Age?

Hi all. I've only been hunting a few years now and need some help aging this buck. Also, can you explain how you come up with the age you think this buck is?

Also, I know deer will shed a coat, but this buck looks kinda funky. Or is this normal?

3 yr old.

At first glance that deer looks to a be a mature 5 yr old in those pics to me. I would not argue that he was a 4 yr old either. He also looks like he is going to be a nontypical with several extra points. Hair coat is normal looking for deer in the summer.

My guess, without teeth, would be 2 years. The relatively long thin neck, long legs, and shallow body type all point to a younger deer. There isn't that much brisket, and there isn't much sag on the belly. The antlers are going to be big, but that isn't a good indicator of age. It might be a hungry 3-yr old, but given all the green in the picture, it seems like there is plenty to eat.

Deer in the summer always look younger that what they generally are.

my first thought was a 3 year old as well. the only thing that makes me think he is a 4 year old is his face. his hocks are light in color, his brisket is dented in pretty good, straight back and no pot belly. I'm going to stick to 3 year old. no waffles

My guess is that if he sticks around until September, all the guesses will be completely different and probably 2 years older than the guesses now. Tough to judge age on Summer deer. For now, I will say 5 to save myself the embarrassment of having to change as the season gets close

I will say 4.5. Could be a year older. Once he starts rubbing and his neck muscles back up he will probably look fiveish.

5, looks like several of his tines are going to split.

3

My first thought was he looks on the older side, and my second thought was are you in an AR county, because in these pics it looks like he would be close.

4 yo

^^This^^ X2

Looks like 5 to me. He'll show his age more in a few months.

Deer age just like people do, lines saging fill out etc.

Looking at his head it doesn't look long and pointy anymore, his neck is fuller and appears to approach the point of his brisket more and for a free range low fence non protein raised deer he appears to have a little bit of a belly to me. I would say 4 or older and like others have said the summer deer usually look considerably younger than what they will look like in a couple months.

3.5 not any difference between summer or winter to me their face and other parts of their body dont change .

4yr old...

Their face will not change but their body structure will... mainly drop the fat and put on the muscle

I don't know how you can honestly say you don't think their bodies change?

At least 4. Wouldn't be surprised if he was much older. He has a tired look about him. Wouldn't go out on a limb for him until I saw some other replies...

Mature. I would say at least 4. Wrinkled neck, pot belly, big shoulders and brisket, face has a roman nose and loose skin. He could be 5 or older but without a history on him I would just go with mature. As stated before, lots of folks look at a buck's neck in the summer and say it is a young deer.

He has a normal summer coat.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll post pics in the fall if I can get more photos of him.

What?

Probably 4.

But other than really old or really young you're just pi$$in in the wind trying to age summer bucks. ALL deer necks are skinny in the summer.

You can tell with brisket and saggy skin on OLD deer and long legs on YOUNG deer. But trying to nail a middle age deer is just futile in the summer.

Bet

Bet what? You and I both have him at 4. I'll admit that it can go a year either way. He's middle age.

And I don't believe anyone can hit it everytime on middle age bucks.

I kid I kid

Lots of things can make them look different to me. Deer raised on a heavy diet of protein always seem to have a belly to me, even when young. Non supplemental fed deer can look the exact same to me for several years in a row. It helps to have background with the property and deer if possible. And they are still educated guesses.