texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,416
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,769
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics537,019
Posts9,719,454
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Deer tooth aging #6854149 08/12/17 10:55 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
T
Texas buckeye Online Content OP
THF Celebrity
OP Online Content
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
A recent study done in Florida used separate teeth from the same deer sent in to the lab to determine age of deer. Only 15% were classified at the same age, 50% were within a year apart, and the rest were classified as more than 2 years different image.

I believe they used incisors and the dark circles on the incisors as the aging criteria. They said the dark parts grow typically during the hard winter times and may not be useful as an aging criteria in southern deer with no real harsh winters.

Couple problems with this study were that the teeth were all aged at the same lab, also, just the incisors were sent, not a half jaw. So there are some limitations. But some food for thought...

Last edited by Texas buckeye; 08/12/17 10:58 PM.
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6854527 08/13/17 12:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 29,576
S
Sneaky Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
S
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 29,576
It isn't all that accurate. That's all there is to it. People can believe what they want, but there's no way all deers' teeth wear exactly the same.

Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6854536 08/13/17 12:14 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,255
D
Dave Davidson Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Content
THF Trophy Hunter
D
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,255
Like cows, sandy soils will wear teeth quicker.


Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Sneaky] #6858412 08/16/17 03:23 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
T
Txhuntr2 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
Originally Posted By: Sneaky
It isn't all that accurate. That's all there is to it. People can believe what they want, but there's no way all deers' teeth wear exactly the same.


Agreed. I remember reading a study in one of my wildlife management courses in undergrad that gave known-age deer jaws to multiple people with experience aging deer. The result was that the error rate was high for middle aged deer and got higher the older the deer was. The fact is, aging deer by their teeth, even using Cementum Anuli is not all that accurate.

Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6858869 08/16/17 10:20 PM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,999
tlk Online Happy
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Happy
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,999
we age our deer via tracking them on video, trail cam pics, and sight. When shot we check tooth wear and give the age we think he is. We then send teeth to lab - in most all cases we are within a year via all methods - not perfect but still is a good resource we think


You can't fix stupid
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Txhuntr2] #6858947 08/16/17 11:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,857
S
Simple Searcher Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
S
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,857
Originally Posted By: Txhuntr2
Originally Posted By: Sneaky
It isn't all that accurate. That's all there is to it. People can believe what they want, but there's no way all deers' teeth wear exactly the same.


Agreed. I remember reading a study in one of my wildlife management courses in undergrad that gave known-age deer jaws to multiple people with experience aging deer. The result was that the error rate was high for middle aged deer and got higher the older the deer was. The fact is, aging deer by their teeth, even using Cementum Anuli is not all that accurate.


There was a post on here a while back about a study where they gave known age deer jaws to several biologist to age. The error rate was really high.
We had a 4 year old that was tagged as a fawn, every "know-it all" from the lease next door said he was 7-8 years old. He was killed buy another buck that year. His teeth aged at 6-7 years.


[Linked Image]

"Man is still a hunter, still a simple searcher after meat..." Robert C. Ruark
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Simple Searcher] #6859484 08/17/17 01:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
Originally Posted By: Simple Searcher
Originally Posted By: Txhuntr2
Originally Posted By: Sneaky
It isn't all that accurate. That's all there is to it. People can believe what they want, but there's no way all deers' teeth wear exactly the same.


Agreed. I remember reading a study in one of my wildlife management courses in undergrad that gave known-age deer jaws to multiple people with experience aging deer. The result was that the error rate was high for middle aged deer and got higher the older the deer was. The fact is, aging deer by their teeth, even using Cementum Anuli is not all that accurate.


There was a post on here a while back about a study where they gave known age deer jaws to several biologist to age. The error rate was really high.
We had a 4 year old that was tagged as a fawn, every "know-it all" from the lease next door said he was 7-8 years old. He was killed buy another buck that year. His teeth aged at 6-7 years.


That may have been me that posted that. Jimmy Rutledge was able to identify 85% of the tooth wear within one year. The other TPWD Technical Guidance Biologists were less than 50%. But, if you don't know the deer through observation and years of progression, it's the only thing we have. I've seen known age deer that showed 2-3 years more or less tooth wear than their actual age. All dependent on soil type and diet.

Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6859496 08/17/17 02:08 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
R
redchevy Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
We look at all our jaws as part of our management plan. I don't put a lot of weight on the teeth other than young and ancient.

We have shot several deer in the 4-5 year old range that show little to no more wear than a 2 or 3 year old. And we have the years of consecutive pictures of the 4-5 year olds to know their age. I have posted a few jaws on here and always get a 2 and 3 year old estimate.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6859503 08/17/17 02:14 PM
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
N
Navasot Offline
Hollywood
Offline
Hollywood
N
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Im gona know how old or range of age a deer is before I see the teeth anyway.

Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6859601 08/17/17 03:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 7,759
S
snake oil Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
S
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 7,759
When there is a heavy acorn crop that wears there teeth more also. Not a very accurate age guide....


"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas".
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6859627 08/17/17 03:53 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
R
redchevy Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
We hunt in sand country with no acorns. Feeders throw corn into loose sand the deer eat year round and they show very little in the way of tooth wear until they get OLD!


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: Texas buckeye] #6859715 08/17/17 05:57 PM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,999
tlk Online Happy
THF Trophy Hunter
Online Happy
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 5,999
After I shot this guy last season we went to take his front two teeth out to send to the lab and there were none! He had worn them down to nothing - we think he was 8-9 years old





You can't fix stupid
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: tlk] #6859718 08/17/17 06:00 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
R
redchevy Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
Originally Posted By: tlk
After I shot this guy last season we went to take his front two teeth out to send to the lab and there were none! He had worn them down to nothing - we think he was 8-9 years old






Do you have his jaw or a picture? Would be interested to see what they look like. We shot two pretty darn old deer this year and have pretty much nothing to go by. Comparing them to the TPWD stuff we have its like 8+ on one and off the charts for the other.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: tlk] #6859764 08/17/17 06:56 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
T
Txhuntr2 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
Originally Posted By: tlk
After I shot this guy last season we went to take his front two teeth out to send to the lab and there were none! He had worn them down to nothing - we think he was 8-9 years old






That deer looks ancient. That's cool.

Re: Deer tooth aging [Re: tlk] #6859777 08/17/17 07:17 PM
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
N
Navasot Offline
Hollywood
Offline
Hollywood
N
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Originally Posted By: tlk
After I shot this guy last season we went to take his front two teeth out to send to the lab and there were none! He had worn them down to nothing - we think he was 8-9 years old




cheers

Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3