how old is this deer?
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: TonyL
21-Sep-20
we have several hundred pictures of this buck over the last month or so. my gf has her heart set on it. how old do you think he is? 2? 3? i think if we give him another year he can be an absolute unit.
would you shoot him or let him grow?
From: LKH
21-Sep-20
Looks saggy. I think he's old. 6-7?
From: T Mac
21-Sep-20
3
From: txhunter58
21-Sep-20
4&1/2
From: Buffalo1
21-Sep-20
5-6
From: skookumjt
21-Sep-20
3.5.
From: ARLOW
21-Sep-20
3.5
Not saggy. Standing on an incline with front feed on lower ground. Back and belly are tight. Not much mass.
From: tobywon
21-Sep-20
Someone above must be right, the guesses are from 3 to 7 and everything in between. So hard to guess age especially with night photo :)
From: LBshooter
21-Sep-20
3-4.5 only true way to know is kill it and have it aged.
From: TonyL
21-Sep-20
he definitely lacks mass. heavy horned bucks are few and far between around here. is that a product of genetics or nutrition? or both?
From: Bentstick54
21-Sep-20
As old as he would get if he gave me a shot.
From: wildwilderness
21-Sep-20
Day pics? Any closer shots of the bases?
From: JohnMC
21-Sep-20
If your girlfriend wants to shoot it let her shoot it. Lot of guys would love a girlfriend that is excited about hunting. Make sure you keep that way.
From: Rgiesey
21-Sep-20
He looks 41/2. Body not horns
From: drycreek
21-Sep-20
3.5/4.5 , but I’m in the “if she wants to let her” camp. One deer pulled a little green won’t tip the scales much, but might tip her scales enough. Let ‘em grow is not the mantra of new hunters.
From: JL
21-Sep-20
Any daytime pics? If he has alot of grey on his face that should be another hint.
From: JohnMC
21-Sep-20
JL gray got nothing to do with age dammit.
From: milnrick
21-Sep-20
Body says 4.5 to 5.5.
From: Griz34
21-Sep-20
I concur with milnrick.
From: TonyL
22-Sep-20
no daytime pics, those bucks know better than to come to those bait piles during the day. shooting a deer is a big part of hunting to her so she uses bait. she’s relatively new to hunting, i got her into it when we met 3 years ago. after she fills a few tags, she’ll realize that getting a deer is only part of it.
From: BullBuster
22-Sep-20
4.5
From: Shawn
22-Sep-20
I say all of 4.5, he is getting broad in the butt and shoulders. Bit of a sway to the back. Could be 5.5 as well either way he is a shooter where I live. Shawn
From: greg simon
22-Sep-20
He looks mature 4.5 or 5.5 not old 7+. In my opinion for a new hunter legal = shooter.
Good Luck!!!
From: JL
22-Sep-20
JohnMC...I would disagree with you on the grey...specifically around the eyes in older northern whitetail bucks (as in the OP's) Alot of younger whitetail bucks I have in my vid library (northern MI bucks) over the years have a definitive, pronounced white "ring" around their eyes. Doe will have that ring but it is more pronounced in the whitetail bucks. When I look at spring time deer to determine sex, one of the first two things I look at is how prominent the white ring is around their eyes. The other of course is evidence of a pedicle/nubs. I have observed as these northern whitetails get real old the eye area tends to get greyer and seems to blend in a little more with the surrounding facial hair. It's not as "bright" and distinct as when they were younger. The head-on appearance of the eye shape also changes a bit as the forehead gets more "blocky". All of this of course is not set in stone but what I'm observing tends to hold true for these old northern bucks.
From: JohnMC
22-Sep-20
JL I was not talking about deer....
From: JL
22-Sep-20
John...ooops! Now I get it....you so funny!!! What hair I have left has it's "touch of grey". I guess I have a blocky head too!
From: Rambo
22-Sep-20
3.5 no question don't shot
From: GF
22-Sep-20
I think you guys who can expect to see a deer that size again “next year” are hunting on a whole ‘nother planet.
From: Vonfoust
22-Sep-20
https://www.noble.org/news/publications/ag-news-and-views/2010/august/how-accurate-is-aging-deer-on-the-hoof/
If biologists can't do it by looking at the actual deer I wouldn't put too much faith in any of us with a picture.
From: Jebediah
22-Sep-20
Where I’m from that deer’s been a shooter for a couple years.
From: TonyL
22-Sep-20
we see bucks like that every year, this definitely isn’t a once in a lifetime buck
From: TonyL
23-Sep-20
he’s getting more comfortable... i have about 60 daylight pictures of him now. either he looks smaller during the day, or this is a different buck...
From: TonyL
23-Sep-20
now that i look at it, these are two different bucks
From: greg simon
23-Sep-20
Different deer for sure.
From: 35-Acre
24-Sep-20
Wow! He's a tough one to judge! NIGHT PICS: These had me convinced he was older (4 1/2). The night side shots were tough but the front-facing shot showed a bit of sway in the back and wider back-end.
DAY PICS: These are tough too because of the body position (alert dear or head up are easier to judge). He still seems to have a bit of a gut (if his head were up) I think the line would be straight from chest through stomach. But the neck looks skinnier. These have me thinking 3 1/2.
Shooter for her anyway! Assuming she gets lucky enough to get to that point. A lot can go wrong.
From: Cracken74
25-Sep-20
3.5, take it to the bank
From: Thornton
26-Sep-20
If he was in Kansas, those spindly antlers indicate he's 3
From: Primeshooter04
26-Sep-20
That’s a wall hanger in our lovely state of Massachusetts/ct. 3.5-4 years old
From: Sand man
27-Sep-20
Nice deer no matter the age. He’s old enough he’s seen things and done stuff...
From: LINK
27-Sep-20
I’m going to say 3.5. My thoughts on average 8 points like this though are that they most likely will never be a strong 10 point, most likely stay an 8.. Even given another year or two what’s that buck going to get to, mid 150s? If your gf wants him give her the green light.
From: Jack Harris
27-Sep-20
3.5, and about what 3.5 year old buck should look like. Some bigger, some smaller but he will probably add 30" of bone next year (give or take 10)
