This may sound like an insane question but with as much time, energy and money we spend chasing whitetails: What is really sane? I harvested a big bodied deer 13 years ago, and would like to try and age him. All I have is pictures and measurements from the mount. Is there anyway of placing him in an age group? Even if it is within a 2 year estimate. He is a basic 8 with an 15' inside spread. I have taken over 30 deer, have a degree in wildlife management, and have aged hundreds of deer and beleive his dressed weight was at least 180 pounds. I am located in Western PA, and as far as the rack goes, it is not that big, BUT the body weight is unheard of. What do you think? The rack suggests a 2 1/2 year old but the rack suggests a much older deer. Like I said this sounds insane, but surely somebody will have some insight.

If you have a degree in wildlife management then surely you know the only way to correctly age a deer is by looking at the teeth (how many and the wear). There are also some internal developements that occure during the life of the deer that are used. Antlers will change from year to year depending on mineral and nutrition factors. There is a direct corrillation between a deer's health and antler growth. So aging the mount is a muet point, unless there are some biologic samples left, and after 13yrs I doubt that's possible. As far as body weight goes an individual buck may gain or lose up to a third of it's normal body weight in a single season. A buck's, at what we call mature 3 1/2 to 7 or 8 yrs, body shape will also give a clue. Younger bucks have a more sleek streamlined abdomin{sp} where an older Buck will normally have a paunch. I said normally and this agian depends on health and what the deer have been eating. Hope this Puts some light on it. If you have any pictures of the whole deer that might help.

Misplaced Buckeye

We had a big bodied fork running around last year that is now a huge bodied buck with an 8pt rack that is about 1" inside each ear. I think he is over 200# on the hoof, and we figure he is only 2.5 years old. So, I would say it would be tough to age him based on what you have. Without a jaw bone, it would all be guesses.

--Jim

WELL, lets see? Atlest 2 years old when shot and 13 on the wall ! 15 years old ?<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Mounting Man/in PA.


Edited by - Mounting Man on 12/15/2002 06:17:24

Because of the data we have collected in my county in Maryland, this deer, where I live and based on your description, would likely have been a &quot;low end&quot; 3 1/2 year old. In our county, it would be a certainty the animal was over 1 1/2, none of our 1 1/2 year olds are over 15 inches wide (outside). Yours was likely 17 1/2&quot; outside.

There would be a 2/3 probability the animal was 2 1/2, 1/3 3 1/2. 4 1/2 and older are so rare as to be highly unlikely.

Given what you describe as extraordinary body size, I'll give a guess that he fits that 1/3 probability of being a 3 1/2 year old. He was probably born late in the year, as nutrition does not appear to have been a problem at that body weight.

All of this is based on where I live. Your area may be very different. We produce some very good 3 1/2 year old bucks. Just so few get to that age.

If you have checking stations where your DNR ages deer, spend a day collecting data on antler dimensions and age. It's an eye opener.

Good luck.

I've noticed a good indicator of a buck being 3.5 or older besides overall size is the toupee on the top of their head.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> When they mature they get that darker brown , sometimes curly hair on top of their head that looks like their wearing a toupee.

<---Doug---<<<

My very first deer was a 11pt. buck, the first legal hunting season in Illinois (1957). The biologist estimated him at 5 1/2 yrs.His back teeth were practically gone. Field dressed he weighed 200lbs. I don't remember a toupee, but his coat was quite gray with a lot of white facial hair. There is only one bad point about starting this way; I have spent the last 50 years trying to top that buck.