Try looking at the white spots on the deer or the fact that the deer is no bigger than a dog!

i look at the nose and face

I saw a young doe 2 weeks ago that already had a fawn, the fawn was in spots, how old would that fawn be, and why was such a young deer already a mamma ?

I always look for square looking head for button bucks or telltale knobs, but most of all i try to judge overall body size and length of their nose.

Coastie,

You are absolutely right and completely wrong.

Yes, during most hunting seasons, deer are at .5 year intervals. Hence, a deer is 6 mos, 1.5 years, 2.5 years old, etcetera.

However any deer (or animal for that matter) that is older than 1 and less than 2, is by definition, a "yearling". Many people, however, confuse the word yearling with fawn, which is less than 1 year old.

So although you are correct, you are definitely also wrong

I find the best method is to draw a box around the entire animal. Fawns and most yearling does will appear as squares, whereas older does will appear rectangular (longer body compared to "shorter" legs). Bucks are somewhat more difficult, as sometimes yearlings grow fast and with the right nutrition in some regions, can also grow impressive racks. However, a second glance will indicate that yearling bucks will also have "stickly" legs, a clear giveaway.

S&R

Killed a very young deer the other day during muzzleloader season. Had a group of 4 deer come trotting up on me and stop to graze close to my deer stand. From where I was in my deer stand I had a hard time telling the size of the deer. I wanted to shoot the large one but could never get a shot, so I took aim and let go at what I thought was the 2nd largest deer.

Well...I have never "carried" a deer out of the woods before. I've dragged them out, but never carried one like you'd carry a couple trash bags out in front of you...

Interestingly enough he was a buck, young enough that his antlers hadn't come through the skin yet.

That is the most tender and best tasting venison I've had in a long time. My dad has always told me the young ones are the best eating, and they really are...just not very much meat on them...