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Majority Age of Deer in Texas
#5891140
08/23/15 01:49 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,806
MathMan
OP
Pro Tracker
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OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,806 |
Seems like most deer are 3yo or less in Texas. Anyone else notice that?
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5891176
08/23/15 02:10 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,424
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,424 |
Seldom do people pay attention to younger deer. The third year is when most actually take notice via antlers
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5891200
08/23/15 02:36 AM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856
REALKILLER
Pro Tracker
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I could take a wild guess and say that 70 percent are 2 and under and 30 percent are 3 and older in east Texas. that's my survey since the early 1990s
Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5891312
08/23/15 04:08 AM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
I would say the average deer age today is much older than 25 yrs ago. People are allowing deer to get more age on them it seems these days(even outside the AR counties). Lot will depend on the management program in a particular area or even ranch(es) also.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5891711
08/23/15 04:37 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,988
Texas buckeye
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,988 |
Are we talking all deer or just bucks? I would say that doe average age is older than 3, which would bring the average deer age up.
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5891878
08/23/15 06:23 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639 |
Buck mortality rate outside of hunting is fairly high. Factor in a lot of people shooting 2.5 and 3.5 yr olds as trophies and I would easily believe the average buck age is 3.5 or less.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5891915
08/23/15 06:54 PM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 496
ctonsmitty
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 496 |
Won't be very many 4.5 year old bucks this year due to the 2011 drought....tons of good looking 3.5 year olds due to Spring rains and a ton of 2.5 year olds as well, but these will still look young. 3.5 year olds are in trouble because hunters will get impatient
this will be a good year to thin the does (and observe the good looking young bucks)
although there will be a handful of 5.5/6.5 year olds on the well managed properties, the general low fence property in TX is going to see A LOT of young bucks showing up at the cleaning shed (more than normal this year)
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5892961
08/24/15 01:55 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,535
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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Looking back at the hunting I have done in my childhood, how my parents and grandparents and all my family hunted, mature deer were a very rare exception, definitely not the rule.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5893080
08/24/15 03:09 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605 |
That's why folks always asked about the weight of a buck before anything else. The bigger (heavier) the deer, generally the older and that came with a bit of status among hunters back in the day. That and the fact that the larger bodied animal had more meat which, in those days, was all anyone really cared about.
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5893319
08/24/15 05:53 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856
REALKILLER
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,856 |
I agree with the buck weight being a factor, but I think deer are like humans and we all look different. Especially after running the girls hard. One of my biggest bucks in east tx was one of my lightest too. He was just a small looking deer. I dragged him by the handle bars for 300 yards in the ice and took only one break. Ive killed some in the same area that I couldn't drag 10 yrds without falling down and bitchen. an extra 75 to 100 pounds makes a huge difference when dragging a deer. And as for the doe question, it was a good one. I factored it into my survey. Not a lot of does get killed by hunters in my area, but the cars do a number on them. The cars kill more does and young bucks than I could ever think about surveying.
Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5894620
08/25/15 05:12 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,277
BradyBuck
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,277 |
Hunt a small 100 acre place between Brady and llano for the last 20+ years. I've never seen a deer older than 3.5 in person and only 3-4 on camera.
I hunted one year on another 100 acre place in Jones county and shot a 6.5 year old buck and saw multiple 4.5-5.5. I had several 5.5-7.5 year old deer on camera. Both bucks taken off that place that year weighed over 200 lbs.
Texas is a big place and the average age and size of the deer vary extremely depending on where you are.
Last edited by BradyBuck; 08/25/15 05:13 AM.
HRCH Washita's Kimber Locked N Loaded GRHRCH Firefly's Rally The Troops MH
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Re: Majority Age of Deer in Texas
[Re: MathMan]
#5894651
08/25/15 07:40 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,151
10pointers
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,151 |
Dont really understand the age thing. When I pull thr trigger they are not getting any older.
Signature images may not be larger than 600 pixels wide by 125 pixels tall. That smile says it all [North Dakota -16degrees
"Things may come to those who wait, but only those things left by those who hustle." - Abraham Lincoln
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