Jawbone aging question....

[GMMAT]

Just for poops and giggles (and after receiving a few PM's)....I'm gonna have the buck I shot yesterday jawbone aged. I think he's a 2.5 yr old, looking at his hips and just how he's not quite so filled out (like I would expect a 3.5 to be). I then got to wondering how him being worn down from the rut might affect that???? His head (everything about it for around here) tells me he "might" be older.

I sent him away today to get a euro mount done....and I suppose it would be easy enough to find out.

Do you use the lower jawbone? Upper? Both? If I get a euro.....won't I only get the upper back?

Thanks.

[NY/Al]

You better get the lower jawbone back, thats by far the best way to age them, using teeth.

[GMMAT]

I just called the guy and told him to save it for me. I can take it by my taxi and he'll tell me. The assistant at our shop is also a scorer for P&Y and he does this stuff, too.

Just interested. His head looks like an older deer's....and a 95+" rack on a 6 point 2.5yr old (again...around here) just seems like a stretch. I keep wishing I'd looked to see if anything had been broken off. But honestly....I didn't pay much attention.

I'm not gonna play him up. He looked like a 2.5yr old's body, to me. I just wonder how much he could have run himself down. He was still chasing, yesterday.

I mean......Is this a roman nose, or what??

[NY/Al]

Theres so many factors involved, its hard to guess age based on physical characteristics alone. Ive seen some tiny 3.5 y/o's, and some beastly 2.5 y/o's. A 95" 2.5 is quite impressive, but not out of this world.

Either way, nice buck!

[IAhuntr]

You can tell the difference between a 1, 2, or 3 y/o buck pretty easily by the tooth wear method. It's when they get older that it becomes more difficult. You can use the links with pics in Greg's jaw thread to narrow it down or post a pic of the jaw here when you get it back and I'm sure we can help you out. Also, your local conservation dept. usually has a biologist that will have some local known-age jawbones to compare it with.

Nice deer. Congrats on the harvest. Your persistance paid off nicely.

[Matt/TN]

Why didn't you mount this one Jeff? Just curious? Seems like you've worked harder for this kill than any other one.

[GMMAT]

Honestly Matt.....I don't have a nice euro mount....and I wanted one. I thought he was a heckuva candidate for it.

That's all.

[rybohunter]

I know the popular age seems to be 2.5 for that buck, but comparing him to your other deer and the general sense that they are a little smaller down there, I'd am guessing he's at least 3.5, if not older. But I am also not the best age guesser.

[Matt/TN]

ORIGINAL: rybohunter

I know the popular age seems to be 2.5 for that buck, but comparing him to your other deer and the general sense that they are a little smaller down there, I'd am guessing he's at least 3.5, if not older. But I am also not the best age guesser.

I'm thinking he's older as well.

He'd be one HECK of a 2.5 for this area.

Jeff, that's a fair enough reason. I'd say it'll turn out great.

[Deleted User]

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