Enforcing Our 130-Inch Gross Score Minimum

RC Sep 1, 2026

At Rut Chasers, LLC, our goal has always been to provide hunters with the opportunity to pursue quality Ohio whitetails while continually improving the hunting experience on our farms. We are fortunate to have some incredible deer, and the work we have put into managing our farms and allowing younger bucks to grow is paying off. As we continue to grow, add more farms, and as repeat hunters continue to book with us, we want to offer better and better opportunities for you. We are already seeing major improvements in our herd. This year, we have way more 150-inch+ deer than ever before, and we want to continue moving in that direction!

Although we have had this rule for years and tried to be lenient in many situations, we can't keep going down that road if we want to grow our deer and your opportunities.

It's time to take that step!

Rut Chasers, LLC will be strictly enforcing our 130-inch gross minimum buck requirement 100% of the time, regardless of who you are. The only exception is when we approve taking a mature buck that scores under 130 inches. This is at our discretion, so if he is under 130 inches, DO NOT SHOOT regardless of how old you think he is, UNLESS you have our consent.

We are doing this to improve the quality of bucks available to you and every other hunter who hunts with Rut Chasers, LLC.

130-Inch Gross Minimum & Penalty Fees:

"The Oops, I Made A Mistake Buck" Scoring Under 130 Inches: $1,000 penalty fee
"The No-Excuse Buck" Scoring Under 100 Inches: $1,500 penalty fee

This Year, We're Enforcing the Rule 100%

We want to make this extremely clear before you arrive at camp:

It doesn't matter if you've hunted with us for years.
It doesn't matter if you're a first-time hunter.
It doesn't matter if you're a friend, family member, or returning customer.
The rule applies to everyone.

The only exception is if you receive consent from Rut Chasers, LLC to harvest a specific lower-scoring mature buck that we give the green light on.

We aren't doing this to punish anyone. We're doing it because we believe it's the right thing for the future of our farms and the quality of hunting we provide to you. We want you to come back year after year and have the opportunity to hunt bigger deer. We want your kids to eventually hunt these farms and have the same opportunity. And we want every hunter who books with Rut Chasers to benefit from the management decisions we make today.

What Can I Do To Be Prepared?

We recommend taking a few pictures of various 130-inch deer, such as 8-point and 10-point, from different angles and keeping them on your phone for comparison. Study those deer and get a feel for what a 130-inch deer looks like, and you won't have to worry about asking us in the moment if it's a shooter or not. Don't just Google "130-inch deer" and rely on that. People claim a lot of stuff online. It's best to either score a sample deer around that size and take pictures or ask someone you know who truly has an ACTUAL 130-inch deer on their wall.

Not Sure In The Moment? Send Us a Picture.

We understand that judging a buck's score in the field isn't always easy. If you're sitting in a treestand or blind and a buck walks out, and you're unsure whether he meets our requirements, take a picture and text it to us. We'll help you determine whether you should take the shot. If we give you the green light, you're good to go! We would much rather you send us a picture of a questionable buck than make a decision you're unsure about. If you miss an opportunity this way on a deer you are questioning, chances are it wasn't big enough to begin with. Take a picture of the deer regardless and text us even if he walks off. You never know; we might give you the green light, and you may see him tomorrow if something bigger doesn't show by then!

Understanding the 130-Inch Minimum

One of the biggest challenges for a hunter in the field is determining whether a buck actually meets a particular score. Judging a deer through a scope or spotting him from a treestand isn't always easy, especially when adrenaline is running high.

As a hunter, you need to understand what a 130-inch whitetail generally looks like before you hit the field.

Remember, every deer is different. Antler shape, mass, spread, tine length, and beam length can vary significantly, and two bucks with the same number of points can score very differently.

What Does a 130-Inch Look Like?

Under the Pope and Young Club scoring system, measurements are taken to the nearest 1/8th of an inch.

Here is an example breakdown of a typical 8-point buck scoring 130 0/8 inches gross:

1. Example Inside Spread

The inside spread is measured at the widest point between the main beams on a horizontal plane. It adds directly to the score but cannot exceed the length of the longest main beam.

Inside Spread Example: 16 0/8"

2. Example Main Beam Lengths

Measured along the outside curve from the burr (base) at the skull all the way to the tip of the main beam.

Left Main Beam: 22 0/8"
Right Main Beam: 22 0/8"
Total: 44 0/8"

3. Example Normal Tine Lengths (G-Tines)

An 8-point buck has 3 normal tines per side branching off the main beam: the G1 (brow tine), G2, and G3. The tip of the main beam is not counted as a tine since it is measured in the beam length. [1]

G1 (Brow Tines): Left 4 0/8" | Right 4 0/8" (Subtotal: 8 0/8")
G2 Tines: Left 9 0/8" | Right 9 0/8" (Subtotal: 18 0/8")
G3 Tines: Left 7 0/8" | Right 7 0/8" (Subtotal: 14 0/8")
Total Tine Length: 40 0/8"

4. Example Circumference / Mass Measurements (H-Measurements)

Four circumference measurements must be taken on each antler beam, regardless of the number of points. For an 8-point buck, H1 is between the burr and the G1; H2 is between G1 and G2; H3 is between G2 and G3; and H4 is taken halfway between the G3 and the tip of the main beam.

H1 (Base): Left 4 4/8" | Right 4 4/8"
H2: Left 4 0/8" | Right 4 0/8"
H3: Left 3 4/8" | Right 3 4/8"
H4: Left 3 0/8" | Right 3 0/8"
Total Mass: 30 0/8"

Example Score Summary

Measurement Category	Total Inches
Inside Spread	16 0/8"
Main Beams	44 0/8"
Tines (G1, G2, G3)	40 0/8"
Mass (H1, H2, H3, H4)	30 0/8"
Gross Score	130 0/8"

This is just an example, and these deer vary in proportion, but basically, if you see an 8-point that is as wide as his ears, 4-inch brows, 9-inch G2S, 7-inch G3S, and decent mass, you are probably around that 130 mark.

If he is a 10-point and has 2-inch G4S, then you can basically add 4 inches overall off of the other measurements and still hit 130 as a 10-point.

If you're looking at a buck and the rack appears relatively narrow, has short tines, and doesn't have much mass, or any of the above qualities, he probably won't reach 130 inches, but if he does, he can easily make the cut. That buck that has 10 points will hit that mark a little easier. However, don't assume that every 10-point is a 130-inch deer.

Help Us Keep Building Something Special

When you hunt with Rut Chasers, you're not just hunting for one deer. You're hunting a property we actively manage for quality whitetails year after year. Our 130-inch minimum is an important part of that management strategy. We know that passing a buck can be difficult, especially when you're sitting in a treestand and have a deer within bow or rifle range. But the payoff can be incredible. Remember, that smaller buck you or another hunter shot last year could have been the giant you're sitting over this year. Let's keep improving. Let's keep letting the smaller bucks grow. And let's give ourselves the opportunity to hunt even bigger Ohio whitetails in the years ahead.