Farm Hunter,

If you know the particular deer in your area, it is very easy to tell the difference between 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5. Texas guides accurately age deer on the hoof up to 6.5 years of age for their clients. Biologists tend to be conservative when "aging" deer with tooth wear. Many times they can get it to within 1 year, and that is about it. Cementum anlysis of the tooth is the only way to be sure.

I was lucky enough to hunt in AL on a management hunt this year, and it was very easy to accurately estimate the age of the deer in the field, without ever even hunting south of KY before! I was able to accurately (backed by video and the managing biologists 4000 pictures a year camera census for the past 3 years of proof) age a 3.5 year old 9 point I filmed, a 4.5 year old 12 point I filmed, and the 2.5 year old management buck I was fortunate enough to harvest. We also discussed twin 2.5 year old 8 points, a yearling 6, and a few others.

If you can deffinately see 3 seperate class of antlers from your camp from the past 20 years, that's exactly what you have, 3 seperate age classes! Points may vary, spread, beam length, whatever, but not much, they should form an average. The antlers change a ton from 1.5 to 2.5 to 3.5, a little less to 4.5, and less each year until they regress.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan