What’s your best guess?
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: sportoutfitter
09-Nov-18
Been seeing this buck pretty regular since early fall. I’ve let him walk once already this season. He looks young to me and am just wondering what he’d be next season. Edit: best guess on age
From: boothill
09-Nov-18
114"...RIP Kelly you are missed! His body looks maybe 3.5, but has a really young looking face in the side profile, 2.5 with great genetics
From: sportoutfitter
09-Nov-18
In memory of Kelly! I should have said best guess on age. I thought maybe 2 1/2.
From: wildan
09-Nov-18
3-1/2 years old would be my guess.And a shooter.
From: wildan
09-Nov-18
3-1/2 years old would be my guess.And a shooter.
From: Kodiak
09-Nov-18
I think he's 2 1/2 with good genetics.
From: sportoutfitter
09-Nov-18
I thought 2 1/2 also but I’m not the best at age guessing.
From: longbeard
09-Nov-18
I’m leaning towards 2.5 also
From: Predeter
09-Nov-18
3.5. Bigger shoulders and chest than 2.5 yr old.
From: Hancock West
09-Nov-18
If this buck were a Illinois buck i'd say 2.5 for sure. Would be a pretty small rack and body for a 3.5
From: Franklin
09-Nov-18
X2 with Hancock....depending on where this is...could use another year.
From: greg simon
09-Nov-18
Body looks at least 3.5. Trash on the antlers also make me think definitely not 2.5. I'd guess at least 3.5 maybe 4.5
From: sportoutfitter
09-Nov-18
I’m in WV, Franklin. I’m in the bow onlies so they get a little bigger than most areas in the state.
From: BigOk
09-Nov-18
3.5
From: Michael
09-Nov-18
His body says 3.5 to me.
From: Killbuck
09-Nov-18
3 1/2
From: sportoutfitter
09-Nov-18
At 3.5 it may be worth letting him walk this year. Might be really nice next year if he survives. We don’t have a gun season so he may make it.
From: Shawn
09-Nov-18
You, WV I would say 3.5, out in Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and such 2.5. Its up to you on shooting him, back home in NY I would kill him! Shawn
From: sportoutfitter
09-Nov-18
I’m trying to get better at age guessing. I was looking mainly at his chest/belly and face. When you say trash on his antlers, Greg, are you talking the forked brow or what? I’m taking this as a learning thread.
From: Bou'bound
09-Nov-18
3.5
From: LINK
09-Nov-18
He’d be 3.5 where I live and 15-30” bigger next year. I have no experience east of the Mississippi. ;)
From: greg simon
09-Nov-18
Yes, what I mean by trash is anything other than clean main beams and tines. On that deer I see forked brow tines and some other small bumps around the bases. Those are generally characteristics of a little older deer.
From: Duke
09-Nov-18
3 years, 6 months, 2 days. My BEST guess.
From: milnrick
09-Nov-18
Jeff,
I think you're using the right focal points to guess the buck's age. I'd guess him to be a 3.5 yr old buck as well. My reasoning is based on the way his back and belly lines run parallel to each other when compared to a 2.5 yr old buck. They tend to have a thinner lower ‘gut line’, sort of like an athlete’s waist line. A 4.5 yr old’s chest and shoulders would be deeper, while his neck would be disappearing into the base of his chest. After 4.5 years the bucks I've seen have tended to have a jowl (slack skin below their jawline), their head appears to take a more pronounced triangle shape and they start showing deeper chest and belly (or so it seems).
