No. Those are the best pics I have. Last time I went to get the SD card, something messed up and it didnt take any pics. (I think my cousin took the pics off and put it back in the camera after the batteries were dead) but thats a diff story.

The first pic is the best one of him next to other bucks. The spike in the foreground and that is a buck in the background too. The one in the background has a nice rack on one side but the other side is screwed up(Genetics or injury).

I'll pull the card when I go out there this weekend and hopefully I'll get some better pics of him and others out of velvet... If they are out already.

I guess my best bet is to wait and see if a nicer buck shows up at some point during the rut.

I'm not allowed to take any does off of the property. (Stupid rule my uncle made up)

Not trying to start a fight, but how are you guys "aging" the deer? Back when I was in College (late 70's), we were told that the only way to age a deer was thru jaw/teeth. Any other method has too many variables involved and is at best a guess.

Just wondering if technology has changed and I have been left in the dust again?

well def not making the 13" mark this year so dont worry bout it.. aint legal..

With use of trail cams and video cams by hunter and managers today people have been able to view a deer from year to year. In doing this it has allowed them to pick out body characteristics from year to year on a single deer and then apply them to other deer for a comparison. Also hunters today are somewhat more management minded and this has allowed them to sit and view more bucks to compare to each while waiting on a mature buck. Not an exact science but not just a guess either.

There are alot of factors that go into "guessing" the age of a deer. At best, it is an educated guess and there is no real science to it.

IMO, it is based on experience...mainly from watching deer in the field and verifying the age after they have been shot. There is also alot of controversy concerning the use of teeth wear as a factor for aging deer. Many studies have shown that experienced biologist aren't that accurate even when it comes to aging a deer.

I think that for the most part you can get close by looking at certain characteristics of the animal, but it is still a guess and unless there are markings on the deer and you have watched him year after year, there is no proof positive way that you can tell the age by a picture.

My

Agree. If you want him shoot his arse, if he's legal of course.

Here's my question. And it's probably going to sound stupid, but I'm new to deer hunting. (this is my 3rd season).

How do you know the deer you are looking at is even the same deer you saw last year? If their antlers fall off every year, how do you know one buck from the other? Unless it has a tag in its ear or some sort of scar to recognize it by, then how do you know?

I ask because obviously there is a way to know, I just dont know it.

Also, I want to point out that I know "0" about aging/scoring a deer. That's why I'm just going off of what all of you guys are telling me.

Age and measurements are BEST determined with the Deer laying on the ground. They ALL make 13" if you HEAD SHOOT them!LOL!

Simple as just getting to know "your" deer. After you have been getting pics for a while you get to know each individual. At first they all look alike like white guys but then you get to know their individual traits and characteristics....

On our place, we have had some deer with markings (white patches between the eyes, or white spots on the back) that have helped identify certain deer. Scars are a good way too and sometimes there are other unique details that you can pick out.

The antlers are probably the most used as far as tracking a deer from year to year. Even though they drop their antlers, the characteristics tend to stay with the deer with each new growth. Browtines are a good example. We have a deer that the browtines go straight back. Every year they do the same thing. Frame shape, splits, drops, stickers, and other unique growth formations are also good to watch for.

STX has some good examples of deer that he has seen from year to year on this thread. It will show some examples of some of the traits I was talking about.

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2594777/Age_little_different_than_norm

And, the question didn't sound stupid at all.

It comes from spending time in the field watching and observing deer. Cameras make it easier to do this as they hunt 24/7 while you can't. All deer do not look exactly alike as it might appear at first glance. Keys I look for are facial features; color of the face; amount of white on the face, ears, neck or body; the color of the coat of the deer; scars like you mentioned; white throat patch shape or location; does the deer have white "socks" around his hooves; does he have white outlines on his hooves; the deers interaction or body posture around other deer; the shape of the antlers as far as tines or beams; and browtines are very key to me as they are the finger print of a deer. You sit and watch enough deer and see them enough you will begin to recognize them from year to year. Some bucks can be picked out in the spring after they have shed their antlers after you have seen them for a few years. It is not an exact science but with time you will get better at it. People were not born being able to look at a deer the very first time and tell us his history.

Thanks guys. I love all of the info I get from you guys.

I REALLY appreciate the knowledge that you gentlemen so freely give out.

The antlers will not always be exactly the same but will keep alot of the same characteristics. here a buck i hav pics of from 4 1/2 to 6 1/2......
4 1/2

5 1/2
6 1/2

Neat looking deer Navas...

We have thought a deer was the same one from a previous year, but later realized we made a mistake. He just happened to have the same genetic trait. It was pretty confusing when they walked out together. We had to pull last years video out to determine which deer it was.

(And STX...I know, I even waffle on this )

That is what makes this great!!! You get to hear from people of all walks of life and all levels of experience.

Just remember...the information is worth what you paid for it

And remember that 70% of statistics are made up.lol

Yep they do change from year to year on some bucks.
Buck at 3.5 yrs old

Same buck at 4.5 yrs old now blind in one eye from a recent fight

Same buck at 5.5 yrs old


Did not see him yet this year.

I say at least 3.5 but probably 4.5. He aint getting any better in the horn deparment. Camp meat for sure.

Ranchman why did yall not take him at 4.5 after the injury.

Thats a beautiful buck STX! I doubt I'll ever see one like that where I currently hunt. But one day I hope to be on a much better place.

I still think he's no more then 3 1/2

http://www.wildlifeenterprises.com/Field-Guide.htm This should kind of help you with recognizing a mature deer.

He had made such a huge jump and thought he would score around 210 that year and was still young enough to get much bigger the next year. He ended up having a lopsided rack the next season and did find one side of his rack from last year at 5.5 and it was just around 100" on it alone. So if he had matched up he would have been in the 220's or larger. Just the roll of the dice. He still was an active breeder and that was more important than killing him. Here is the shed from him next to an 18" steel ruler.

Good guide to go by, but not all the deer have read the book. We have killed some deer that we aged on the hoof at 3 1/2, but when we pulled the jaw, they had very little teeth left.

How old you think this buck is?

I know, I know...pick me, pick me