Field-judging buck age examples

[BSK]

First, let me emphasize that field-judging age is an art and not a science. Although I've been perfecting my skills for many years, I still only get 4 out of 5 buck ages right. Let me also emphasize that deer from different geographic regions will have different body conformation characteristics by age. All of the following pictures (except one) are TN bucks.

Second, when field-judging buck age, always, always, ALWAYS ignore the antlers. I've seen 80-class yearlings and 80-class 5 1/2 year-old bucks. Antlers will fool you more often than any other feature. Just look at the body.


Yearling (1 1/2 year-old) bucks:

Yearling bucks are best described as "does with antlers." They have the gracile necks of does, and the long bodies of does. Some yearling bucks will have body musculature greater than does, but the almost always have legs that look very long for the thickness of the body.

In fact, at least for me, the two most important and consistent body characteristics to look at are the length of the legs in comparison to the vertical thickness of the body, and the juncture of the neck with the front of the shoulders. Those two characteristics seem to be the best for judging TN bucks.

Notice in the following pictures how narrow the bucks' necks are, even where they join the shoulder. A very clear distinction between the base of the neck and the beginning of the shoulders exists. Also notice how long these bucks' legs look in comparison to the vertical height/thickness of the shoulder and body trunk. Viewed from the front, yearling buck are also very doe-like in how narrow their bodies are from side to side.

 

[BSK]

2 1/2 year-old bucks:

By 2 1/2, bucks are really starting to put on considerable muscle. They are usually noticeably larger in body than yearling bucks. The best way to differentiate a 2 1/2 year-old buck from a yearling buck is the thickness of the neck. 2 1/2 year-old bucks have noticeably enlarged necks near the rut. Their bodies will often look substantially larger than a yearling.

However, as much larger as their necks are, a fairly strong distinction still exists between the base of the neck and the beginning of the shoulders.

Their legs are starting to look less "long and gracile" compared to a yearling buck.

 

[BSK]

3 1/2 year-old bucks:

Bucks begin to look "big" once they hit 3 1/2. At 3 1/2, they have very heavy necks, especially down at the base where the neck joins the shoulders. Only a slight distinction between neck and shoulder will exist.

A 3 1/2 year-old buck really looks like a Thoroughbred race horse. They are very muscular in shoulders and hams. They look like they are at the peak of their game. Viewed from the front, their bodies are starting to look thick from side to side.

3 1/2 year-old bucks are just starting to take on the "front-heavy" (deeper chest than hams) look common to mature bucks.

 

[BSK]

4 1/2 year-old bucks:

At 4 1/2, bucks are considered mature, not only because their behavior is that of a mature buck but because their bodies are fully filled out.

At 4 1/2, bucks will have massive necks. Almost no definition will exist between the base of the neck and the beginning of the shoulders. The huge neck will appear to nearly flow seamlessly into the shoulders.

4 1/2 year-old bucks also begin to take on a strong "buffalo" look, where their front end appears to be much heavier than their back-end--almost as if they will tip forwards.

At 4 1/2, bucks' body-trunks will be just as wide from side to side as as they are tall vertically. They are truly brutish, muscular, thick studs.

At 4 1/2, bucks have legs that look noticeably short in comparison to the vertical height of the body. In essence, the front legs look about as long as the shoulder section of the body trunk is vertically thick.

 

[BSK]

5 1/2 year-old bucks:

5 1/2 year-old and older bucks are the true bulls of the forest. Their distinguishing characteristics are their massive over-all size. Their necks have become so thick that they flow directly into the top of the shoulders and deep brisket of the chest with no definition.

By 5 1/2, the musculature of bucks' hams have often caught up to their shoulders, and they no longer have the "front heavy" look of 4 1/2 year-old bucks.

Bucks of this age will look and act like no other deer. They will even walk differently than younger bucks, with a more horse-like plodding gait. At times they will even swing their front legs foreword in a sideways arcing motion.

 

[BSK]

6 1/2 and older bucks:

Bucks 6 1/2 or older are characterized by hugely large bodies that are beginning to look "saggy" especially around the belly. If the belly is vertically thicker than the shoulders and hams, the buck is 6 1/2+. These bucks are rarely seen in the wild (even if they exist--they are very secretive).

[Note: the 2nd pictured buck in velvet is from the Low Country of South Carolina. I use that SC buck in velvet (when necks are not as filled out as they will be come the rut) primarily to show just how fat the bellies on 6 1/2+ year-old bucks really are]

 

[canyonman]

Great info Bryan
Here is the hunting situation;your in your stand hunting thick cover 50 yards is the longest shot you can take,it's 8:30am and a good buck appears.The deer is feeding slowly but you only have very little time to age the deer and take the shot.Can you give us your mental check list as you age this deer.
thanks

 

[big 8s in Weakley county]

THanks alot BSK
Very helpful

 

[HOOK]

Great post man!

 

[BSK]

Great info Bryan
Here is the hunting situation;your in your stand hunting thick cover 50 yards is the longest shot you can take,it's 8:30am and a good buck appears.The deer is feeding slowly but you only have very little time to age the deer and take the shot.Can you give us your mental check list as you age this deer.
thanks

One word: "neck"

Look at the juncture between neck and shoulder.

If you have time: "How long does his front legs look in comparison the the vertical thickness of his shoulder?"

 

[BSK]

Here's a real-world hunting situation. I apologize for the poor quality of the images, but these are still-images stripped from a video I took from my deer stand. It was a very foggy morning and first a yearling buck came walking and feeding through a food plot I was hunting. 30 minutes later a mature (4 1/2 year-old) buck came along the same route as the spike. I tried to pull images of the two bucks in exactly the same location and body posture for comparison. Notice the major differences in neck size at the shoulder juncture, and in the "head on" pictures the major difference and body width from side to side. In each par, the first pic is the yearling and the second pic is the mature buck:

Pair 1:

Pair 2:

Pair 3:

 

[TheLBLman]

Excellent post, BSK!
Great info, seldom even mentioned in the popular (and generally worthless) hunting magazines.

. . . when field-judging buck age, always, always, ALWAYS ignore the antlers.

This particular yearling buck illustrates one of the main reasons I usually don't like antler restrictions being used as criteria in defining "shooter" bucks.

By not focusing on age first, many QDM clubs (and particularly WMA's with antler restrictions) are actually "high grading" their best yearling bucks and above-average 2 1/2-yr-old bucks, mainly leaving the genetically inferior survivors into the older ages classes. Many WMAs and QDM clubs would actually be producing more genetically superior antlered older bucks if they were NOT using any antler restrictions, particularly if they just made yearling bucks illegal (no matter what the antlers on that yearling).

I like to focus on AGE first, while trying to totally ignore antlers.
In the field, a quick focus at the buck's neck is where you start. "Skinny" neck = young buck. "Very fat" neck = 3 1/2 or older buck.

By the way, regarding this particular yearling pic above, there are probably no reasonable antler restrictions that would prevent him from being a "legal" buck at the age of 2 1/2. Yet it is bucks like this one that have the most potential to become the very top-end largest antlered bucks whould they survive to 3 1/2 or older.

 

[BSK]

I completely agree Wes. In my area we have a significant percentage of yearling bucks that would qualify for harvest under a "4-points-on-one-side" rule. That's why I don't like antler restrictions outside of specific geographic locations.

Now in the Deep South, where the majority of yearling bucks are fork-horns or smaller, antler restrictions can work very well.

 

[DWM]

I just noticed that in the facing position a good rule would be if the upper to middle neck is as wide or wider than the skull he is at least 4 1/2. To me that would be an easy quick way to judge deer coming toward you.

 

[TheLBLman]

Now in the Deep South, where the majority of yearling bucks are fork-horns or smaller, antler restrictions can work very well.

I both agree and disagree, "depending" on just what you're trying to accomplish.

If your goal is simply to produce more 2 1/2-yr-old bucks, then of course, antler restrictions such as "4 points on one side, 8 points, 9 points, etc." will certainly do a great job in accomplishing this goal.

But many hunters state they have a personal goal of killing a large antlered buck, something that generally cannot even begin to happen prior to a buck reaching 3 1/2 years or older. And for any buck to even approach his antlers' genetic potential, he must reach the age of 4 1/2. But then again, how one defines "large" antlers comes into play.

My thinking is that most "practical" antler restrictions (those in use by most WMA's that use antler restrictions) actually increase the harvest of the genetically best antlered 2 1/2-yr-old and younger bucks. My thinking is that WITHOUT antler restrictions, many of these same areas would in fact have MORE genetically superior (large) antlered older bucks, albeit they would have fewer older bucks.

BECAUSE of antler restrictions, the best antlered yearlings are killed at a higher rate on the Catoosa WMA than they would be killed if there were no antler restrictions at all. BECAUSE of antler restrictions, the best antlered 2 1/2-yr-old bucks are killed at a higher rate on President's Island WMA than they would be killed if there were no antler restrictions at all.

And even those places where the majority of yearling bucks are fork-horns or smaller, if they use antler restrictions, BECAUSE of those antler restrictions, the best antlered younger bucks will be killed at a higher rate --- leaving fewer of the best to reach the older age classes.

 

[BSK]

Wes,

Hence the research on the affects of the "four total point rule" in Mississippi....

Is it reducing the average antler size of older bucks? It might be...

 

[BSK]

I just noticed that in the facing position a good rule would be if the upper to middle neck is as wide or wider than the skull he is at least 4 1/2. To me that would be an easy quick way to judge deer coming toward you.

Good observation DWM.

 

[Chaneylake]

this is good, thanks

 

[baller_9]

Great post BSK

Wes...I'm not disagreeing with you but what makes you think that antler restrictions cause the best 2 1/2 antlered bucks to be killed at a higher rate? And that these areas would have more superior bucks without the restrictions?

If there is not an antler restriction in some of the WMA's than many hunters would be happy with any buck that came by. With it being on public land hunters are going to be a lot more trigger happy knowing that there might be a another hunter on the next ridge.

In my opinion without the antler restrictions there wouldn't be so many of the top end 2 1/2 yr old bucks and than the few that go on to 3 1/2 plus. I do not believe it would ever be a good idea to have a statewide restriction. However, in my opinion I believe that the restrictions on WMA's are a great asset and allow hunters to be more selective and atleast giving bucks a chance to get some age.

I'm not saying I'm right but I would like to hear your response.

 

[TN RDG RNR]

awesome examples BSK thanks