Spread to use for Estimating Elk Score

[Josey_Wales]

Last weekend, I found several nice elk sheds in NM, including my first matched set (6x6) and a lone 7 point. I've never scored an elk before, and have no idea what is a typical spread to use for estimating score. I know it depends on the size of the antlers, but what would you say is a good, conservative number to use for a typical 6x6 elk?

Thanks...

 

[bonepicker]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-10 AT 11:49AM (MST)[p]Most people go with a 40" spread for a typical elk but some people use a formula for figuring the spread of sheds. The ratio I've heard is that the spread is typically 85% of the mainbeam length. So a bull with a 50" MB would have a spread of 42.5". Seems pretty close.
The nice thing about sheds though is that you can give them whatever spread you think looks best. In fact, the hardest part for me anymore is finding a place on my wall for all my shed bulls that have 75" spreads. The elk have wide genetics in my area

 

[AndymanSavage]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-10 AT 03:15PM (MST)[p]I shot a bull this fall with 50" beams and it has a 43" inside spread.....that formula looks pretty accurate.

-----------------------------------------------
http://andymansavage.blogspot.com/

 

[Josey_Wales]

Thanks for the input...that helps a bunch.

 

[NV4Life]

I know a lot of people use 40". Its impossible to tell unless you are able to see the bull before he sheds. As for the formula above, I have a bull with 53" beams and its only 36" wide.
___________________________________________
-TEAM HOSSBACK- "Making Blood Trails, Not Profit"

 

[bonepicker]

Very true. If you run into a herd of big bulls, you will see alot of variation in the spreads and it doesn't always relate to the length of mainbeam. I've seen smaller bulls with big spreads and big bulls with narrow spreads. Sometimes you just have to guess.

 

[one_dryboot]

I have two bulls that have good beams but not real wide.

1- 53-54 inch beams and only 39 wide

2- 50-51 inch beams and only 36 wide



Also I picked up sheds off a bull last spring that was super wide probably 45-46 inside and he only had 50 beams. so its hard to say

 

[Gator]

one guess is as good as another.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Yep, just hold em up and judge em on how they look is as good a method as any! With sheds you're dealing not only with angle, but "twist" at the burr, which can vary the spread considerably as well. Some bulls have eyegaurds that are more or less parallel, and some bulls have em that point outward from eachother. In the end, it's just an estimate! You can look at bulls that come from the area to get a rough idea of how they typically sit.