First year hunting a county with the 13 inch rule. Does anyone have a sure fire way to judge this width? I have a 14 year old and want him to have a no bs way of determining if it is legal. Thanks for any help you can give

I've never killed a deer. With a 23 inch spread rule, I would think it is managed by the QDMA or something, and would have some pretty nice looking deer. I'd make the decision to only take a doe unless a real nice buck walked through. I think that should keep you on the safe side. There are some areas on Fort Bragg managed by the QDMA that require bucks either to have three points or at least a 12" spread, apparently there are some spikes that are right at 12". I'd think solid 8 point or better would be a sure thing... from a legal standpoint. As far as actually finding one, man like I said I've never killed a deer before. But I have thought about it as well, be a use of the regs on Fort Bragg, so I,just wanted to throw that idea out there...

This may help --->


When in doubt, don't pull the trigger.

There is no sure-fire way. The hunting and fishing booklet they give you when you buy your license has some helpful illustrations.

Where I hunt, a 3 year old and up buck usually has an ear spread of about 13 inches - more or less. This varies from place to place and even deer to deer. After a while, you will get better at judging. Until then, my suggestion is to err on the side of caution.

Good hunting!

I understand that deer vary from place to place. I have hunted the north for almost 30 years and now that I'm here in Texas the deer here have smaller bodies and seems to make the antlers seem bigger. My son has shot his fair share of deer and elk and has seen thousands of deer in my taxi studio. However, the boy is a killing machine with an itchy trigger finger..... I have alway told him to make sure they are outside the ears atleast when the ears are relaxed. Just thought I'd seen what others opinions were.

I always error on making sure there's some daylight between ears and antler spread. Usually this will occur at 14-15"...

Good Luck and Be Careful

That's about the best and safest way to make sure it's legal IMO. That's what I tell mine also.

We have had it for years, I have not taken a buck except for a older funky spike a couple of years back.I have scoped several but they were all in that iffy area, so they walked...

I know an old man that had a young 25 year old man to shoot one a quarter inch shy of 13 and got a 250 dollar fine. He took it the butcher and the female biologist saw it up there and called the game warden. DURN! Now that guy is afraid to pull the trigger. I guess it will have to be a whopper next time.

How wide is that one?

That's a 12 inch wide 7 year old east tx deer

I also killed a 13 1/4 wide 5 year old that had 13 points and scored 163. I didn't hesitate to shoot him or this one in the pic. If they are big old mature bucks and I know it well its too late for measuring.

Difficult at best if a deer is close to be able to tell. I've seen heavy horned deer like REALKILLER posted that you would swear would be legal and not close. I have had an older deer with very nice antlers within 12 yards during bow season last year. He might be 13" but he's still here cause I wasn't sure. Like has need stated if your not sure don't shoot!

Although I don't hunt in an AR area, the way I always look at it is wider than ear tips should get past the 13" but if it's close, don't shoot.

I like your plan. Just reinforce with 'Hey, it's $250 if you're wrong, so think about what you'd like to do with that money and realize you won't be doing it.'

I would think its time to be responsible weather you have an itchy trigger finger or not. He will be held accountable for his actions, not you. Outside ears at alert position is good to go. If you shoot one that is outside the ears and doesn't make 13" I bet there will be some leniency as that is how the regs indicated to judge.

If he cant determine and decide on his own, might need to be sitting with someone more experienced.

lots of game cam pics and scouting really help. Don't take much to make 13 inches. May set you a few 13inch markers around the feeder also

When you hunt in an AR county you just have to relax and not be too quick on the trigger.
You hunt AR's long enough when a 13+ wide buck steps out you'll know it without a doubt, and that comes from watching all those borderline deer.
Observe the animal and if the tips of the ears in the alert position are even with the outside edge of the antler beams, pass it up. It's the inside measurement that has to be 13" and it's pretty easy to tell when the main beams are outside the tips of the ears.
The key is slow down. If it's going to be a snap shot then your best choice is to pass it by.

A 13 inch antler spread is the antlers are outside the ears

It will really depend on the deer. Deer ear length will vary greatly even on the same ranch. I see it here all the time. I have border line bucks that get a pass due to not having killed enough deer on this place to judge by.
Here is a post on did on a similar thread on here.
If you know the field dresssed or live body weight of bucks in your area that will help. Here are 2 bucks killed in an AR county on my place. One was 13 6/8" IIRC(dressed 108 lbs in late Dec) and the other was 14 2/8"(dressed 139 lb in late Oct). You can see the difference on ear size and width in these pics.
13 6/8"


14 2/8" IS

Just goes to show that 13" inside spread bucks can score pretty good if older and mature. I have a 140", 13.5" 11 pt. euro on the wall..Double fork G2s, he's one of my favorite South Texas bucks I have mounted but one of the narrowest too.

if you have to think about it he's not wide enough

I have studied that TPWD instruction/diagram and have it burned into memory, so when I see that one buck on my land that is now 6 years old, and his antlers still go up more than out...what do I do, let him die of old age because he is unusual. The 13 inch rule is the best they have I get that, but I also believe if your hunting an area for multiple seasons and can age a deer correctly, that age should be a factor as well. If less than 13 inches but 6 or older, it should be a good harvest.

IMO, more experienced hunters must be careful in thinking that a buck must be legal just because he has tall, thick antlers. I've seen bucks with thinner racks that exceed the 13-inch minimum, and deer with heavy, thick racks that don't.