Need help ageing deer.

[Txbluecatman]

Heres a couple of pics I got of some deer coming to one of my feeders. I was wondering how old they are. I know that they still got some growing to do.

[cats4uandme]

2 one and a 1/2 and 2. just a guess but looks like it from the bodys and racks. there young ens.

if you have a reference it helps.

from tip of nose to the corner of eye closest to nose is a good way to judge. 6 1/2" is a 1-3 year range. 7 1/2" is into the 3-4 7 3/4" is up into the 5-6 ish and 8" is your sr bucks. but hard to tell unless you are fimiliar with the references (feeders ect..

in taxidermy thats a key measurment.

[Txbluecatman]

Thanks, thats what I was thinking but was'nt sure. We will be starting a protein supplement feeding program starting in Jan. 09 so that should help grow em.

[CountryHart]

I agree with Jermey, i think their young. Also thanks for the numbers Jerm. I'll keep this tid-bit of information. You being a taxidermist, i would say you have an educated guess.:wink:

[Kutter]

Thanks Jeremy, that's the kinda stuff I copy to my deer info folder. Stuff you need to know but just don't hear about often.

[flathead willie]

Yea, I'd say they are 2 year olds. I discovered that around here, if you measure around the base of the antler just above the burr, a yearling will measure just about 1 1/2 inches, a two year old will be about 2 1/2 inches and a three year old will be about 3/1/2 inches, and a 4 year old will max out at about 4 1/2 inches. They don't get too much bigger than that at 5,6 years old but get real gray in the face and broader in nose.

[peglegreb]

David in S.C.

[cats4uandme]

easier after there dead. :smile2:

[flathead willie]

easier after there dead. :smile2:

Yea it is. After seeing several dead ones from your area, it's not hard to get a feel for the age of them by looking at the mass of the antlers. Sometimes they will fool ya. I have one weird rack on the wall that I thought was a big spike when I shot him, but turned out to be a 4 year old, (biologists checked his teeth). He was missing one hind foot that affected his antlers. One beam goes straight up and the other goes backward.

[cats4uandme]

Yea it is. After seeing several dead ones from your area, it's not hard to get a feel for the age of them by looking at the mass of the antlers. Sometimes they will fool ya. I have one weird rack on the wall that I thought was a big spike when I shot him, but turned out to be a 4 year old, (biologists checked his teeth). He was missing one hind foot that affected his antlers. One beam goes straight up and the other goes backward.

ya that was kind of a joke but you are right. it can be decieving. my buddie hunts close to a big protected grove. and the deer there are so packed and imbread they get some reel funky ones. ill post some pics tomorrow of a few racks. they have shot some 180lb + deer with pencil racks and very weird ones to boot. i have them here in the shop. they let me work on mounting them on plaques when i began taxidermy a few years ago. they have shot some 4-5 year old deer with 2 year old racks. thats why the face measurments work better than the racks judging. to me it dont matter. they all taste good. ill worry about the rack after its dead. if its big ill mount it. if it aint. heck i still might. i can do my own for about $75. lol. that rest of the $400 to $600 is all labor.

[lance]

Nothing I can add . Stella info guys . I have shot deer since I was 15 growing up in wv . The deer there where smaller than here in KY . I am sure genetics and NUTRITION where big factors there . Older bucks like older guys like myself also tend to sag around the gut as well . Reps to ya !

[cats4uandme]

heres an example of one of them 160lb deer that had a 2 year old screwball rack.

[Kutter]

Well no wonder you don't eat the racks Jeremy. I doubt that scawny thing would taste good either.:wink:

[CountryHart]

heres an example of one of them 160lb deer that had a 2 year old screwball rack.


Tine length would score good but not much mass.:smile2: In my book those are cull deer that need removed from the gene pool

[cats4uandme]

Tine length would score good but not much mass.:smile2: In my book those are cull deer that need removed from the gene pool

i didnt shoot it. thats a friends rack i was practicing on a while back. ya. them need removed.

this one is mine. 8" nose to eye measurement. i didnt check his teeth but hes a mature deer.

now the second one theres a story behind that one. that was a button buck road kill my buddie hit and brought to me. he was eaten and it was my third mount i did. he didnt have a rack when i got it. with a hacksaw and some antler sculpt i turned him into a would have been state record. with this rack at less than a year.:ooooh::smile2:

believe hes around 30 pts.

[derbycitycatman]

I think these guys nailed it, 2 to 2 1/2 years old. I dont go by face too much cause I usually cant see them that good. I like looking at their bellies and overall size to judge age of bucks.