Contributors to this thread:
Looking to see what you fellow hunters think of and age on this buck. I have several picts and a slight pattern on him, but not sure on his age.
2.5 year old - originally thought 1.5 but body looks more like 2.5 years.
I was going to post all of these right away, but i couldn't find the thread. That's the confusion I think in the panoramic it looks like and older deer, but the cudde he looks young. I'm pretty sure it the same deer.
Get some more pix, maybe different deer. Agree the bottom one looks bigger than the other with a quick look.
2.5 but, it really doesn't matter what all of us think. If you will be happy with a quality buck like that, take him. Good luck, if you choose to take him, I hope you have a clean kill and easy drag.
Your right 10orbetter, but it does matter to me is how old he probably is. I'm trying not to shoot 2.5 year olds. If he comes by me he may get shot.
I'm not looking for approval to shoot this deer. I'll like talking about deer, not politics. I want to be part of the solution on here not just complain about the lack of actually bow hunting conversation and i'm not saying you are 10orbetter sir so please don't take it like that. I just want to see, talk, and hunt right now.
I would say 2.5 No offense taken that is a quality deer. I would have a hard time passing it by. But, may as well. Short looking face makes me think 2.5
The first photo he looks like a 2.5 yr old, the other ones he looks like a 3.5 yr old. Aging deer from photos can be tricky. If you can get more from the Cuddeback, that would help. BC
I wish everyone would start their comments out with what county they are in . 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 depending 0n where the deer lives .
My guess is that it's the same age where ever it lives. :) Seriously, look at the body not the rack to get a better estimate of the age. That is why I say in the first photo it looks younger than in the panoramic photos. BC
after 2 rough winters, that would be a 3.5 yr old in Juneau county.
spike to 3 ptr the first year basket rack 6 to 8 pointer the 2nd year 8pointer to the ears or better the 3rd year.
His legs don't look too long for his body in the bottom photos. 3.5 yr.
under normal circumstances, here in northern Polk county, that is a 2.5 year old buck.
But after the devasting winter, it wouldn't surprise me if it was actually a 3.5 year old.
3.5 his head is too long for a 2.5 distance between tip of nose and his bases tells me 3.5
2.5, no gut, straight back, short snout.
I guess i don't understand when you are saying not gut? The panoramic photos looks the deer has at least some gut. Maybe your not looking at those picts or i'm really bad seeing guts.
wibuckwatch, if the deer makes you go "oooh" in the stand, then he is a taker. If you want to shoot a 4.5 year-old buck, then let this one walk.
JackPine acres I"m not looking for any reasons to shoot or not shot this deer. Just thought the pictures made it hard to really put an age on this deer. I may shoot him if he comes in or not. I really can't say until like you said when he comes by if it feels right i'll take him. I'll be happy and you'll see the pictures. My number one rule is If you shoot something be proud of it!!
Difficult to say with certainty, but I would guess him as being an average 3.5 simply based off of his face and fact that he doesn't have the long-legged look any longer.
-Seems as though a lot of this class/aged deer put on minimal inches this spring/summer, which I think is attributed to simply catching up from the long winter/spring.
wibuckwatch, when I say no gut, I mean that I've seen many other deer with much larger guts. However, I did some research on this after my initial guess and 3.5 years seems to be the best fit.
2.5-year-old bucks At two years of age, antlers are not large, but can attract your attention. Their body size is larger than yearlings, but their legs remain long in proportion to their body. Their belly remains firm with no sag whatsoever.
During the rut, neck swelling is minimal, yet obvious. The tarsal glands begin to get darker in color, but obviously less than older males. When observed broadside, the head appears elongated.
3.5 year old bucks, or middle-aged bucks, can be compared to a well-conditioned race horse with a distinct junction between their neck and shoulder. Middle-aged deer portray a muscled neck and deeper chest, yet a distinct junction between the neck and shoulder exists. Some describe their appearance as that of a well-conditioned race horse. Muscling absent in 2.5-year-olds begins to become apparent in the third year. Their chest begins to appear as large as their rump. Antler spread is often outside the ears and on quality habitat impressive antlers can develop.
For those interested, QDMA has a great chart on ageing deer. First rule, for the most part, ignore the rack. In the latest QDMA magazine the Age This Deer feature shows a 2.5 year old buck with an amazing rack. Wish I could post. No link on website yet. BC
