Age this buck

[tree_ghost]

Picked up this guy on cam on a new parcel I gained permission for this year. I'm torn between a healthy 2.5yo or possibly a 3.5yo...what do you think?

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[TheLBLman]

I think I'd give him a pass regardless.
He is likely 3 1/2, but also likely a super 2 1/2.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

That's a tough one. I also think he's 3.5, but I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up just being 2.5.

 

[tree_ghost]

He's definitely getting a pass if he comes by my stand but I'm hoping he's a very gifted 2.5yo. The place he's living on would afford him a good opportunity to survive if the rut doesn't cause him to stray to far.


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[rem270]

Just from that pic I'd say 3.5.

 

[MrClif]

3-4 yo

 

[megalomaniac]

He's just a little too blocky to be 2.5; I feel pretty comfortable with 3.5. He'll still be a solid mid 130" buck next year as a 4.5.

 

[TN Larry]

Just based off that one pic, I would say 3.5. He is stretched out, however. He could be 2.5 but looks too blocky. I think his neck would be bigger and more along the lines of a 3.5 if standing normal.

 

[Urban_Hunter]

That's a good picture. I'm guessing 3.5. Too much chest to be 2.5 imo

 

[Ridgewalker1]

Neck to body looks like 3.5 yr.

 

[Hunter 257W]

His chest and shoulders are too filled out to only be 2.5. I say 3.5 at least.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

3.5 bang flop


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[TN hunter]

3.5. Chest to deep for a 2.5 yo. Great deer regardless.


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[TheLBLman]

AGING living bucks by body profiles can give us excellent "trend" data,
and these generalizations are correct more than they're wrong,
typically not off by more than one year.

Just from that pic I'd say 3.5.

He's just a little too blocky to be 2.5; I feel pretty comfortable with 3.5.

Just based off that one pic, I would say 3.5.

I'm guessing 3.5. Too much chest to be 2.5 imo

For the above stated reasons, my personal best guess is also 3 1/2.
But here's the rub ---- we are all just "guessing" based on generalizations.
And we are commonly off by that one year.

IMO, there's a pretty fair chance this buck may be a top-end 2 1/2,
the nature of which is they do often appear a year older than their real age.

Ever seen a young lady who appeared 18 but was actually just 14?
Or how about a 200-lb 12-yr-old boy, who looked several years older?

Deer are individuals, somewhat like people, and generalizations don't always hold true.
Some can be either younger or older than they "look".
Some even have bad teeth that "age" faster, some have better teeth that "age" more slowly,
making the tooth wear aging method progressively less accurate as deer do get older.

What are the odds he's only 2 1/2?
40%? 20%? 10%?
Just saying, it's not zero.

My take is if this one should turn out to be only 2 1/2,
there is potentially more to gain by giving him a pass than not.
Opinions vary

 

[TheLBLman]

Give him another year,
and we'll likely be torn between whether he's 3 1/2 or 4 1/2,
but will have ruled out 2 1/2 :tu:

 

[rem270]

AGING living bucks by body profiles can give us excellent "trend" data,
and these generalizations are correct more than they're wrong,
typically not off by more than one year.

Just from that pic I'd say 3.5.

He's just a little too blocky to be 2.5; I feel pretty comfortable with 3.5.

Just based off that one pic, I would say 3.5.

I'm guessing 3.5. Too much chest to be 2.5 imo

For the above stated reasons, my personal best guess is also 3 1/2.
But here's the rub ---- we are all just "guessing" based on generalizations.
And we are commonly off by that one year.

IMO, there's a pretty fair chance this buck may be a top-end 2 1/2,
the nature of which is they do often appear a year older than their real age.

Ever seen a young lady who appeared 18 but was actually just 14?
Or how about a 200-lb 12-yr-old boy, who looked several years older?

Deer are individuals, somewhat like people, and generalizations don't always hold true.
Some can be either younger or older than they "look".
Some even have bad teeth that "age" faster, some have better teeth that "age" more slowly,
making the tooth wear aging method progressively less accurate as deer do get older.

What are the odds he's only 2 1/2?
40%? 20%? 10%?
Just saying, it's not zero.

My take is if this one should turn out to be only 2 1/2,
there is potentially more to gain by giving him a pass than not.
Opinions vary

Can't agree more. I have the hardest time distinguishing between a well fed, beefed up 3.5 yr old deer and a 4.5. My dad killed one 2 years ago that i just knew was a 4.5. But as soon as I seen him dead on the ground I knew it was a 3.5 that would've touched 140's the next year as an 8pt (considering he would've been an 8 again).

I wouldn't put my money on my guess as a 3.5 on this deer he posted. He could very well be a 2.5 and I hope he'll post some more pics. And if he ends up being a 2.5 then he's on the road to being a great buck in 2 years.

 

[TheLBLman]

I hope he'll post some more pics.

Yes, making age guesses from a single pic often leads to a different guess than if there were 3 pics of the same buck.

 

[tree_ghost]

I hope he'll post some more pics.

Yes, making age guesses from a single pic often leads to a different guess than if there were 3 pics of the same buck.

Agreed unfortunately it's a single pic I got of him.

I also think he is an average 3.5yo. Always good exercise to look at tough pics like this one to sharpen your skills


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[megalomaniac]

Wes, the main purpose of trail cam photos is determining which bucks NOT to shoot in the heat of the moment when they are first encountered. Sure, occasionally I see a picture of a buck that I WANT to shoot, but overall, I find cameras most helpful in making objective judgement calls on which deer NOT to shoot while reviewing the pics in a nonpressured situation.

Clearly, for many like us, the only real determination is whether the deer is mature (4.5 or older) or not. So in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter if the deer is 2.5 or 3.5, neither would be shooters. The only mistakes are between the 3.5 and 4.5 y/o age classes. If I objectively assess a deer as 4.5 from trail camera photos, then later kill that deer and age him by teeth as 3.5, I don't feel bad. I'm not perfect, and won't let that detract from the experience and enjoyment of the hunt.

 

[foodplot]

His chest and shoulders are too filled out to only be 2.5. I say 3.5 at least.

That...

 

[double browtine]

I would say a 3.5, unless your hunting in a Midwest state.

 

[GRIT]

3.5

 

[TheLBLman]

Agree absolutely, at least for our hunting purposes.

Wes, the main purpose of trail cam photos is determining which bucks NOT to shoot in the heat of the moment when they are first encountered. Sure, occasionally I see a picture of a buck that I WANT to shoot, but overall, I find cameras most helpful in making objective judgement calls on which deer NOT to shoot while reviewing the pics in a nonpressured situation.

Clearly, for many like us, the only real determination is whether the deer is mature (4.5 or older) or not. So in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really matter if the deer is 2.5 or 3.5, neither would be shooters. The only mistakes are between the 3.5 and 4.5 y/o age classes. If I objectively assess a deer as 4.5 from trail camera photos, then later kill that deer and age him by teeth as 3.5, I don't feel bad. I'm not perfect, and won't let that detract from the experience and enjoyment of the hunt.