Help me age these deer

blgoode

blgoode

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
Messages
7,138
Just thought id post these pics. I watched the last 6 point about 45 min last night and I have no clue how to age deer. I am guessing these bucks are about 1 1/2 to 2 years old at best. I passed on trying to get into bow position on the last 6 point because to me he just looked so healthy and young I didnt want to take him but let him do his thing :D

Anyways I think I have 3 different bucks and they all look about the same age to me. YOUNG

I have other animals for size reference.

turkeys.jpg


fox.jpg


coyote-1.jpg


cat.jpg


Buck 1
buck3.jpg


Buck 2
buck2.jpg


Buck 3
6pt-1.jpg
 
I watched the last buck last night for about 40 min. Very healthy deer. I could have stuck him too I think :)
 
Codger_64 is probably close. With few exceptions, it is tough to accurately estimate a buck's age in the field without looking at their teeth.
 
Thanks guys! Im calling Buck 3 Batman. His horns remind me of the baterangs
 
Brian, look at the depth of the chest on all three. A mature buck has a deeper chest. 3 1/2 and beyond are much harder to guesstimate until you get to the upper age range. The first two look like they have their first full racks, albeit small. The third has a maturing shaped rack, but immature body. Don't get me wrong, all three would be good tender eaters as long as they are legal where you hunt. I quit hunting for racks years ago and just hunt for meat, the more tender, the better. If you seriously are interested in accuratley aging your deer, save a jawbone for the State Biologist. They are easy to pull. There are also jawbone/tooth charts online.

http://bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/deer/aging/

Here is one on field body aging:

http://www.1atexasdeerhunting.com/bodyagingdeer.htm

00buck_fight.gif
 
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Glad to see some turkeys down in Shelby. Over here in Mooresville the population has boomed over the last 5 years. This spring I had nearly 30 hens and 3 toms grazing one of my wheat fields.

Happy Hunting,

Adam
 
Thanks codger! All are leagal here. I'm just thinking I should hold off on the small guys the more I hunt I guess.
 
Could be a wise move if you are in a game management zone that is still building the herd. Here, a person who hunts every day of the season, willing to travel from zone to zone, uses all methods (archery, Muzzleloader, modern gun) can take several deer a day for the length of the season. We are overrun with deer and hunter numbers are declining. Here it is 3 does per day (Oct. 28-Jan. 1st) and a total of three bucks.
 
here we can shoot 4 doe and 2 bucks. Im just hoping if I let the young guys and having very nice brushy habitat with a water source about 100 yards from the property line they will stick around if I dont kill em. Last year I killed 2 young bucks and this year 1 doe so far so I have meat. Id love to watch that guy grow over several years but Id have to make sure I dont drive him out scouting to hard after the season for new stand spots I guess.
 
I'll agree with codger on the ages.
In Indiana we can only take one buck per year...the only exceptions being urban deer zones and special state hunts.
I try to take a mature buck each year, so I let a lot of little bucks walk. But, keep in mind if there is much hunting in your area, don't expect to watch them grow up over the years. My brother and I have farms that we hunt that are over 1 mile apart and we get some of the same bucks on trail cams each year. There is a lot of area in a whitetails home range which also means a lot of opportunities for other hunters.
 
Also in my area its so brushy its hard to see any of the deer. Last season I only saw 3 bucks the whole season total. And I shot 2 bucks total :)
So so far my expectations to see many more aren't so great but if he is stable on my area Im still thinking I should let him walk.
 
Nice seeing people who can let , young ones walk ..
Pa. We can only shoot 1 buck needs 3 up one one side ,and one doe if a tag is drawn ,most get them , would like to see doe permits cut in half ,or something done.. deer are getting fewer in many areas. I plant deer crops and have my own land ,or it would be tough tagging..
I did pass on 3 legals but smaller the I want so far..
I call it as most on here 1.5-2 yr. old.
Hunt safe out there.
 
blgoode said:
here we can shoot 4 doe and 2 bucks. Im just hoping if I let the young guys and having very nice brushy habitat with a water source about 100 yards from the property line they will stick around if I dont kill em. Last year I killed 2 young bucks and this year 1 doe so far so I have meat. Id love to watch that guy grow over several years but Id have to make sure I dont drive him out scouting to hard after the season for new stand spots I guess.
Click to expand...

your young bucks, once mature, will move on to another territory. i have read many places that the matriarch doe will kick a maturing buck out of the herd to keep from inbreeding. makes some sense to me.
 
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