Not trying to offend you Jeff, I wasjust curious. I sent the jaw bone to the state biologist on all my bucks, thought you might have done the same.I must have missed the other post what dose your taxidermist say?
Farmcntry and I use the same taxi....
His name is Keith Bowman....and he's a national champion in his field. He's regarded as a deer "expert" in these parts. He jawbone ages every deer he's asked to (by his clients) and others where people are simply "interested". I can tell you that my bio and Keith are on a first name basis......and there's a lot of mutual respect, there. Keith (and his son) has taken some WONDERFUL animals from our state.....and most from right around his home (Stokes county).
He did the work on my '06 buck and aged him at 3.5yrs. He did the taxi work on my '07 buck (a buck I'd been hunting for 3 seasons) and aged him at 4.5yrs. I had no idea on my '06 buck.....but the '07 one....I thought HAD to be at least 4.5.
I don't claim to know anything about "mature buck hunting" in general......because I've always claimed I don't go out looking for these guys. In my woods....I find that practice "futile". I hunt the does and take what I can during the magic time.
That's why I said.....It doesn't bother me if people want to refer to this mature buck hunting as being very, very hard.....or very, very easy. I'll take either description and be OK with it.
So....I dont know anything.....other than I seem to be in the right places at the right times.