How do you judge the size of a antelope in the field?

[Okie Whitetail Hunter]

Been hunting them for 3 years now and had success each year in WY. I have a problem judging them in the field though. Our group killed 2 nice ones and then one smaller one (me) due to not doing a good job of judging them in the field. Just curious how everyone else judges the antelope in the field.

 

[cohunt]

google-foo

https://www.fieldandstream.com/how-to-size-up-pronghorn-antlers/

 

[Okie Whitetail Hunter]

Good read. I have looked through a few different articles like this. I guess I was looking more for how individuals do it? If there were any personal learning points on how they do it in the field.

google-foo

https://www.fieldandstream.com/how-to-size-up-pronghorn-antlers/

 

[wyowinchester]

Cutters don't start until they get above the ears, Mass, curls deep, Mass, length of cutters, Mass. You have to look at a lot of goats too get a feel for it.

 

[tmmcampbell]

Seems to me if they have nice cutters they are quality. I look to the cutters first then follow wyowinchester on the rest of the horns.

 

[Plinker147]

There is another post on here about the subject. What has worked for me is setting a standard ( average buck for your area). Measure a bunch from your area and learn what measurements it takes to score, prong length, overall length. With this in your head go out and look at a bunch of antelope and compare them to your standard (say a 70in, 14 length, and 5 in prongs is your standard) for your area. Look at each part of horn and compare to you standard. Is it better or same or less. With this you can judge if its a better than average antelope for your area. remember there are 4 mass measurements and only 1 length, mass adds a lot to pronghorns.

With all field judging it takes a lot of practice and experience but scoring a bunch really helped me.

 

[Pulpwood]

It is hard to do and takes a lot of practice

 

[manitou]

Go to all the sites you can to look at pics of antelope, then google "what does a 75" pronghorn look like", etc. Spend time in the field looking at them. DON'T SHOOT THE FIRST ONES UNLESS YOU ARE SURE! I look for mass, then prongs, then lastly... length. Big antelope look big compared to others. I still struggle with a 78" vs a 80", but I can tell a nice one. Killed this one this season. 78" green, which is okay. The area I hunt, a 72" goat is a big one.

 

[wyowinchester]

Unless your after a book goat, Find the one that you want looking back at you on the wall. So many different shapes, colors,....They are a beautiful animal.

 

[bigngreen]

I go by how out of place the horns look and the look of the face, a dark faced buck with horns that just look out of place I shoot. If they look normal and they fit the body and head size they'll be average.

 

[lancetkenyon]

If they look average, they are small.
If they look good, they are average.
If they look great, they are good.
If they look freakish, they are great.
If the look downright alien, they are huge.

Unfortunately, width does not play into pronghorn scoring. So that only adds character, not quantity.
Length, curl, prong, mass, mass, mass.
I have not scored a lot of pronghorn, but researched the heck.out of them this year. I knew instantly this guy was #1 on our hit list this year. He went 82 3/8" green.

 

[nmbarta]

I just shot a 13 7/8" pronghorn that went 78. I look for prongs, because I don't like how they look without them, then I look for mass. Good prongs, good mass, I shoot.
I've found length to be the hardest to "judge" in the field, and I've got it wrong as many times as I've got it right, but.....you can see prongs, and you can see mass without a doubt. Didn't get my 80" buck, If I was a better judge....I'd have shot him anyway!

 

[codyadams]

This -

http://www.pronghornguideservice.com/field-judging.html

Also, save a bunch of photos of pronghorn bucks in the high 70's, low 80's, mid and high 80's to reference and compare while looking through the spotter at bucks. Keep in mind that some bucks will get there on great mass, some will get there on fantastic diggers, some on length, and some are a good combo of all. Mass is more important than length also, and width doesn't count for anything and is more often than not deceiving.

 

[Rebell]

Don't compare to others and shoot what you like. So many shapes and sizes. Got this one last month with the ole muzzle gun.