Deer weight / chest measurment chart

[dan]

According to the Wisconsin DNR, you can estimate the weight of your deer in the field by taking the measurement of chest circumference, just behind the front legs. Then use the following chart to determine the approximate weight.


CHEST SIZE...........FIELD DRESSED WEIGHT............ LIVE WEIGHT:
35" ...................................112#.............................136#
36" ...................................120#.............................145#
37" ...................................129#.............................156#
38" ...................................139#.............................166#
39" ...................................149#.............................178#
40" ...................................172#.............................204#
41" ...................................177#.............................210#
42" ...................................184#.............................218#
43" ...................................198#.............................234#
44" ...................................212#.............................250#
45" ...................................228#.............................267#

[DEERSLAYER]

I tried that before and found it inaccurate by as much as 20%. Maybe the chart I used was different than this one. It's been a long time since I have tried it and I didn't try it on any bucks older than 2.5 or does older than 3.5

[dan]

I tried it on a couple bucks and it was really accurate... But not sure on all of them.

[tim]

i know this is a generalization or average thing i suppose but it doesnt account for the length of the deer. i shot a huge bodies buck a couple years ago massive in the chest but he was quite short and field dressed 189, he appeared much bigger but because he was so short his weight didnt match his look.

[RaisedByWolves]

My archery snow buck this year measured 43" behind the chest(chart-198 dressed). He was a 2.5 and when I weighed him he actually went 160 dressed

[Dewey]

Years ago I had an orange deer measuring tape from the MI DNR. I actually thought it was pretty accurate at least compared to the deer that I killed an actually weighed. This tape also had pounds of deboned edible meat listed on it as well. Wish I had it to compare to the WI DNR chart but I somehow lost it.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Brandon]

Interesting. Here is MD we measure Rockfish or Stripped Bass with a similar chart using the length and girth which will tell you the weight of the fish and how old it is and wether its male or female.

[MEhunter]

I have a buddy that is pretty damn good when it comes to estimating the weight on big deer. He's taken 3 measurments on every big buck he's seen (that he shot or someone else) in the last 7-8 years he claims. He meaures the chest, tip of the nose to tail, and height from the bottom of the front hoof to the top of the back going straight up the leg. It's pretty funny walking into a tagging station with him and having guys think they have a 200 pounder in their truck and he will say nope he will close, but won't make it. He won't give me the numbers, says I need to start measuring on my own and figure it out. I'd like to see a length chart, it's amazing how many guys under estimate the weight of their buck, because in their mind he's not fat or swelled up. Here are two deer bucks my buddys killed this year. Both had big chests....

Sorry for the quality on this one, it was taken with a cell phone off a computer.