How to Count Points on a Buck
Ask a Texas hunter and a Colorado hunter how many points the same buck has and you may get two answers. Here's how each count works.
What counts as a point
- The projection must be at least 1 inch long.
- It must be longer than it is wide, measured 1 inch down from its tip.
- The tip of each main beam counts as a point.
- Bumps, burr points and nubs under 1 inch don't count.
These are the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young rules. A state's antler restriction may define a point differently, so read your state's rules too.
Eastern count
Count every point on both antlers and add them together. A buck with a brow tine, two more tines and a beam tip on each side is an 8-point. This is the usual way in Texas, the South, the Midwest and the East.
Western count
Give the points on one side, usually the side with more. That same buck is a 4-point or a 4x4. Many western hunters leave out brow tines, so an eastern 10-point can be called a 4x4 out West.
Examples
- 4 points each side, brows included: eastern 8-point, western 4x4 (or 3x3 if brows are left out).
- 5 points right, 4 left: eastern 9-point, western 5x4.
- 4 each side plus a 3 inch drop tine: eastern 9-point. For scoring, the drop tine is an abnormal point.
- Spike with 2 inch brow nubs on each side: eastern 4-point; a 3/4 inch nub would not count.
Points vs score
Point count says nothing about size. A long-tined 8-point can outscore a short 10-point. To see where your buck really lands, use the deer score calculator and the step-by-step scoring guide.
Common questions
What counts as a point on a deer?
Under Boone and Crockett rules, a projection counts as a point if it's at least 1 inch long and longer than it is wide at 1 inch from the tip. The main beam tip always counts as a point.
Is an 8-point the same as a 4x4?
Yes, in most cases. Eastern count adds both sides together, so 4 points on each side is an 8-point. Western count gives the points on one side, so the same buck is a 4x4 or a 4-point.
Do brow tines count as points?
In eastern count they do. In traditional western count, many hunters leave brow tines (eye guards) out, so a 10-point eastern buck may be called a 4x4 out West.
Do state rules use the same count?
Not always. Some states have antler restrictions that define a point their own way. Check your state wildlife agency's rules before you shoot.
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