BSK - Age

[WMAn]

What do you think?

 

[BSK]

A side view would help, but with just those two pictures to go on, I would say 2 1/2.

 

[WMAn]

Here's a picture of the deer.

Are you still sticking with 2 1/2?

 

[BSK]

Would love to have a side angle to see how worn down the crest of the 4th tooth (1st true molar) is.

 

[WMAn]

Here you go:

 

[BSK]

Yeah, now I would go with 3 1/2. The crests of the 4th tooth show enough wear.

Although he really doesn't show much wear on his newest permanent teeth (the first 3 that are replaced at about 18-20 months). Normally a 3 1/2 will show a little more wear on those teeth.

 

[WMAn]

Yeah, this one threw me for a loop. After recovering him, I guessed 3 1/2 based on his body, but when I pulled his jaw I didn't know what to think.

He had three small holes in his antlers. What causes those? Also, what do you make of his right side? The tines aren't broken off, but the right side does have a 2-3" kicker that grew horizontal from the base toward the back of his head. I could find no visible injuries.

 

[BSK]

Considering the under-developed side, something was going on with that buck. I'm amazed how some areas show a fair percentage of older bucks that grow tines off the back of the beam, usually just past the browtine. I've photographed quite a few bucks in my area with these backwards pointing kicker points.