It is hard to tell without seeing the third cusp of the third molar, at 2 1/2 it should be fully erupted or close to it, at 3 1/2 it will be flattened at 4 1/2 it will be sloped towards the lingual crest at 5 1/2 it should be sloped towards the bucal crest, by 5 1/2 the dentyne will be getting wider than the enamel and at 6 1/2 even seasoned biologists begin to have problems. I was told of one old doe that had been aged at, I believe, 11 1/2 by none other than Larry Marchington one of, if not the, best white tail biologists in the country. By that age I'd say the hamburger would probably be tough if you could get it through the grinder.

I wish I could find the article, but several months ago I read an article about a deer that was tagged and aged at 2 1/2 by the biologist. A few years later the same deer was shot and was again aged at being 2 1/2. There is some confusion about the true accuracy of looking at the teeth to get an accurate age.

There is not enough wear on the fourth cheek tooth (first molar) for it to be 4-1/2 as this photo shows