onetohunt

I just recently shot an Axis buck that was guessed at about 9+ years old. It was tender and very tasty!! Axis can actually live up to 20 years of age. I'm not sure I agree with the statement after they are 4 they are only good for grind.

super_hunt54

onetohunt, there is a VAST difference between wild game and ranch raised game. I have yet to take a whitetail older than 5 years old that wasn't tough as shoe-leather except for the back-strap and true tenderloins of course. And Axis deer, on average, in the wild live between 9-13 years. A couple of years more than an average whitetail deer on the 13 side.

Ranch raised game get a ton of supplemental feeding such as Alfalfa Hay and grains so that helps greatly as well as them not having to fight nature very hard. One of the reasons ranch raised deer be it Axis or Whitetail or bou live longer is their food sources just don't wear on their teeth as hard as they do in the wild. One of the primary reasons a whitetail dies by 10 or so is they have absolutely no teeth left. Worn down to nothing. In some areas they are lucky to see 7 years.

You can tell by the flavor of the meat if the animal has been feeding well on high protein bountiful food sources. It's richer and sometimes sweeter.

JoeA

Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii islands all have free range Axis.
The state wants exterminate them from Hawaii island, and cattle ranches in upcounty Maui want them gone, at least from their land.

super_hunt54

JoeA I 100% forgot about Hawaii!! Only hunted there a couple of times many years ago and that was for hogs. Thank you for the reminder of our Island state.