How reliable are hunting records?

Hunters are potentially the best source for info on the size of various animals and how big they can get. But unfortunately it seems some hunters will often exaggerate the size of their trophies and consequently give false information on the size of animals. I don't hunt myself but I am interested in the size and measurements of certain animals and wildlife in general. What I wanted to know is how trustworthy do you guys consider official record books like SCI to be? I ask because some of the top ranking trophies shown on their site just don't look anywhere near as big as claimed.

Take this leopard for example. Its ranked as the all time number 2 with a skull supposedly measuring 19 10/16 inches. This means its skull was as big as a full grown lionesses. But in the picture it doesn't even look average, I doubt it's even a mature male. Some of the other leopards in the photos do look really big and I wouldn't be surprised if their official scores are legit but some are just blatant exaggerations.

The top ranking SCI leopards: Safari Club International - Record Book
F076_1105546.jpg

Chita

How many Leopards have you seen in the wild?

How many have you seen in a Zoo?

The Leopard in the picture is big...

Originally Posted by chita

Hunters are potentially the best source for info on the size of various animals and how big they can get. But unfortunately it seems some hunters will often exaggerate the size of their trophies and consequently give false information on the size of animals. I don't hunt myself but I am interested in the size and measurements of certain animals and wildlife in general. What I wanted to know is how trustworthy do you guys consider official record books like SCI to be? I ask because some of the top ranking trophies shown on their site just don't look anywhere near as big as claimed.

Take this leopard for example. Its ranked as the all time number 2 with a skull supposedly measuring 19 10/16 inches. This means its skull was as big as a full grown lionesses. But in the picture it doesn't even look average, I doubt it's even a mature male. Some of the other leopards in the photos do look really big and I wouldn't be surprised if their official scores are legit but some are just blatant exaggerations.

The top ranking SCI leopards: Safari Club International - Record Book
F076_1105546.jpg

You have to know that the guy holding the Leopard is over 2.2M tall man and weights 155 KG.

Pictures are deceiving.

When you get up into the TOP TEN of any record book in any country you will tend to have PANELS of MEASURERS doing the measuring. It stops that silliness most of the time.

I have been measuring trophies officially for a long time (decades) and have found that skilled individuals applying the prescribed methods will come up with the same measurements.
On the most complicated NonTypical White tailed deer I ever scored I was within 1/8 of an inch of a panel score that was done later.

A Leopard is Simple.
Get two squares out and pull out a tape.
As long as your arithmetic is on you should be fine.

When you talk about hunters estimating trophy size in the field.
That is certainly where many fall down and the outright fibbers start telling tales.
The fish that gets away is always huge.

One of the reasons we joke about "ground shrinkage".
You thought it was a lot bigger on the hoof and then you walk up and see it on the ground.
Lots of time they are smaller than the adrenalin measured.

My personal opinion is that some of the biggest heads are never measured, I have personally seen some animals that would be #1 but no one wanted to pay the money or spend the time to officially score it.
Some people don't care about record books.

damn straight ensyee the trophy is in the memory not the measurement

Originally Posted by enysse

My personal opinion is that some of the biggest heads are never measured, I have personally seen some animals that would be #1 but no one wanted to pay the money or spend the time to officially score it.
Some people don't care about record books.

I am not saying that I ever have shot a record breaking animal, but if I ever do, then no one would know about it and how much it scores as I find it totally uninteresting to measure a trophy and know how much it scores.
I am sure very many hunters feel the same way as I do.

I totally agree with Norwegianwoods and bluey. I doubt I would measure a trophy. I'm not even sure I would mount it (never bothered so far). The memories are there forever.

Originally Posted by timbear

I'm not even sure I would mount it..

..only trophy I've ever mounted still makes my supper..

Measurements, records, who cares ?

All we want is to shoot a mature animal, and the memories....

Originally Posted by DOCMAN

..only trophy I've ever mounted still makes my supper..

I think that says it all, LMAO!

QUOTE=DOCMAN;74591]..only trophy I've ever mounted still makes my supper..[/QUOTE]
Oboy, if she reads that you'll be eating boiled straw for a week!