Elk Antler Score Sheet

How to Use This Elk Score Sheet

Print this sheet and bring it to the field, spike camp, or processing shed. You will need a flexible steel tape — elk antlers are too large and curved for a rigid rule. Measure to the nearest 1/8 inch and record right and left sides separately for every tine, beam, and circumference. The Difference column captures the absolute difference between each matched pair (right minus left, or left minus right — whichever is larger). Those differences become your deductions when calculating the net score.

Spread credit is measured at the widest inside point between the main beams and recorded once. If the spread exceeds the length of the longer main beam, your spread credit is capped at that beam length — not the actual spread measurement. Write the capped value in the spread credit box at final scoring.

To calculate your gross B&C score: add the spread credit, the right column total, and the left column total. To get the net score, subtract the total deductions (sum of the difference column) from the gross score. For a typical entry the abnormal tine total is also subtracted. For non-typical entries, abnormal points are added to the gross before subtracting symmetry deductions.

Want to skip the paper math? Enter your numbers into the free online elk score calculator and get your gross and net score instantly.

Elk Scoring vs. Deer Scoring — Key Differences

If you already know how to score a whitetail or mule deer, elk scoring follows the same B&C framework but with some important differences that catch people off guard in the field.

Six scoring tines per side instead of four or five. Deer typically score G-1 through G-4 (plus an occasional G-5). A mature bull elk ideally has G-1 through G-6 — the brow tine, bez, trez, royal, fifth, and sixth points. Most bulls score through G-4 or G-5; a true six-point royal bull reaches G-6. Tines are measured from the center of the beam at the base of the tine to the tip. A tine must be at least one inch long to count as a point.

Elk still use H-1 through H-4 circumferences, the same as deer. Each measurement is taken at the midpoint between adjacent tines, or — if a tine is missing — at the midpoint of the beam section where that tine would have been.

The scale is dramatically larger. A typical B&C whitetail minimum is 160 net. The typical elk minimum is 360 net — more than double. Main beams on a record-class bull can exceed 60 inches each, and G-4 (the royal) frequently runs 18–22 inches or more on exceptional animals.

Inside spread credit works the same way — widest inside point between the main beams — but elk spreads routinely measure 40–50+ inches, versus 18–22 inches on a big whitetail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tines does a typical bull elk have?

A "6x6" bull — the standard for a mature bull — carries six tines per side for a total of twelve main scoring points plus the two main beam tips. The six tines are the brow (G-1), bez (G-2), trez (G-3), royal (G-4), fifth (G-5), and sixth (G-6). In B&C scoring only the tines on the scoring frame count; any extra points are recorded as abnormal and become deductions in the typical category. Some bulls are 5x5 or 7x7, and the sheet accommodates either — simply leave blank the rows for tines that are not present.

What is the B&C minimum for elk?

The Boone & Crockett entry minimum for a typical American elk is 360 net score. Non-typical elk require 385 net. To qualify for the B&C Awards Program — the prestigious triennial entry — minimums rise to 375 net typical and 400 net non-typical. These scores must be officially measured by a certified B&C scorer after a mandatory 60-day drying period following harvest.

What is a good elk score?

Context matters. For archery hunters, a bull scoring 260 net meets the Pope & Young minimum — a legitimate trophy by any measure. A rifle bull in the 300s is outstanding in most herds. Any bull pushing 360 net is B&C class, placing it in roughly the top 1% of harvested elk. The current world record typical American elk scored 478 4/8, taken in Arizona — a number most hunters will never approach, but it sets the benchmark for what the species is capable of.

What is the difference between gross and net elk score?

The gross score is the sum of all positive measurements: spread credit, right beam and tines, left beam and tines, and all circumferences. The net score is the gross score minus deductions. Deductions come from two sources: symmetry differences (the absolute difference between each matched right-left pair) and, for typical entries, abnormal point lengths. A perfectly symmetrical bull would have zero deductions, so gross equals net. Most real bulls lose 10–40 points to asymmetry and abnormal tines. A bull with a 390 gross but severe asymmetry may not make the 360 net minimum, while a slightly smaller but more symmetrical 365 gross bull might squeak in.

How do I measure G-1 through G-6 on an elk?

All tine lengths are measured the same way. Start your tape at the center of the main beam directly at the base of the tine, run the tape along the outer curve of the tine, and measure to the tip. For curved tines — especially the brow (G-1) and royal (G-4), which are often dramatically curved — follow the curve rather than measuring a straight-line distance. The distinction matters: a deeply curved brow tine measured along its curve may be 18 inches while a straight-line measurement might only be 13. B&C rules require following the outer curve. If you are uncertain whether to call a point G-5 or an abnormal point, the rule is that normal points project from the top of the main beam; an abnormal point projects from the side or bottom of the beam, or grows off another tine.

---

Related Calculators

• 🦌 Elk Antler Score Calculator — auto-calculate your gross and net score online
• 🦌 Deer Antler Score Calculator — whitetail B&C scoring
• 🖨️ Printable Deer Score Sheet — same format for whitetail
• 🦌 Mule Deer Score Calculator
• 📖 How to Score Deer Antlers — step-by-step measurement guide