The Coolidge examiner., 1933-05-19

clients to alter trophies In order to Increase
measurements. They found that moose horns
had been steamed or the skulls split and the
spread thereby increased; additional points had
been glued TO elk antlers.
The climax was reached when they discovered
one taxidermist who specialized in making
record heads One product Of his shop, a Rocky
Mountain bighorn. had been built up of horns
from three separate sheep. Sections were fitted
cleverly together and the final product, world
record, was sold for fancy price.
Thus, to have any real value, every head list
ed in the Records must be measured by men
who know how and who can guard against such
practices. Above Is shown the method OF meas
uring elk heads and deer heads. all measure
ments TO be made with a steel tape. The follow
ing rules are given TO explain and supplement
the diagrams shown above:
Deer
A-Length on outside curve: Measured along
the main beam from the base of the burr TO the
end of the most distant point.
B-Cireumference of main beam: Taken mid
way between the basal snag and the first fork.
C-Circumference Of burr.
D-Greatest spread: Measured between per-
pendiculars at extreme width of horns at right
angles to the center line of the skull.
Points: No point shall be counted unless 1t
protrudes at least one inch.
Remarks: State whether the trophy has any
characteristics which depart from the normal
for this species.
A-Length on outside curve: Measured along
the main beam from the base of the burr TO the
tip of the most distant point on the main beam.
B-Circumference midway between bee and
trez.
C-Circumference of burr.
hofx- or,
perpendiculars, at right angles to the center line
of the skull.
Points on each side: No point shall be counted
unless it protrudes at least two inches
Remarks: State whether the trophy has any
characteristics which depart from the normal
for this species.
Similar charts have been devised for other
species of big game and the National Collection
Of Heads and Horns is asking anyone who has
trophy that exceeds the following measure
ments:
Mule oeer, length outside curve------------ze'
Whitehall DEER length outside curve---------23"
Bison length outside urye------------------1E
Elk (WapitD, length on outside curve-------5E
Moose, spread
Sheep, length front curve----------------39"
Goat length on front
Grizzly bear, length OF skul------------------12"
Black bear, length Of
Mountain hon. length OF skull---------------7 Z"
to submit the record of his trophy for inclusion
in the official Records and also to learn how 1t
rates with the worlds record heads.
Incidentally there is patriotic angle TO this
unique big game hunt" for many Of the record
American trophies are owned in England rather
than in this country This is true of the worlds
record muedeer, which was killed in Wyoming,
but which is now owned by an Englishman.
The largest elk head in the world was killed
in Wyoming and is today hanging in a castle at
Horsham, England. 1t has length on the long
est horn of 641s inches, spread of 81 inches,
with seven points on one antler and six on the
other. Twenty-four of the 40 worlds record elk
heads are owned by Englishmen and only 16
are owned by Americans.
1t is interesting to note that this sort of thing
has been going on for three centuries The first
collection of American big game trophies of
which we have record was made by Queen Eliza
beth during the Sixteenth century. Her officials
in the transatlantic colonies were commissioned
to send back to England the finest specimens
obtainable In the New world.
AS a result, five great moose heads were
Skinned to England and found place of honor
in the Great Hall of Hampton Court palace over
the dais where a succession Of British sover-
eigns has dined on state occasions The present
dav visitor will recognize them with some diff
Guilty for the officers of the queens household
evidently had little faith in the taxidermists Of