Scoring antler ???

[Mac...]

When are you suppose to score the antlers?
Before/after drying time?
I've heard it both ways... Is it an opinion thing or what?
I would assume it's before seeing as that was when the antlers where at their peak and live mass....

I only ask because I turned my buck in at the beginning on Nov.10' and I've talked to the Taxi several times and each time I ask, "So did you score it yet?"
And I always get back, "No, but it'll go about a 130-135ish"......

Well not if it's dried out dude!!!
Do they lose "That" much when drying out?

[Aggiebush]

You won't lose that much after the antlers dry out, maybe an inch or 2. I usually never get around to scoring mine until I am either doing my own skull mount or while it is at the taxi.

[bowhuntntxn]

According to all official practices, they must dry for 60 days, then be officially scored. According to another thread on here, they can lose up to 3 inches apparently. They will lose some inside spread as far as I have heard from the skull plate shrinking a bit. the actual tine length does not change I dont think.

[JMG]

You can score them when you want but for records, most want 60 day drying period.

[Mudslinger]

60 day waiting period for P&Y and B&C and shrinkage will occur mostly in the spread, not much in mass or tine length.

[Coach W]

Yup its 60 days.... However for bragging rights, mine are done right off the hanging pole!

[canny]

As mentioned you can score whenever, but record books require at least 60 days to dry. I never though that made that much of a difference, however while scoring my GFs buck this past weekend (shot in December, just got it back from taxi) the inside spread had shrunk from roughly 18 1/2" at the time of shot to 17 6/8" at time time of actual scoring.

[Mac...]

Thanks guys.
That's why I asked.
Was wondering about an 8pt I shot a few years back as well.
It was pretty respectable but not mount worthy so I just scalped the skull.
He doesn't look like much anymore.
I wonder if some shrink more than others.....
His spread REALLY shrank in!
I'll measure when I get home and tell ya how much.
He started at 16" flat inside.

[Mac...]

WoW!!!
12.5" inside spread!!!????!!!

Will it shrink down that much???
That's baffling to me!

[Mudslinger]

If you did not leave much skull cap, it might possibly have shrunk that much, but not in actual shrinkage. The skull cap may have bowed and brought the horns closer together. I have measured a lot of horns and I have never seen one shrink over 3/4 to an inch. Something ain't kosher on that much shrinkage.

[Mac...]

Sent thru tapatalk while using a Hoyt

[Mudslinger]

Those horns look to have more than a 12" spread.

[Mac...]

I hollowed out the bottom of it as well.

[Mac...]

Sent thru tapatalk while using a Hoyt

[Mudslinger]

Mac, you said when this deer was shot that the inside meaured 17"?