Facing you, deer aging

[Gunnyart]

If you only have facing pics what do you look for to age a buck?

[ArcheryAddict]

1. Gray hair in place of white
2. Sunken forehead
3. Dark brown forehead with gray of course
4. Roman nose
5. Wiiide head in comparison to length (the angle will make it difficult but something to look at)
6. Sleepy looking eyes from eyelids and flesh thickening above the eye
7. Wrinkles around the ears
8. Width of shoulders vs where neck meets
9. Deep, thick, tall shoulders compared to legs

I am sure there may be one or three more things to look at, but these came to mind quickly.

Hope these help.

For grins, take another deer you know to be 5 or mature, and go look at a head on pic of the known deer and compare.

[Gunnyart]

Awesome thanks

[GarGuy]

What he said and then look at the knees

[Fishndude]

1. Gray hair in place of white

2. Sunken forehead

3. Dark brown forehead with gray of course

4. Roman nose

5. Wiiide head in comparison to length (the angle will make it difficult but something to look at)

6. Sleepy looking eyes from eyelids and flesh thickening above the eye

7. Wrinkles around the ears

8. Width of shoulders vs where neck meets

9. Deep, thick, tall shoulders compared to legs



I am sure there may be one or three more things to look at, but these came to mind quickly.



Hope these help.



For grins, take another deer you know to be 5 or mature, and go look at a head on pic of the known deer and compare.

What if it’s an IR photo?




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[Gunnyart]

I see gray hair
Sunken forehead
Sleepy eyes
But I might just be projecting a bias.

[kparker158]

I can tell by looking at the snout and facial structures. Its not hard to tell mature deer from young deer. Just like an old man and teenager.

[ArcheryAddict]

What if it’s an IR photo?




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That is definitely a goofy looking deer. I would probably shoot it.

In this case I would either go with the attributes that are not "color" items and go with the structure items, or just defer altogether until I had more photos.

[ArcheryAddict]

I see gray hair
Sunken forehead
Sleepy eyes
But I might just be projecting a bias.
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With nothing other than this one photo, I more than likely (if it was me trying to do it for myself) call it a 3yo and try to get more photos. And keep an eye on him for the future should he turn out to be a young one.

If other photos were to tell me the initial thought was wrong and he was 5, then target him.

[tbgascorer]

I've always said this. Facing or quartering to always makes the animal like younger and thinner than they are. Unless of course they are young lol.

Look for chin flap, squinty eyes, face, brisket, knees, broken down ankles.

This time of year, it is particularly hard with post rut. Your deer looks very young to me.

[ArcheryAddict]

I've always said this. Facing or quartering to always makes the animal like younger and thinner than they are. Unless of course they are young lol.

Look for chin flap, squinty eyes, face, brisket, knees, broken down ankles.

This time of year, it is particularly hard with post rut. Your deer looks very young to me.

Have been told chin flap is definitely 5 or older.......

[Fishndude]

That is definitely a goofy looking deer. I would probably shoot it.



In this case I would either go with the attributes that are not "color" items and go with the structure items, or just defer altogether until I had more photos.

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[ArcheryAddict]

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Now with the two photos, and I may be waaay off, but my gut is telling me this deer is like 7 or 8 years old.

But like I said, I am probably off on this one. Or it may be due to an injury to one of the back legs or the nether region????

I by no means am an expert, I admit that, just going through the things I have learned over the years....

[tbgascorer]

FND deer is closer to 15 than 7.

[ArcheryAddict]

FND deer is closer to 15 than 7.

Ha! Funny you said that, I was thinking 10-12, but it just looked sooo wrong when I typed it at first.