“Phil 1, Elk 0.”

At the time, he didn’t know anything about determining a score for a trophy rack.

Now, as an Official Measurer for both the Boone and Crockett Club and the Pope and Young Club, Herrnberger, given an hour or so and the help of his assistant, Rocky Denny, can determine the scores for antlers, skulls, tusks, and horns of game species throughout North America.

The process began after he was asked about the elk.

He learned about the Boone and Crockett Club — which, among other things, is “dedicated to scoring and keeping big game records” — and the Pope and Young Club — which is similar but specific to bow-hunting.

The clubs train official measurers that can take detailed measurements of trophies and determine scores.

When Herrnberger applied in January 2018, there were no official measurers in Warren County.

“Maybe there’s a need for that up here,” Herrnberger, who lives in Irvine, said.

He had retired from his job as a deputy game warden. He was interested. He was what the clubs were looking for.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry From left, Rocky Denny and Official Measurer Phil Herrnberger measure a black bear skull. The Times Observer’s Big Buck Bonanza edition is printed in the D section. Included are a story and photo of Big Buck Bonanza winner, 12-year-old Kirk Zofcin Jr., who took his first buck, a 17-point, during archery season; a story about Herrnberger and Denny and scoring deer and other game species through Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young measuring; as well as additional photos of local hunters with their prize bucks.

They got back to him, inviting him to their “by-invitation-only” workshop. “They’re looking for conservation-minded individuals,” he said.

Over four ten-hour days, he learned, practiced, and answered questions. He was quizzed and tested. He had to measure examples of all 38 game species on the clubs’ lists… twice. Those measurements were compared to the measurements made by experts. He passed all the requirements.

Herrnberger is not likely to be called on to measure some of those species again. The clubs’ range includes Greenland to the southern tip of Mexico.

The only people who are allowed to hunt Pacific walrus are Alaskan native peoples who live in coastal Alaska.

Jaguars are also on the list, but their very-limited range is in southern Mexico.

Still, if someone brings him a jaguar skull or a walrus tusk, Herrnberger is ready.

In addition to carrying the title of Official Measurer (OM), he has official tools provided by the clubs, documents and manuals, and help.

He is not allowed to use any other tools than those provided by the clubs in making official measurements. And he will not make those measurements without his help.

Denny, of Irvine, works with Herrnberger. He’s not an official measurer, but he is indispensable.

“I have to have Rock here,” Herrnberger said. “He assists me. I can’t, nor will I, measure anything without him.”

Usually, when the two get together to measure a trophy, it is a set of white-tailed deer antlers.

For antlers, the clubs have two different categories — typical and non-typical.

For typical antlers, the measurers are looking at mass and symmetry. More points are not necessarily better. “If it’s not symmetrical, then you have deductions,” Herrnberger said.

“An eight-point is worth more than a nine” in typical scoring, Denny said.

For an non-typical rack, it doesn’t matter which points are where. It’s all about mass.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry From left are Rocky Denny and Official Measurer Phil Herrnberger measure white-tailed deer antlers.

There aren’t many differences between Boone and Crockett’s system and Pope and Young’s, Herrnberger said. One significant difference is that Pope and Young automatically puts white-tailed deer antlers in the non-typical category if they have 15 inches of abnormal points. “With Boone and Crockett, the measurement always favors the trophy hunter,” Herrnberger said.

Measurements are taken along the beam — the parts of the antlers that grow directly out of the head — and everything “that goes up off the main beam,” Herrnberger said.

He adds up the inches along the main beam and the inches in the G-1 through G-7 points — if there are that many.

Herrnberger hesitated before asking a stupid question during his training. “What does the G stand for?”

He was told, “it’s just a letter we picked.”

“It stands for nothing,” Denny said. “Absolutely nothing.”

For a black bear, there are fewer measurements. Herrnberger and Denny have to measure the length — the sagittal crest — and the width — the distance between the outsides of the zygomatic arches — of the skull. “It has to be a pretty big bear to get a 20,” Denny said.

Anyone may measure antlers or skulls to try to determine a score. There are taxidermists who will do that work, Herrnberger said. In fact, the clubs encourage people to try to determine their scores. There’s even an online Boone and Crockett scoring calculator.

But, to be official in the eyes of Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young, it takes an official measurer’s work.

A hunter who has a trophy evaluated by Herrnberger will receive an official measurement. “Once I put my signature on it, it’s official,” he said.

If the trophy scores high enough to be among the highest nation-wide over a three-year period, “Boone and Crockett will call the trophy hunter” and have the trophy evaluated by a panel of experts who will make their own measurements and, if necessary, revise Herrnberger’s numbers.

Hunters shouldn’t walk up to Herrnberger with fresh kills and expect him to take official measurements.

“In order for us to measure, it must be free of flesh, membrane, and tissue,” he said. Time is all that is required for that, not special cleaning methods. “A minimum of 60 days at normal room temperature.”

Herrnberger and Denny can measure antlers on taxidermied animals.

“They don’t have to be down to the bone,” Denny said. “We can measure a full mount.”

The person who takes the trophy doesn’t have to be the one to have it measured. “There are a lot of camps that might have a set of antlers we can measure,” Denny said.

“You could find a set of antlers in a dumpster and you can enter them in Boone and Crockett,” Herrnberger said.

Some people might find the cost of measuring trophies surprising.

“A lot of people might think that it costs to do this,” Denny said.

Herrnberger is not allowed to accept any payment for measuring a trophy. “I can’t charge,” he said.

“Not even tips,” Denny said.

There is a cost for those whose trophies qualify for inclusion in the Boone and Crockett and/or Pope and Young records. The fee to have a qualifying trophy listed in Boone and Crockett is $40. For Pope and Young, it’s $35.

Hunters who don’t want to pay don’t have to. They simply won’t be listed on the clubs’ books.

Herrnberger is also an official scorer for Pennsylvania’s records. There is no charge for qualifying trophies to be included on that list. For $10 and shipping, qualifying hunters will receive a copy of the record book with their listing as well as a patch exclusively available to those who qualify, Herrnberger said.

Herrnberger and Denny suggest that patrons who insist on compensating them in some way for their work become members of the appropriate club. Annual associate memberships are $35 for Boone and Crockett and $40 for Pope and Young.

While membership fees entitle the member to the clubs’ publications, decals, apps, and discounts, they help the non-profit organizations continue their efforts, including habitat conservation, Herrnberger said.

Not every hunter bags an animal that’s even close to the qualifying mark for Boone and Crockett. In fact, the odds are strongly against it.

“Everybody wants that big trophy buck,” Denny said. “Not everybody gets it.”

But, a trophy is what the hunter thinks it is. Book-worthy or not, Herrnberger and Denny are ready.

“If they want an official measurement, we’ll be glad to do it,” Herrnberger said.

It’s not about serving some exclusive group. “You meet so many people,” he said. “Everybody’s got a story.”

They enjoy seeing proud hunters, grinning broadly with their trophies. “That’s what makes your day,” Denny said. “That beaming.”

Herrnberger’s elk from Colorado scored a 282, not close to the qualifying Boone and Crockett elk score of 360, he said. That it’s not in a record book somewhere doesn’t take anything away from Herrnberger. “As with all other hunters, it’s my trophy.”

“If you have a nice bear or a nice buck, you want to know,” Herrnberger said. “We want people to honor their trophy.”

Those interested in having their trophies officially measured may contact Herrnberger for an appointment at (724) 650-7791.

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Official Measurer Phil Herrnberger measures white-tailed deer antlers.

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