I've received a couple invitations to hunt free range Axis and Blackbuck in the hill country. They are cool looking animals but I have absolutely no idea how to field judge Axis antlers or Blackbuck horns. Anyone care to give me a quick lesson on what to look for? I assume you age them just like whitetail, but I need some help identifying trophy class animals.

this may be totally wrong and if so sorry for giving you the info. With blackbuk you can count the curls. 4+ curls decent 5+ real good?

axis are really hard to field judge.

a small one can look big.

as for blackbuck.....i don't know how to tell you to judge them, I've looked at them so long I know a big one from a small one.

for me a good one is 20+ inches

Bigger is better.

shooter



axis in velvet

Usually the darker the coat is on a black buck, the more mature he is. I wouldnt shoot anything under 18" though. On Axis, look for long main beams. Then after that, look and see if you want long caudles or brows.

Also, I wouldnt rely on the curls to judge a black buck.

If you like it shoot it , dont really matter on the score if you like it

+ one

I hear you, but where I'm headed I'll have the opportunity to hunt for some big animals. Why not learn what to look for and try to harvest something truly exceptional?

curls have nothing to do with length on a blackbuck. Study some online. Blackbuck are a lot smaller than people realize. They can fool you.

If you are looking at a mature blackbuck and the tips of his horns are over his back when his head is down then he should be 18" or better. Or a better way, use the ears to judge the length. The ears are 6" long. 3 times the ear length and you have 18" How's that?

For axis deer take into account the body size of the animal first. They can fool you easily because they have a deeper brisket and a high scapula. The older the buck the deerp their chest is and the taller their back looks. 4-6 year old bucks really start to show it as a hump on their back. Once you know you have a mature axis buck then take a look at the horns. A young 3 year old axis buck with 27" antler will easily fool someone into thinking they are looking at a 30" trophy buck just because his body size is that much smaller.

All axis look taller when walking away so don't judge them by that. You need to see an axis buck's profile to see how far back the horns sweep and head-on to see the width. Ears are about 7" long and about 15"-16" tip to tip when in the alert position usually. Or, if your hunting at a feeder, take some white(or whatever color is easiest to see from far away) tape and mark a 15" span on the legs. You will be able to use that as reference if you are lucky enough to see an axis buck at that feeder.

Does any of that help?

Also I want to add that the black coat of a blackbuck not only indicates maturity but also his dominance in the herd. They are very territorial so if you find a fresh poop pile, hang around that area or put up a trail camera to see when he's coming by. They mark the borders of their territory with large poop piles and will refresh them daily.

On your axis buck. You will want to shoot him in the shoulder, not behind it. Their vitals are lie farther forward than a whitetail. If you get a good quartering away shot, then you might be able to save more of the meat and put the entry behind the shoulder or on the back edge of it.

Thats as good an explination as I've read. Thanks for the response. Baker

My Trapping buddy Todd Mishnick in Ft Stockton and his wife and
son killed 3 blackbucks on a ranch he was trapping near San Angelo...one was 29in, one 30in, and one 33in. I've killed sev.
in Tarpley, old with large bases, moused ears ect..none much ovr
18 or 19 in..and had hollow teeth.
Axis are easy..usually losing horns at the end of the yr. Rut in
late summer thru Sept. one with 30in apprx wide and 33in high or
higher is a real keeper..Don

Don

That's some big ol' blackbucks....wow

Shoot what you like and don't get hung up on size.

The blackbucks were mounted for free by a taxidermist in Kerrvl.
who wanted to carry them to the shows....Guess who never saw his
mounts again.....

Also on a BB he should have 4 to 41/2 curls....The big ones I
described above..were measured straight up/not around the curl

Don

Who cares, there's no bag limit!!!
J/K...LOL
If it looks big body wise and you want good meat take it...if it looks small body wise and looks like it has big antlers than take it.(axis bucks) does..the bigger the bigger...
BB i have no clue.

You eat many Blackbucks....Meat is Bloodyred...stringy....tough
and not eye appealing at all....I am not real particular..Have
made Chili out of all most anything...For table fare, I would'nt
shoot...If you are going to mount one, or you are culling some,
by all means...work on 'm...They don't kill real easy, but go down if shot in the right spot...DD