20. Trophy evaluation (scoring systems) in hunting and game management.

Question 1

Definition:

Answer 1

Trophy is a game individual itself, or a certain body part that is preserved with appropriate method.
* Antlers, horns, bones, feathers, fur, stuffed carcass
* Can be acquired through shooting the individual and preparing the body part
* Its and indicator of an expensive hunt/wealth of the hunter
* It is not equal to the cost of the hunting opportunity

Question 2

Trophy evaluation History

Answer 2

Initially the trophies were presented at the same time and place – compared and ranked. Because of constant arguments, objective measurement of certain parameters was needed.
* Theodore Roosevelt created the first hunter-conservationist organization – Boone and Crocket Club. They created the first scoring handbook in 1906, with very simple measurements of the skull, antler/horn and basal circumference. The final form of the formulas came in 1952
* Roland Ward created the first trophy catalogue and measurements are the end of the 19th century. He was a British taxidermist who later cooperated with the CIC.
* Herbert Nadler created the Red deer scoring formula in 1925
* Safari Club international (1972): protecting hunter right and promoting wildlife conservation. SCI measuring system, fair chase requirements for trophies of estate animals
* Pope and Young club: recognize the official repository of records on bow-harvested North American big game animals. Together with the B & C they maintain the universally accepted scoring system and set the standard for the measuring and scoring of north American big game.
* CIC measurements sheet and regulations were created in 1952, to unify rules for several species.
o TES (trophy evaluation system): It is an international system for monitoring and comparing hunting trophies from various species with species – specific, unified measurement and parameters
o TEB (trophy evaluation board): governing body of the TES – maintenance and development of the TES. Made up of:
 STS: senior international trophy judges
 CCM: Certified CIC measurers
* Hungary uses CIC
o Compulsory to present antlers of red deer, fallow deer, roe deer, horn of mouflon, and tusks of wild boar
o Skull of red fox, European badger, and golden jackal
o The national game management database does an annual report

Question 3

Trophy evaluation in the game management

Answer 3

Big game trophies are so-called “super products.” Their parameters indicate the habitat quality and the sustainability of the population management action (beyond genetic potential)
* The suitable circumstances, that individuals have sufficient resources to spend on the development of strong antlers and horns
* Density dependency when the population density is close to the carrying capacity of the habitat, red and roe deer antler weights and length tend to decrease
* Trophy evaluation data can be used as a bio-indicator of the habitat quality (monitoring-like data collection)
* Antlers can be used as a tool of management
o Parameter to be monitored throughout the course of a management plan
o Allows measuring of heard health relative to carrying capacity
o Antler-based selective harvest programs should be monitored using antler characteristics. Quality and quantity of antler characteristics should respond to management plans
* Trophy hunting as a tool for conservation
o Conservative ecotourism
o Hunting tourism: monetary, ecological, and socio-cultural benefits
o Potential solution for sustainable regional development

Question 4

Rules

Answer 4

It is obligatory to present:
* Antlers: red deer, roe deer and fallow deer
* Horns of mouflon
* Tusks of wild boar
* Should be presented in measurable condition, within 30 days of hunting season/taking the trophy

Question 5

Revision and storing of databases

Answer 5

• The hunting authorities export and send the trophy databases to the National Game Management Database after every hunting year.
• The NGMD filters the data and asks for confirmation/clarification in case of extremely low or high values.
• The corrected county-level databases are merged by the NGMD and stored in relational databases → they can be joined to the spatial data of the game management units and regions.

Question 6

Game management planning

Answer 6

• The trophy evaluation data (main measurement values, distribution of age groups) are used in the preparation of the regional and GMU-level game management plans.
• The databases are used in the development of the antler/horn restriction system (as well as in the determination of the fault point categories of the sanctioning system).
• The trophy evaluation data (CIC scores) were used to determine of the minimal score tresholds for the second instance trophy evaluation.

Question 7

Measurements:

Answer 7

Red deer:
-Bronze - 170
-Silver - 190
-Gold - 210

Fallow deer:
-Bronze - 160
-Silver - 170
-Gold - 180

Roe deer:
-Bronze - 105
-Silver - 115
-Gold - 130

Mouflon
-Bronze - 185
-Silver - 195
-Gold - 205

Wild boar
-Bronze - 110
-Silver - 115
-Gold - 120

Red fox
-Bronze - 24
-Silver - 24.5
-Gold - 25

Golden Jackal
-Bronze - 25
-Silver - 25.5
-Gold - 26

Eurasian Badger
-Bronze - 22
-Silver - 22.5
-Gold - 23