How do you tell the age of a doe?

[EastTexasMan]

I've always wondered, how can you tell the age of a doe? Length of neck? color? head?

[Black Ice]

Put it on TBH on get 30 replies with 15 saying 2.5 and 15 saying 3.5

[EastTexasMan]

^ Gave me an idea. Prepare for future "doe aging" thread

[muzzlebrake]

The young ones are kinda cute. The old horse faced ones are just butt ugly.

[JMAG]

neck

[THETEXAN]

The young ones are kinda cute. The old horse faced ones are just butt ugly.

Agree !!! lol !

[CEpperson]

If the blow and bust you and screw up your hunt they are of age to die!

Clay

[FCTrapper]

I've always wondered, how can you tell the age of a doe? Length of neck? color? head?

Why??? Age class structures for does (from a management perspective) are simply this.... 1) Fawns 2) Yearlings 3) Does ... No real reason to determine if a doe is 3.5 or 8.5 IMHO. Once they hit maturity they all are the same.

The Only other answer to your question I have is age them by their teeth...LoL

[T-Wall88]

I age by how tough the meat is after I kill one.

[ColinR]

If im in my stand and I see one I want to shoot, then it is old enough.

Sorry I got nothing!

[EastTexasMan]

I personally think I'd rather shoot a 8.5 year old doe than a 2.5 year old doe... The 8.5 year old doe on average will die soon and shooting the 2.5 takes 2 does out of one herd.

Not to mention you have barron does etc that are just taking food away from the others.

[FCTrapper]

I personally think I'd rather shoot a 8.5 year old doe than a 2.5 year old doe... The 8.5 year old doe on average will die soon and shooting the 2.5 takes 2 does out of one herd.

Not to mention you have barron does etc that are just taking food away from the others.

All this depends on your management "GOALS" and knowing your deer herd.

Our "GOAL" the past couple of years is to put more bucks on the ground. To help acheive this goal we have been targeting young does (fawns and yearlings) old/older does typically produce twins each year where as most young does produce single fawns. Having more twins means having more bucks.

[TP3]

I have heard younger does are not as good (experienced) at rearing fawns so it is more productive overall to take them. Plus once any doe figures out where you like to hide she needs to go.

[ETX_REAPER]

Where I hunt at we general try to shoot older doe, and we tell the general age by the face. Older doe, in general, have longer larger faces that are easy to spot. But that is as far as I know about how to age a doe.

[duckmanep]

Why??? Age class structures for does (from a management perspective) are simply this.... 1) Fawns 2) Yearlings 3) Does ... No real reason to determine if a doe is 3.5 or 8.5 IMHO. Once they hit maturity they all are the same. The Only other answer to your question I have is age them by their teeth...LoL

I disagree. A 3.5 is going to be a little more tender and tastier than an 8.5.