A trophy deer is in the eye of the beholder – an antlerless deer may even be a trophy for some hunters. If you take a deer this hunting season sporting an exceptional set of antlers, you may wonder how your buck compares to other whitetails.

In general, trophy deer heads are scored using a series of antler measurements. Such criteria as the number of points on each antler, spread of the antlers, length of the main antler beams, circumference of the antlers, and general symmetry all figure in when determining a trophy rack. Deer antlers also tend to shrink slightly once a deer is killed so a mandatory waiting period of 60 days is required before a set of antlers is officially scored (See list of Official Scorers for the Buckeye Big Buck Club).

Four sportsmen’s organizations recognize trophy deer in Ohio: Buckeye Big Buck Club, Boone and Crockett Club, Pope & Young Club, and the Longhunter Society. Call 1-800-WILDLIFE for contact information for any of these four groups.