reply With Quote
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No more than 22", hillbillyhard to score when you cant see how many actual points are there.
 
Posts: 4372 | Location: NE Wisconsin | Registered: 31 March 2007Reply With Quote
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If they are even with the ears, you can just about make book on 24 inches..but remember it is also determined by how the deer is holding his ears..The buck pictured I would bet is very close to 24 inches, but he is also very high and has long tines, he would score better than most would guess him at.


Ray Atkinson
Atkinson Hunting Adventures
10 Ward Lane,
Filer, Idaho, 83328
208-731-4120

rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com
 
Posts: 42176 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000Reply With Quote
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I can tell you he was very symettrical 4x4


Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10136 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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The antlers of this big-bodied Colorado buck, which I killed in Nov., were just about even with the tips of his ears. The greatest inside spread was 23 inches. -TONY



Tony Mandile - Author "How To Hunt Coues Deer"
 
Posts: 3269 | Location: Glendale, AZ | Registered: 28 July 2003Reply With Quote
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Yup, for a high plains mulie almost always 22"-24" eartip to eartip. Height doesn't seem to matter--width stays the same.


Don't let so much reality into your life that there's no room left for dreaming.
 
Posts: 263 | Location: SE Colorado | Registered: 24 May 2001Reply With Quote
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It's been my experience that they are around 22 tip to tip on mature bucks.

The buck in the photo appears to be aropund 19-20 inside and 22-23 outside.

Seems most refer to mulie spreads by the outside spread measurement or greatest spread. Coming from an area where whitetails were always referenced by inside spread, that always seemed alittle odd to me.

My mulie buck this season was mature and very healthy, while glassing him for approx ten minutes, his ears appeared dead even with the outside spread and he was only 21 outside. The mass and long tines gave him a score of 162-1/4, a shooter in my book any day:

Heres a pic of a 150 class buck with a 23" spread:


Good Luck

Reloader
 
Posts: 4146 | Location: North Louisiana | Registered: 18 February 2004Reply With Quote
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Though some might use the greatest spread, the only one that counts for scoring purposes is the inside one between the main beams. -TONY


Tony Mandile - Author "How To Hunt Coues Deer"
 
Posts: 3269 | Location: Glendale, AZ | Registered: 28 July 2003Reply With Quote
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Though some might use the greatest spread, the only one that counts for scoring purposes is the inside one between the main beams. -TONY




While you are correct concerning score, What I was mainly referring to is when you hear of the huge widths from around the West. Most of them are refering to the greatest spread. I wasn't aware of this until a few years back, always assumed inside spread when talking mulies. All of the guides I've used refered to the greatest spread when talking mulie width and I've noticed alot of the locals in the towns out West have done the same. Must just be a region to region thing as here whether my hunting buds and I are talking mulies, whitetails, or elk, we are always referring to the inside spreads.

Ya'll have a Good One,

Reloader
 
Posts: 4146 | Location: North Louisiana | Registered: 18 February 2004Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike_Dettorre:
Canuck,

Let's see your buck...


Mine is just a little meat buck (135ish), but his ears measured 23" tip to tip. His antlers has an inside spread of 21".



Cheers,
Canuck



 
Posts: 7122 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001Reply With Quote
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Canuck,

That buck has character and some nice mass in the bases...I would not ever pass up one like that...


Mike

Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.



What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.
 
Posts: 10136 | Location: Loving retirement in Boise, ID | Registered: 16 December 2003Reply With Quote
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a couple other pointers i use for judging mule deer; h1/h2 mass equal to leg below the knee or hock roughly 5",rack height equal to height of body from withers to brisket roughly 22/23".i can see only one fork clearly in picture/the deers g2-g3 right side,the g3 appears to be no more than 5" and using the chest height comparison i would say the g2 is no more than 11".imo most deer seen in a hunting scenerio are 1.5-3.5 years of age.these comparisons work under these age classes.few hunters see a 4.5-7.5 yrs old deer in a hunting scenerio.these comparisons do not fit an older age class of deer as these deer are usually heavier in the chest and when you do see this class of mule deer its a no brainer about whether or not to shoot.the deer in the photo is a beautiful 3.5 yr old and i'll stick with the 160ish score.
 
Posts: 2141 | Location: enjoying my freedom in wyoming | Registered: 13 January 2006Reply With Quote
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I got this one this past Dec. Although the ears are not present, I can tell you he appeared to go about 3 inches outside his ears in the spotting scope. His greatest outside spread is 25.5".

 
Posts: 167 | Location: Woodland, CA USA | Registered: 11 February 2002Reply With Quote
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That buck has character and some nice mass in the bases...I would not ever pass up one like that...


Thanks Mike. He was a "last hour of last day" buck (and we has passed up bigger in search of muy grande!), but he made lots of sausage and tastes great!! And thats all that really mattered. Big Grin

Cheers,
Canuck



 
Posts: 7122 | Location: The Rock (southern V.I.) | Registered: 27 February 2001Reply With Quote
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I got this guy in Oct 2006 he is only about 19.5" on the inside but he sure is pretty.
 
Posts: 2242 | Registered: 09 March 2006Reply With Quote
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Mike-the last time I guided all fall I guided in Montana/Wyoming and Sonora for carp deer (ooops muley's I mean).

I measured bucks that went from 19" to 24" on the outside with the ears flat.

Guess I like many others hear think that if a deers ears are flat, and he's got a good straight on to me that 22" is the number I use.

The buck in question on the pic you put up looks to be 21" or so on the outside to me. That left ear is a bit deceptive so it could go 22".

A nice buck for a lot of areas but in truly good mule deer areas would be a good one to pass on.

Tis been my experience that width is only 15% of the score and yet its the first thing people love to talk about. Kind of like antelope, people always tell you how tall their horns were but don't talk about the cutters or mass.

Next time you're back this way its my turn to buy lunch.

Mark D
 
Posts: 1089 | Location: Bozeman, Mt | Registered: 05 August 2005Reply With Quote
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This one is 22.5 inside.


Trophies are not dead animals...they are living memories.
 
Posts: 217 | Location: Fargo, North Dakota | Registered: 24 March 2003Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by Mike_Dettorre:
So what do we think of this one...



I can't see this buck going any more than 21", and I would bet a large lunch at the drive through of your choice that he is closer to 20" than he is 22.

No way in heck he is going 25" as some have suggested.
 
Posts: 876 | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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quote:
Originally posted by NoCAL:
I got this one this past Dec. Although the ears are not present, I can tell you he appeared to go about 3 inches outside his ears in the spotting scope. His greatest outside spread is 25.5".



Heck of a nice CA buck. Is that your 25-06? What bullet did you go with, and how did it work for you?
 
Posts: 876 | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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Charley, That was with the 25.06. The shot was 225 yards. I fired one 100 grain TSX. It entered the top of the right shoulder and exited the bottom of the left shoulder. I was firing from slightly above and forward. The deer went straight down and never kicked. I stayed on him in the scope for about 30 seconds but never even saw an ear flicker. The lungs were mushed and most of the blood was pooled in the chest cavity.

NoCAL
 
Posts: 167 | Location: Woodland, CA USA | Registered: 11 February 2002Reply With Quote
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Nice. Those 100gr TSXs are just devastating.

Great buck and great rifle. Well done on both accounts.

If you'd like to get rid of the glossy factory finish on that bottom metal, let me know and I can coat it with Cerakote to match the action and scope. It won't cost you anything but the time it takes to get it to me. I may even have a coated unit in the drawer that I can trade you.
 
Posts: 876 | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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Charley, It's a Williams bottom metal. The rifle came as an ADL but I thought he had coated it. I know he did the action and bolt. Maybe he didn't do the bottom metal? Whatever, we'll have to get together and see what's what. Appreciate the offer. Can I call the number off your website to get a hold of ya?
 
Posts: 167 | Location: Woodland, CA USA | Registered: 11 February 2002Reply With Quote
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Must just be the picture.

If it is not coated, I can certainly do it for you. The # on my site is probably the best way to get ahold of me.
 
Posts: 876 | Registered: 09 June 2005Reply With Quote
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