BSK & Others - Please Age This Buck

[TheLBLman]

This is a buck from the ridge & hollow lands of Stewart County.
Pic taken 11-21-2009 near traditional rut peak.

This one has been very easy to track due to the scar on his shoulder. Will post more pics later, but this was the best pic I had for aging purposes.

How old do you think he is (as of 11-21-2009)?

 

[BSK]

3 1/2.

 

[DeerJay3]

3.5....Nice looking deer

 

[Biggun4214]

2.5

 

[8 POINTS OR BETTER]

3.5

 

[megalomaniac]

The textbook answer is 3.5, but something about him makes me think 4.5

 

[Football Hunter]

No belly,still see seperation at shoulder and neck,3.5

 

[Football Hunter]

Re: BSK & Others - Please Age This Buck

3 1/2.

Im learning,and trying to get better,before I saw your answer,I was thinking maybe a high end 2.5,but I look at the neck,shoulder area first,then for a belly.Also looked at the not so huge neck,where did I miss?Also,does the spereration of the front shoulder from the ribs mean anything?Or does a smooth rib shoulder area mean a older,4.5 buck?

 

[BSK]

3 1/2.

Im learning,and trying to get better,before I saw your answer,I was thinking maybe a high end 2.5,but I look at the neck,shoulder area first,then for a belly.Also looked at the not so huge neck,where did I miss?Also,does the spereration of the front shoulder from the ribs mean anything?Or does a smooth rib shoulder area mean a older,4.5 buck?

The neck/chest in comparison to his hams is what makes me say 3 1/2. He has way too much neck at the chest juncture to be 2 1/2, and his hams look too underdeveloped to be 4 1/2. Often bucks take on the peak of the "buffalo look" (front heavy) at 3 1/2.

But it's always dangerous to judge a buck from a single picture. The way they are standing or moving in a single picture can fool you. That's why I don't feel real comfortable with judging bucks from a single picture. My accuracy will definitely be better on a buck that I have multiple images of from all different angles.

 

[TheLBLman]

Thanks, All, and here is the jawbone should any of you want to change your opinion.

As some on here have said, if you're not checking the teeth, you're just guessing. And when I'm checking the teeth, I'm still just guessing. :grin:
But I guess this one was a little older than some thought just based on that single pic.

 

[BSK]

Re: BSK & Others - Please Age This Buck

I would put that tooth-wear at 4 1/2.

Again, that's why I'm somewhat uncomfortable with field-aging bucks from a single picture. And even with multiple images you can't always get it right. With multiple pictures I still only get 4 out of 5 right.

It's definitely an art and not a science.

 

[TheLBLman]

I would put that tooth-wear at 4 1/2.

It's definitely an art and not a science.

My thoughts exactly, on both counts.

Personally, I (and others) had repeatedly passed up this buck, thinking he was a 3 1/2 based on how he "appeared" on the hoof. I also think many of us may have an inherent bias to underage when they appear to have smaller than average antlers. But bottom line, just another example of how we hunters selectively "high grade" for antlers, shooting off the largest antlered young bucks, while repeatedly letting smaller antlered 3 1/2 & 4 1/2-yr-old bucks walk. I'm more convinced every year that most of TN's "mature" bucks have been the ones that many hunters simply repeatedly let walk due to their below average antlers.

Regardless, he was a buck most of us would have been happy to take, and certainly, this lady was very happy to have seen him!
(By the way, I personally don't have a problem taking a small antlered older buck, just don't want to use up my buck tags before I'm done hunting for the year.)

 

[BSK]

Without question most hunters will have a "small antler bias" when field-judging age. In fact, I strongly suspect that is why many East TN hunters believe the buck age structure of East TN is so poor, yet the harvest data strongly suggests hunters in East TN kill about the same percentage of older bucks than hunters in the other portions of the state. The generally poorer habitat of East TN is supressing antler development hence causing hunters to under-judge age.

 

[TheLBLman]

By the way, the Agency is providing a very easy-to-use interactive B&C score sheet.
Here at this link: http://www.tennregistry.com/score_sheet.aspx

The above buck had a gross typical green score of 95 2/8, with a net typical green score of 89 0/8.

 

[spitndrum]

Congrats!