tape rack Print this page, tape it on the wall of your hunting room or camp and refer to it from time to time as you get ready to hit the woods. Tips from Boone and Crockett.

Main Beam Length

Main beams account for 30 percent of a rack’s score. The average Boone and Crockett-class buck has beams that average 25.63 inches. For field-judging purposes, it’s about 8 inches from a buck’s eye to the end of its nose, so look for main beams at least 3 times that long.

Mass

The second most important factor is mass. Circumference measurements taken between the burr and first point (G-1), and between other points along the main beam together provide nearly 18 percent of the score. To field-judge mass, consider that the circumference of a buck’s eye is about 4 inches. Antler mass measurements on a Boone and Crockett class buck average about 4 1/2 inches. So look for main beams thicker than the eyes, with that mass carried through the length of the beams.

Tine Length and Spread

Other important characteristics for score, and which account for 12 percent each, are inside spread and length of tines, especially the second and third points. The average Boone and Crockett buck has an inside spread of 19.75 inches. G-2 tines average 10 inches. In the woods, look for tall tines, the more the better.