2.5??

I am stumped on this one for those that would like to chime In. This deers back end screams 2.5 to me but for around here we just don't see many racks this size at that age, opinions?

Agree on 2.5. Great start, hope he can slip though this year and express more potential next year.

Neck size alone. Agree, no more than 2.5

I'd shoot it to confirm

I'd say 2.5 as well.

Yup, 2 1/2. And a real dandy for sure!

Specializedjon said:

Neck size alone. Agree, no more than 2.5

I'd shoot it to confirm

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He has a pass by me for sure but he spends half his life on public land so he may not see next year

I'm in total agreement, young buck for sure

JAY B said:

He has a pass by me for sure but he spends half his life on public land so he may not see next year

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I knooooooow......early season, absolutely. After Dec 15th......"shwack"

Hope he survives the season. He's got potential to somethin special.

Buck deer are similar to humans in that all of a certain age may look a little younger or older.
Some 18-yr-old boys are very muscular, some are very puny.
Similar can also be said for 3 1/2-yr-old bucks,
and their body profiles may not correlate any at all with their antler genetics.

Having been deceived before, especially looking at summertime pics, I'm going to "guess" it's more probable this particular buck is actually 3 1/2 this year.

Going against conventional "wisdom", I'm not just looking at the body (and we should ignore the neck during summertime), but also the beam length, which seems more suggestive of a 3 1/2 or older buck.

But certainly is a good chance he's only 2 1/2,
and I'd let him walk regardless.

Heck, I've even seen BSK get fooled by a 4 1/2 that looked like a 2 1/2

It's usually really hard to tell age this time of year. But that one screams 2.5 no doubt. Excellent potential!

Heck of a browse line in that 1st pic

TheLBLman said:

Heck, I've even seen BSK get fooled by a 4 1/2 that looked like a 2 1/2

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Absolutely true. I can post pictures of him.

Aging bucks in summer is very difficult. The only reliable indicator is chest depth in relation to front leg length. But even then, it isn't an exact science. That buck could easily be 3 1/2. He just displays the "typical" body conformation of a 2 1/2 year-old.

I think it is undergoing transgender hormanal therapy. Hence the 3-1/2 yr old rack on the 2-1/2 yr old body. You better shoot it this yr because by next year, the hormone therapy will really kick in and it will be a little forky.

Body comp looks 2 1/2 but with the drought we have had some of the deer I have that I know are 4 + look young this year. I'm inclined to think 3 1/2. Either way has a great start. If indeed he is 2 1/2 he is what I would call a very high end 2 1/2. May be he makes it and 2 more years and you can tell us how old he is when you ground check him. Good luck this year.

chart1300 said:

If indeed he is 2 1/2 he is what I would call a very high end 2 1/2.

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Agree.
In fact, he is so very high end on beam length,
that alone to me shifts the likelihood he's 3 1/2 rather than 2 1/2.

Beam length & mass correlate at least "fair" between 2 1/2s & 3 1/2s.

While his beam length seems off the charts for a 2 1/2,
on the other hand, his basal mass circumferences seem more in line with average for a 2 1/2.

I guess the most proper category to place him at present would be
2 1/2 or older, while thinking higher probability of 3 1/2.

Regardless, if he should survive one more year,
would expect his rack to become HUGELY LARGER!

chart1300 said:

Body comp looks 2 1/2 but with the drought we have had some of the deer I have that I know are 4 + look young this year.

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Interesting observation. I'll watch for that.