Jawbone question

[megalomaniac]

Had a friend kill a buck in MS a week ago he thought was a doe. It ended up being an antlerless buck with bone just breaking the hair. 87lbs live wt.

The jawbone had the 3rd molar just erupting through the gumline (one cusp was through, the others not).

Would this deer be a very early born buck fawn or a very late born 1.5 y/o? I told him I don't think there's any way to differentiate between the two, but I suspect it should technically be recorded as a fawn.

 

[Andy S.]

Not sure there is any way to know for sure. I would think very late born 1.5, especially if you have good herd dynamics and 20-30% of your fawns conceive each year.

 

[BSK]

Late born yearling buck. A button buck will not have molars through the gumline, and especially not the 3rd/last molar.

 

[megalomaniac]

Great, thanks!

I have never seen so many 'tweeners' on a property. It made it very difficult to field judge age when I hunted there.

 

[TheLBLman]

I have never seen so many 'tweeners' on a property.

If herd health appears good, that MAY be the result of many doe fawns becoming pregant, then giving birth as only yearling does. Healthy female fawns can come into their first estrous in January thru March, giving birth in late summer and early fall.