SSAA NSW

20 Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. The Douglas Score was developed by Norman Douglas in New Zealand and was a widely debated topic in the mid-1900s and is still to this day. In 1958 the New Zealand Deer Stalkers Association adopted this method as the official measuring system of the association. It is arguably the most widely used and accepted method of scoring trophies in Australia today. Douglas appreciated the symmetry of nature and with critical analysis and experimentation, created a system that rewarded balance and penalised imperfection. Douglas came up with his formula that takes into the equation factors of an antler other than just length and width alone. His system is essentially a simple formula whereby the shorter measurements of a pair of antlers, horns or tusks are doubled then all factors added to produce a total score. Fundamental to this scoring system is the recording of a pair, not a single antler, horn or tusk, but a pair. But the Douglas Score is not the only method of scoring trophies. There are numerous other organisations such as Safari Club International (SCI), the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), and Boone and Crockett to name a few, that also provide varying methods of scoring trophies. Learning how to measure and score trophies yourself is a fantastic way to further enjoy your hunting experiences. "A trophy animal is just a meat animal with extra accessories" There is a common misconception that trophy hunting is all about the biggest set of antlers, horns or tusks. Not True! A trophy animal is just a meat animal with extra accessories. Regardless of whether you consider it a meat animal or trophy animal, ethical hunters will utilise as much of the animal as they can. Trophy hunting and the measurement of antlers, horns and tusks has a resounding social aspect that many ill- informed are unable to empathise with or appreciate. It is one thing to be standing around with a group of likeminded individuals, perhaps around a campfire or down the pub, as you tell stories of your hunt whilst holding your hands spread out to demonstrate the size and shape of the animal's antlers, or stretching your thumb and index finger out as wide as you can painting an imaginary picture of the size of the boar's tusks, or passing around photographs, but, being able to display an animal, or parts thereof, enables friends and families to reflect on the hunt and pay respects to their quarry, whether it be a head and shoulder mount, a European mount or any other variation. Sometimes the trophy is not a physical object at all. Few dictionaries define a trophy as being 'a souvenir of an achievement or an object awarded for a victory or success'. Whilst we may not always come home with an animal in the bag or a head to mount on the wall, our memories are the souvenirs and the reward that will last a lifetime. Scoring Hunting Trophies Does size and symmetry matter?

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