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how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

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how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

Old 11-26-2008, 01:07 PM
  #21  
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Default RE: how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

I just look at body characteristics and behavior of the deer. An older deer is more cautious and aware of his surroundings and where is in relation to them at all times. Younger deer tend to be a little more carefree. Here are some pics of deer on my place.


2.5 year old deer. Smaller neck and narrower shoulders and slender snout.





3.5 year old deer. Bigger thicker body and larger antlers. Bigger head and shoulders.




4.5 year old deer. Real big head and thick neck. Thick set of antlers. and big heavy body.




Another 4.5 year old deer. Big body. Big neck. Sway back. Big head.




Another buck on the same scrape as the buck above but this is a 3.5 year old deer. Notice the body structure difference.


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Old 11-26-2008, 01:40 PM
  #22  
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Default RE: how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

Sorry BetterBirddogs, I’m not buying it. You’re simply looking at cookie cutter traits that are spewed all over the internet, but not taking into consideration other factors. Body posture plays a huge part in the appearance of a deer. All deer will show a swayed back when they bend that way. All deer can show a straight back in other postures. Some deer swell up like balloons, some barely swell at all. Time of year also changes the appearance of a deer. I’ve seen some very old deer that had the bodies of 1.5 year olds. Once a deer gets 4.5 years old, there is absolutely no way you can accurately guess the age.
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:51 PM
  #23  
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Default RE: how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

Not to mention I've seen all these bucks in person. Believe what you will I don't really care. The buck in the first picture ran by me chasing two does last Wednesday that were bigger then him.
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Old 11-26-2008, 01:55 PM
  #24  
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Default RE: how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

Because you've seen them before you know how old they are? Did they show you ID? I need to teach my deer to do that.
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Old 11-26-2008, 05:17 PM
  #25  
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Default RE: how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

Magis just because you can't age a deer, don't be mad at someone who can. If you can't tell the difference in body structures in the deer in the last two pictures, then maybe you need to take up another sport. I'm not going to argue with you, the gentleman was asking how to age deer, I was simply explaining how I do it. I've been pretty acurate up to this point.
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Old 11-26-2008, 10:06 PM
  #26  
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Default RE: how are all these people telling the age of a deer?

They're going to have a different rack the next year so you can't go by that.
In many cases, the characteristics of a deer's antlers will repeat themselves amazingly accurately from year to year. Of course there will be changes as a buck matures or gets past its prime, such as more points, longer tines, etc. But similarities will include width, relative lengths of adjacent tines, blading, split tines, type of beading on the antler bases, and even specific wiggles in a particular tine. Comparison ofsheds or photos from different years can, indeed, be another good tool to help identify different bucks, and possibly to determine age if you have enough antler history.

Here's a couple examples, although the similarities in characteristics are not blatant and a fairly close look is needed.

The antlers on the left are from the same buck, one in 2004 and the other in 2005. Notice that the main beam is quite straight from the base to the brow, the brow tines are quite slim and of similar length, and the G2's and G3's are very even on both.

The antlers on the right are from a buck in 2005 and 2006. The beams have a noticeable curve between the base and the brow, the brows are quite bladed (especially 2006, top antler), and the G2'sare shorter than the G3's (tip of G3 broken off in lower antler)

Note that the 'junk' at the bases increased on both deer in the latter year.


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