They're brow tines

 

I agree with RyanR's answer, those are brow tines, but the OP's question remains. Is there any specific guideline?

 

Look at a typical antler, like the photo. The three up tines begin where the antler curves and sweeps forward. To me, anything before that curve is likely a brow tine. Beyond it, and up tine.

 

Take a 3x3 six point. Your classic 3 up. Technically has no brow tines. But, the brow is often considered the first tine from the base. Would the G2 be the G1, by default. The answer is no, but why? If the G2 is closer to the base than the G3, it could raise some questions.

 

..he's perfectly normal, there brow tines..just the photo angle makes them look much further up..

 

The book just says immediately above the antler burr which I think is kind of vauge. Maybe its just a crappy photo or photo angle as 6-Dasher has mentioned. The left one threw me off a little more cause it angles in and almost looks like its halfway up the beam. But looking closer its hard to tell whats antler and whats ear in this photo since its so blurry.

But that said say it was another inch or two up the beam. When does it become 3-up, does it have to be beyond the curve?

 

There is no distance, they are brow tines.

 

My opinion: they are brow tines. Assuming there are only Y's up top (can't be certain from the pic) the buck would not be legal in the 3-up zones. Legal in the 3-on-one-side zones.

 

This top photo Swamp Buck shared is a better example of what I am referring to. That buck's left antler (right on photo) has the first tine farther up the beam, even past its head. I have always just went by the curve also out of caution, but I wasn't sure if there was a more exact definition.

Also the buck in my camera was in a 3-on-side zone, but I mostly hunt in 3-up areas.

 

It's the same buck he's just a year older in the top pic. But basically it's a brow tine if it's above the base of the antler and below the G-2.

 

I agree with both Swamp Buck and lorider, in those pics, those are brow tines. So, back to the OP's question, so when are they no longer considered brow tines? As for me, I agree with RyanR's interpretation. I'd be interested to see if someone has pics of some bucks that were more questionable.

 

What about this tine here indicated by the arrow. If that split brow tine wasnt there before it, I would call that a brow tine. Especially seeing the other side having a brow tine in the same spot. Does it stop being a brow tine if theres a tine before it, even though its still in the brow tine location? If there was a 4-on-one-side deer with two seperate non branching tines before the curve going straight up, would it be legal?

Not that I will ever see something like this, so probably a mute point.

 

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What about this tine here indicated by the arrow. If that split brow tine wasnt there before it, I would call that a brow tine. Especially seeing the other side having a brow tine in the same spot. Does it stop being a brow tine if theres a tine before it, even though its still in the brow tine location? If there was a 4-on-one-side deer with two seperate non branching tines before the curve going straight up, would it be legal?

Not that I will ever see something like this, so probably a mute point.

The points with the red line are brow tines and the points circled in blue are just non typical points.

 

If a hunter killed one of the bucks pictured above, and was cited because it didn’t meet AR restrictions, it would make for an interesting hearing before a District Magistrate. He or she ( the DMs ) isn’t gonna snort “ of course it’s a brow tine, look at it ! “ Most of the DMs I know aren’t hunters. They’re gonna pull out the law book and read “ immediately above the antler burr”, and that’s when the fun starts.

 

It's not complicated. They sprout an entirely different angle off the beam. How to mathermatically define that or put in a way that even ChatGPT level humans can understand, idk, but I can tell you when I see one which is which. Rare cases it's ambiguous, but those are rare. Here's the deal on those rarities - follow the spirit of AR and most times you'll be fine. Use it to justfy whacking a little marginal basket rack deer, good luck. Same scenario on a real grown-up buck sporting big headgear, fire away. It's pretty simple, like I said. OP photo is 100% G-1 brows.

 

Totally agree..99.9% of the time it’s super easy to tell the difference. All pics shown here were all brows. Again if your unsure just don’t shoot

 

I agree the law is very sketchy. However, if you are on the fence with what may or may not make a buck legal, you’re best off not shooting it. At least that’s my opinion…when something is close better to be safe than sorry.

 

We had a funky looking buck last year that had points out the back of his antler rather than on top. Really wanted to get my hands on this buck just to for the character but he only ever hit our property at night.

He was even weirder the year before.

 

Ok now which ones count as brow tines here?? And which points are atypical? My understanding is you still pair left and right points even on atypical, but how the heck would you pick pairs on this one?

 

I highly suspect this buck had a skull injury he was trying to heal at the same time he was growing this set of antlers. I have seen a few bucks in the past with spike antlers growing right off the skull plate as well as off the pedicel at the same time and all of the ones I saw had a fractured skull that was healed over.

My question has always been if the buck would have shed the growth off the skull or if it became a permanent part of his skull since it was not attached to the pedicel.

Dick Bodenhorn

 

I'd say the split tine on his left (right as you're looking at him) is a brow tine. His right side (left as you're looking him) is a jumbled up mess. The extra tines in front and to the inside of that main beam I would think would be classified as abnormal points. As for which of the other two tines on that side nearest the skull you'd consider as a brow tine, who knows.

I do know this.... that is a really cool and unique buck!!!!! Thanks for posting the pic!!!!!

 

3 up is one of the dumbest things the PGC has come up with.

 

I totally agree and have said we get screwed on the western side of the state with the stupid 3 Up rule. Make it 3 points to one side statewide and be done with it. I see 3 points to a side deer way larger than many 3 Up deer. So dumb.

 

3 up, 3 a side, or flat out saying no killing yearlings, I am all ok with.

It's not hard to tell a brow tine. If you know deer antlers at all. If you have to justify it, it isn't one.

4 a side and spread restrictions are too hard to get a good look at.

 

I sent my local game warden these pictures to get his opinion on whether this deer would be legal in a 3 up area. He said it was not a legal buck and I wanted to make sure in case he walked by my tree. The side view picture in my opinion shows it could be considered a 3 up, but straight on it clearly looks like brow tines. Either way the game warden said in his opinion it was not legal, so that was that. What a dandy of a 6 point and I never saw him again.

 

This buck had a point growing out of its forehead.

 

should make the same rule statewide. whatever that would be.

 

The buck I shot last year had three different pedicles, one in the center of it's skull.