Aging Help Needed...

[grundsow]

 

[Chris Tripp]

3.50

 

[.300 WSM]

That looks like a 3.5 cull buck to me.

 

[POSSUM HUNTER]

2.5

 

[CopperHead77]

2.50

 

[W.Seay]

2.5

 

[BSK]

That looks like a 3.5 cull buck to me.

There's no such thing as a cull buck.

 

[BSK]

Middle-aged.

 

[cutt]

I would say this is probably a 2.5 yr old. Either give him one more year or let a kid take him. Probably never going to be a monster with that start.

 

[grundsow]

Middle-aged.

Awe c'mon Bryan, how 'bout committing. :grin:

I have such trouble separating 2� & 3�

First glance at the rack and I thought 1�, but then I considered the body and thought, ya-know what he�s probably 2�.

Then last night I shot him and after looking at the teeth he actually shows signs of possibly being 3�, which I find really hard to believe. But now after the comments here, maybe he is 3�. WOW!

 

[BSK]

The only reason I wouldn't commit is because northern deer can be tough for us southern managers to judge. Those northern bucks can really put on some muscle by 2 1/2.

 

[grundsow]

Okay, fair enough

 

[ClubHead]

Nice

 

[TAKE A CHANCE]

Nice

 

[grundsow]

I'll tell ya what's nice, I called him right in with a Primos Estrous Doe Bleat Can that my 12 year old daughter got me for Christmas. Sweet! The entire hunt after work lasted a whopping 5 minutes.

Checked my nearby trailcam last night and got a video of him rubbing a sapling and working a scrape just �-hour before I shot him. Too cool!

 

[BSK]

What do you think his age is from tooth-wear?

 

[grundsow]

If it were a doe and I had to go on tooth wear ALONE, I would say 3� because the lingual crests on tooth #4 are certainly losing their sharp peaks and the inner dentine there is probably wider than the outside enamel.

But I never feel 100% confident separating 2� & 3�, whether it�s body characteristics or tooth wear.

I concluded 2� due to the light body weight and small antler size, but I could easily be wrong. I can post you tooth wear pics from him if you�re interested. I may just send a tooth out for microscope analyzing because it�s fascinating to me.

BTW, this is SE PA farm country yet only his one antler qualified for our state implemented 3-point AR (1� tine length minimum). His narrow spread would not have made him vulnerable for harvest any earlier either (had there been a spread exception to the point rule). Of course he was fair game to jr. hunters though.

 

[BSK]

Either post a good downward pic of the teeth or just email them to me. I'm curious.

 

[HOOK]

4.50

 

[Boone 58]

He has a mature look even though the antlers arent that great.

 

[grundsow]

Can't seem to get a better focus on the top view.

 

[grundsow]

This is the left side, see how these crests are worn:

 

[MUP]

Those are some excellent pics. BSK can you tell us what to look for here on these pics for aging purposes?

 

[decaturhunter]

nice

 

[In_my_sights]

this link will explain the aging details
http://www.deerdays.com/Articals.aspx

 

[MUP]

Thanks IMS! Good info!

 

[grundsow]

**UPDATE**

FYI - Matson's Lab says this one is definitely 3.5 old