Quick Answer
Pope & Young records are kept for archery harvests of white-tailed, mule deer, and all other members of the Cervidae family, with the exception of reindeer and caribou.
Eligible Species
The Pope & Young Club accepts records from the following deer species: white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Coues white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi), Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis), and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus). The club also accepts records from the following subspecies of mule deer: Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) and desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus eremus).
Record Requirements
To qualify for a Pope & Young record, the deer must have been taken with a bow and arrow, and must meet the club’s minimum score requirements. The minimum score for white-tailed deer is 80 inches, while the minimum score for mule deer is 85 inches. The minimum score for Coues white-tailed deer is 75 inches, and the minimum score for Sitka black-tailed deer is 80 inches. For black-tailed deer, the minimum score is 85 inches.
Submission and Verification
To submit a record for the Pope & Young Club, hunters must provide a photograph of the deer, as well as a detailed description of the hunt, including the date, location, and method of taking the deer. The club also requires a score of the deer’s antlers, which must be done by a certified scorer. The scorer must use the Pope & Young scoring system, which takes into account the number and length of the antlers, as well as the number and location of any irregularities or defects.
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