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Mature deer aging on the hoof

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    Mature deer aging on the hoof

    I feel like I have a pretty good idea on aging from fawns to 5ish, after that it's a crapshoot. I also feel like once they're OLD OLD (whatever that might be, 8-12?) I can see it. It's the 5-8ish that I have a hard time seeing a difference in. Ex: I can't tell the difference in a 5yr old vs a 7 yr old.

    Having said that, I got a new little piece of tx this summer, and put out a couple of cameras. Not in a big buck area, but that's not too important to me. My goals in hunting have pretty well turned into wanting to kill a mature animal, (have been this way for several years now) big horns are a plus, but the age is what gets my ticker going. Specific age is not as important in general, 5+ is good for me, but this property I'd like to bump that number up. Problem is, as said earlier, I can't tell the difference. Enough rambling. This is the first mature deer I have got pics of, and I'm fairly confident that he makes the 5+ group, is he older than 5? What are your thoughts. I know his headgear isn't much, bit this isn't about that. Tried to include as many angles and positions as possible.

    Sent from my SM-F721U using Tapatalk

    #2
    I’m like you beyond 5 1/2 other than known history it’s a guessing game for me. But with that being said I’m confident that this deer is at least 5 1/2

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      #3
      The best way you're really going to be able to tell the deer's age is to keep records of them and follow them when they're young. I have several deer on my lease right now that are 8.5 and look 4.5 but I know their history. Otherwise you're just making the best educated guess you can in my opinion.

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        #4
        Kill him and get his teeth aged. Then you will really be confused.

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          #5
          6.25

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            #6
            If he looks good to you, he’s old enough. ��

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              #7
              Originally posted by GarGuy View Post
              Kill him and get his teeth aged. Then you will really be confused.
              No doubt. My 3 year old guessed 8, she's just as likely to be right.
              Originally posted by bugleboy View Post
              If he looks good to you, he’s old enough. ��
              I'll likely never even hunt him. Just trying to learn. What I'd really like to know is what to expect from a 5 yr old vs a 7,8,9 year old in this particular area. I know without history it's going to be a guess. Just getting other opinions is all.

              Sent from my SM-F721U using Tapatalk

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                #8
                The so called experts can’t distinguish those bucks ages either. Once they get fully mature it’s a S. W. A. G. Tooth aging is about 55% accurate using the jawbone method and about 65% accurate using the cementum annuli method. This is from a study of known age deer and not my guess.

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                  #9
                  Looks ancient

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                    #10
                    I watched a show on tv this morning with Dr James Kroll talking about aging a bucks. He basically said that a mature deer would have tarsal gland markings down his legs at 4 1/2 years old. He wouldn’t even go any further on how to guess an at age after that.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by bugleboy View Post
                      I watched a show on tv this morning with Dr James Kroll talking about aging a bucks. He basically said that a mature deer would have tarsal gland markings down his legs at 4 1/2 years old. He wouldn’t even go any further on how to guess an at age after that.
                      He’s a clown

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                        #12
                        Mature deer aging on the hoof

                        the head is what I look at. A friend of mine that's very sharp on deer and has had the opportunity to see thousands of mature bucks taught me quite a bit. one of the things that has always stuck with me was when he said - It's just like old people. you have fat old people, skinny old people, but how do you know they're old? you see it in their face. You see it in their head.

                        sure there are body conditions that spilt old and young, but when I started really focusing on the heads is why I got a lot closer to the deer's age.

                        but it's still really hard to see a deer for the first time and say “hes 6 or he's 7". Specific ages come from a particular deer's history and watching them from a younger age.
                        Last edited by kyle1974; 09-22-2022, 08:00 PM.

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                          #13
                          There’s tons of characteristics to look for, but you already know that. And what gets fun is, none of those characteristics is 100% static across the board. It takes a lot of time to learn this stuff. Gotta look at a LOT of deer. When you get to watch them and keep track of them for YEARS, it helps a ton. There are some things that you just won’t see on younger deer. Now all that being said I don’t believe someone can just look at a deer they’ve never seen before, and tell you with 100% confidence that “he is 8 and not 9 because only at 9 will they exhibit X trait”. You must have history with them in order to be accurate.

                          The deer you posted looks like an 8 year old to me.

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                            #14
                            History on the deer is our friend.

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                              #15
                              I’d say shoot him

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