Is anyone interested?
dahlmer
12/9/10 3:17pm
I've been thinking for a while that it might be kind of fun to have a thread that showed how to properly measure (B&C) various types of animals. It would require oversight by some on the site (BOHNTR) that are qualified to teach. It seems to me like a good way to show common mistakes as well as help us all be more informed about the whole process. I would be happy to provide some pictures of a few animals to start with and if anyone else wanted to it sounds like fun.
So what do you think?
So what do you think?
12,099
Just to get started a little, some of the most common mistakes I find people make is trying to include the tip-to-tip spread as part of the score and measuring the mainbeam from the last point (G4 in most cases on a mulie) to the tip of the mainbeam and counting it as another point...essentially counting those inches of the mainbeam twice.
Baselines
This line should be above the center main-beam line and at the BASE of the point. When making this line, it should give the appearance that if you shaved off the point at this location, the main-beam curvature would look normal......as if the point wasn't there. This is where your respective tine length begins......down the center of the point to it's respective tip.
Main-Beam
A quick tip when determining the main-beam length is lining up the respective side you're measuring with the other side.......until the other side disappears...including the burr. When you accomplish this, the main-beam length will be from the burr directly in the center of the main-beam all the way to the tip. Many folks will incorrectly bring the cable or tape "behind" the antler just above the burr and bring it back to center as they make the curve towards the baseline at G2. This will give a "longer" main-beam length....but is an incorrect measurement.
The most common mistake I see people make is, like BOHNTR mentioned, is measuring tines by going to the middle of the main beam instead of how BOHNTR instructed. The other mistake I see fairly often is on elk, many measure the main beam and then measure the "6th point" again.
I have put a tape to several hundred animals, but I think being able to score animals fairly close while they are still alive is much trickier, and much more valuable, but that's just me and another topic. :-$
BOHNTR, i once read a post you made. it said, unless i'm mistaking, "all animals will get 4 mass measurments"
did i read that right? if so, i think that could be one of the biggest mistakes people make measuring themselves.
if i read it correctlly, even if it is a forked horn/ 2 point, you WILL get 4 mass measurments, with the measurment taken halfway beween where the beam and tip , across where the point should have been.?
unless i misread a post, i believe i read this fact fro bohntr, and it is amazine how many guys dont realize that a big o'l 3 point buck or a genetic 5 point bull, will still ge 4 mass measurments.
BUT----- A 7 POINT bull WILL STILL ONLY GET "4" MASS MEASUREMENTS also.
please correct me if i'm wrong, we all just want to learn!
Depending on the antler structure depends on where they are taken....here's some examples:
Forked Horn with no brow-tines (G1):
The first two circumference measurements (H1 & H2) will be in the exact same spot.....which is the smallest location between the burr and G2.
H3 will be taken at the half-way point of G2. So if the G2 is 10" long.....the H3 location will be taken at the 5" mark from the baseline.
H4 is taken half-way from where the center-line of G2 intersects the main-beam line and the tip of the main-beam.
Forked horn with brow-tines (G1):
The first circumference measurement (H1) is taken at the smallest location between the burr and G1 (brow-tine).
The second circumference location (H2) is taken at the smallest location between the brow-tine (G1) and G2.
G3 and G4 are taken in the exact manner as described above.
As antler structures change (with G3 & G4 present), you simply measure the smallest
location between the respective points and/or main-beam. If G3 is present, it would be taken at the smallest location on the tine (G2) between the baseline and G3.
H4 is taken at the smallest location on the main-beam between G2 & G4.
Things like how to identify which are normal points and which are abnormal........how to measure broken points......webbed points.....reverse G3 rules.......etc. You can also purchase measuring cables, and tapes.
MB=Main Beam
AB-Abnormal Point
How about elk, can you give a good example with the points marked for elk?