There’s More To A Record Than Bagging The Big One

Trophy big-game animals don’t automatically get listed in the record books.

Like most things nowadays, there’s a process.

Randy Byers of Moscow, Idaho, is the records chairman for the Boone and Crockett Club. Founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt, the Boone and Crockett Club is the official record-keeper for rifle-killed North American big game.

Byers also is the past records chairman and now sits on the board of directors of the Pope and Young Club, bowhunting’s big-game record-keepers.

Byers offers these tips to hunters on caring for a kill that could qualify for trophy scoring.

“There’s a 60-day drying period before anything can be (officially) measured,” Byers said. “So there’s no big rush. For horned or antlered animals, we can measure and score them with bare skull plates, mounted, or unmounted.”

For skulled animals like bear and cougar, Byers said the drying period doesn’t officially start until all the flesh is removed from the bone.

“It’s best to go ahead and boil that off right away just because it’s easier.”

To locate an official scorer, Byers suggests asking local taxidermists, game agencies or hunting clubs.

“We don’t have to measure on the 61st day either,” said Byers. “Things don’t change that much. Exceptions are animals taken while still in velvet and horned animals like antelope.”

Antelope horns tend to shrink a lot, according to Byers. Especially if a person hangs them near a heat source during the drying period.

Byers said sizable animals are taken in the Inland Northwest region each season. He measures 10 to 20 trophies each year that are contenders for the record books. Byers pointed out that bowhunting trophy qualifying scores are lower than rifle scores.

“We kill lots of elk around here that are magnificent bulls scoring 340 or so. But they have to score 360 to even qualify for consideration,” he said.

“Every once and a while I get surprised though. I did measure a 387-plus bull once that was taken in Benewah County near St. Maries.

In 1985, Byers was called in by a Moscow taxidermist to measure a five-by-six-point whitetail that scored 181-7/8 points. The deer was killed by George Cook near Garfield, Wash. It remains in the record books.

“If that deer would’ve had one more matching point, it would’ve scored 190 plus,” said Byers, noting that such a score would rank it among the elite trophies in North America.

After the trophy is dried, contact either Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young and get the score sheets. Read and fill them out completely. There is a $25 entry fee and a fair chase affidavit required.

“Finally, we need photos; front and left and right sides,” Byers said. “A harvest photo is good evidence too, but not required.”

Profile photos can be taken during the actual measuring so hunters needn’t worry about packing a camera afield.

“All scorers are unpaid volunteers in both clubs, so we kind of don’t like to waste our time with non-entries,” Byers said. “And no, we can’t accept money for our services. We are sport hunters who believe in the system and we’re in this to help make it work.

“To become an official scorer you have to be invited to a three- to five-day class.”

Critics contend that the competitiveness of trophy hunting brings out the worst among hunters. Byers agrees, with qualification.

“There’s no doubt it does,” he said with a shake of his head. “But those guys represent a tiny minority, yet they are very visible.”