How can you determine the live weight of a deer without a scale?

Certain body measurements are indicative of an animal’s weight. The most commonly used measurement is chest girth to predict a deer's weight. From these measurements, mathematical models have been calculated to predict the weight of a deer for any chest girth. Simple tables have been developed so that a hunter can measure the chest girth of a field-dressed deer and easily determine the deer’s live weight.

Here’s how to do it: Take a piece of string or a thin, flexible tape measure, and wrap it around the girth of a deer’s chest directly behind the front legs (use light tension). Measure the length of the string (in inches) and look at the Chest Girth Measurements table to find the approximate weight of the deer. That’s all there is to it! You'll be surprised at how accurate the chart really is.

Give it a try on the next deer that you harvest.