Trophy contender: A long main beam is essential to qualify for the B&C record books
It all started as a way to help save North America's vanishing big game. In fact, trophy measuring has a deep-rooted conservation history dating back to 1887, when a group of concerned individuals-including soon-to-be U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt-established the Boone and Crockett Club. Their goal? To promote the tradition of hunting, as well as conserve habitat and wildlife.

As part of its efforts, the fledgling group established an official measurement and scoring system for dwindling big-game species. Since trophy-class animals speak volumes as to the wildlife management policies that allow them to exist, the scientific community soon recognized the Boone and Crockett system as an effective way to track the success of conservation efforts.

That was 120 years ago-North America's big game have largely since recovered-but sportsmen still use the B&C scoring system for antlers, horns and skulls. In fact, it's become the standard, or base, for several record keepers, including the Longhunter Society, which collects and maintains records for trophies harvested with a muzzleloader. The Pope and Young Club, which recognizes trophies taken with a bow and arrow, also uses B&C criteria for determining net scores. And most provinces have an official record keeper and scoring scheme based on the B&C system.

For assessing antlers, B&C looks at a combination of mass and length measurements, as well as the symmetry between the left and right antlers (unlike B&C, Safari Club International and Buckmasters don't take away points for a lack of symmetry or balance). To field judge your own trophy whitetail or moose, here's how the B&C system can help you determine if you have a wall-hanger in your sights.


SIZING 'EM UP: WHITETAILS
To score typical whitetail antlers, measurements include the inside spread between the main beams, the length of the main beams, the distance between the tips of the main beams and the widest outside distance between the antlers (see diagram). The total number of tines and their lengths are also taken into account, while the overall mass is determined by measuring the circumference of each main beam between the points, and between the burr and the first point.

Scores are then determined for both the right and left antlers to generate an overall gross score, with the differences in measurements between the two antlers deducted to come up with a final score. But how can you quickly tell if a buck is a keeper before you squeeze the trigger?

Main beam lengths are a huge consideration-they can provide 30 per cent of the overall 170-inch minimum score needed to qualify for the B&C record books. When a buck is viewed in profile, you can tell if it has a long main beam if the tip extends to the end of the deer's nose.

A wide spread between antlers also indicates long beams, with a trophy-calibre deer requiring an outside spread of at least 20 inches. Since the tips of a mature buck's ears are about 18 inches apart, look for a spread that reaches beyond the ears.

As for the number of points, it's rare for a deer to make the record book with fewer than four on each antler, along with the tip of the main beam. The tines must also be evenly matched, measuring a minimum of 10 inches in length, starting with the first point after the brow on each antler. When you see a trophy-class buck, you usually know it right away-the antlers will look extremely tall above the ears, with the tines lined up like pickets in a fence.

The mass of the antlers, which can provide 20 to 25 per cent of the total score, is often hard to judge. Look for a thick main beam that stands out and catches a lot of light. We've all seen photos of deer with good mass-the weight immediately catches your eye.