Two numbers matter and most camp arguments confuse them. The Awards book has a lower minimum and covers a rolling three-year entry period. The All-time book is the permanent records book and takes a higher score. Clear the All-time number and you are in both.
Every number below is a net score, taken after the 60-day drying period and measured by a certified official measurer. Net means symmetry deductions have already come off. That is why a buck that grosses 175 can miss the book entirely.
Deer Minimum Scores
| Category | B&C Awards | B&C All-Time | Pope & Young |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitetail Deer, typical | 160 | 170 | 125 |
| Whitetail Deer, non-typical | 185 | 195 | 155 |
| Coues Whitetail, typical | 100 | 110 | 70 |
| Coues Whitetail, non-typical | 105 | 120 | 80 |
| Mule Deer, typical | 180 | 190 | 145 |
| Mule Deer, non-typical | 215 | 230 | 170 |
| Columbia Blacktail, typical | 125 | 135 | 95 |
| Sitka Blacktail, typical | 100 | 108 | 75 |
Elk Minimum Scores
| Category | B&C Awards | B&C All-Time | Pope & Young |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Elk, typical | 360 | 375 | 260 |
| American Elk, non-typical | 385 | 385 | 300 |
| Roosevelt Elk | 275 | 290 | 225 |
| Tule Elk | 270 | 285 | 225 |
Minimums are published by the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club. Non-typical archery minimums also carry an abnormal-point requirement in addition to the total score.
Where does your buck land?
Run your measurements through a free calculator and see the net number before you start telling the story.
What the whitetail numbers mean in the field
For most of the country, 160 net typical is the wall. Plenty of hunters take a 140 or 150 class deer and never come closer. Getting from 150 to 160 is not one big feature, it is four or five inches of tine length plus sides that match. Deductions are what kill book entries. A buck with a 10 inch left G2 and a 7 inch right G2 gives back three inches before anything else is counted.
If you hunt with a bow, the Pope and Young line at 125 typical is far more reachable and is the one worth measuring against on most properties.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum Boone and Crockett score for a whitetail?
A typical whitetail needs 160 net to make the Boone and Crockett Awards book and 170 net for the All-time records book. A non-typical whitetail needs 185 for Awards and 195 for All-time. Those are net scores after symmetry deductions, not gross.
What is the difference between the Awards book and the All-time book?
The Awards book covers a three-year entry period and uses a lower minimum. The All-time book is the permanent records book and uses a higher minimum. A trophy that clears the All-time minimum goes in both books. A trophy between the two numbers goes in the Awards book only.
Is 150 inches a Boone and Crockett buck?
No. A 150 inch typical whitetail is a genuine trophy that most hunters never take, but it is ten inches under the 160 Awards minimum and twenty under the 170 All-time minimum. It would clear the Pope and Young minimum of 125 if taken with a bow.
Does gross or net score count for the record book?
Net. Boone and Crockett subtracts side to side asymmetry differences, and on a typical entry it also deducts abnormal points. A buck that grosses 172 can easily net under 160 if his sides do not match.
What are the Pope and Young minimums?
Pope and Young keeps the archery records and uses lower minimums: 125 for a typical whitetail, 155 non-typical, 145 for a typical mule deer, and 260 for a typical American elk. The animal must be taken with a bow under Pope and Young fair chase rules.
How do I get my buck officially scored?
Your antlers must air dry for 60 days at normal room temperature, then be measured by a certified Boone and Crockett official measurer. You can find one through the Boone and Crockett Club. Any number you get before the drying period is an unofficial estimate.
