Experts will score antlers at Cape Nature Center event on Saturday

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News from the region
Southeast
Published Date
02/20/2014
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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- While admiring antlers from a proudly harvested buck, hunters usually want to know how their rack stacks up to the competition. Experts can provide the answer at the Deer Antler Scoring event, Feb. 22, at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center.

From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., hunters may bring their antler trophies from any past season, to have them officially scored. Even shed antlers can be brought in for scoring, according to Jake Hindman, an Outreach and Education District Supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

“Hunting is a time-honored tradition in Missouri,” Hindman said. “It’s just one of many ways we encourage people to discover nature and scoring a set of antlers is a way to learn a lot more information about your harvest and our native whitetails.”

Missouri Show-Me Big Bucks, Pope & Young and Boone & Crocket-certified scorers will evaluate and score antlers. Hunters also have the option to drop off antlers to be scored and picked up later.

The Boone & Crocket Club is the internationally-recognized standard for judging deer racks taken with firearms from any location, while the Pope & Young Club provides the same kind of certification for antlers harvested by bow and arrow. Missouri Show-Me Big Bucks scores antlers taken in Missouri only.

To qualify for scoring, all racks must have been dried at least 60 days. The MDC encourages hunters to bring all harvest information, such as date, time, location and method.

No reservations are required for this event and there is no cost to participate. Standard fees for certification apply if awarded. For more information, call (573) 290-5218. The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center is located within Cape County Park North, just east of I-55 (exit 99).