How to Accurately Score Deer using a Photo

[tlh2865]

I thought I might post this in case others might like to try. I have been successfully scoring bucks in my trail camera pictures with pretty high accuracy for the past two years. I have been able to confirm the method's validity on two very differently framed deer taken over the course of two seasons. On both occasions my error on the final score was less than 6 inches.
I use a pair of digital reloading calipers to measure the antlers of the book in question, length of tines, diameter of bases & at mass measurement points, spread, and length of main beams. All of these numbers can then be used in a proportion, comparing them to a measurement taken of something of known length in the picture. I use the ear, which in my area is almost always 5 inches from tip to canal.
The only detail that is required for this to work is that the deer must be facing the camera in order to obtain the most accurate measurements.

 

[boot]

6 inches is pretty good! Without having your hands on the antler there will always be some error. I've seen ads for a software program out there that supposively will accurately measure antlers from pictures, not sure how accurate it is though, or how much it costs. http://www.msudeerlab.com/buckscore.asp

 

[Turkey Creek]

Another constant measurement that I find useful in my geographical area is that from the front eye corner to the bottom of the jaw is almost always 4- 4 1/2" on depending on the maturity of the buck. Another helpful measurement to get you in the ball park is that front eye corner to nose tip is generally 7-8", you can generally decide to use the 7 or 8 by just looking at the overall head profile.

 

[swat1018]

I usually can get within 6" just eyeballing, from experience on bucks 120-160. On the really big, rare bucks, I may miss it by a little more.

 

[DocHolladay]

6 inches is pretty good! Without having your hands on the antler there will always be some error. I've seen ads for a software program out there that supposively will accurately measure antlers from pictures, not sure how accurate it is though, or how much it costs. http://www.msudeerlab.com/buckscore.asp

I've used the buck score and it has been within a couple inches of the 4 deer I have measured with, known scores.

 

[Cap'n]

https://www.boone-crockett.org/pdf/FJ_Whitetail.pdf
this is a good source for field judging bucks. I use it on trail cam pics and it get you close.