Guesses at age of this buck?

This is a buck that is located in Caldwell County, just outside of Lockhart. I'm thinking he's 4.5. Agree? Disagree?

Hard to tell from behind but I'd "guess" he's early mature. 3.5 or so

Can't tell from that one photo and the way the deer is positioned. From the staining on his hocks and down the backs of his legs, I'd say he could be 4 1/2.

When was that pic taken? Makes a huge difference when guessing the age.

late November, which is towards the end of the rut this year in the area

Only one pic to guess from is bad enough but that one doesnt show much. From what I can see, he is at least 4.5 and I would venture to say he is probably older.

found another...

His rump and the hump above his shoulders is what's throwing me. From that second photo, the deer appears to be at least 5 1/2 and probably older.

Same time frame?

4

He looks post prime in the picture 7.5plus

Roughly the same time frame, yes.

Here's a close up...looks like he got a little tore up.

3.5, I don't see any way that deer is post mature

How is your buck to doe ratio? Is it way out of whack and do you have a good age structure on the place or is it predominately younger bucks? I agree with BoBo that the second pic has the classic look of a way mature buck.

Our ratio is pretty good & our age structure is fairly balanced. This is the time of the year where we really can see what all survived as season has closed around us. We have MLD, so we have a little longer to hunt. We have some neighbors that shoot any legal buck they can, and don't let them mature much. I have my hunters target 5.5 or older unless we can define a cull that is at least 3.5. This is one that has me a little confused. If he's 4.5, I will put him on the safe list for next year. If older, he's fair game. Just unsure on how to judge this particular one as far as age goes. We have another that is his mere image...exact same rack, but the opposite brow tine is longer...I can only assume it is his twin.

X2.

Ya'lls 3.5 buck hocks run all the way to the ground?

What about the fine arse that degrading, surely yalls three year olds have more meat.

Do you by chance have a pic of him in October or pre rut?

I've seen it on young deer at the end of the rut

With this being said, I cant imagine a 3.5 yr old buck having tarsal staining all the way down to his hooves. They normally have a perfect circle of staining in a well balanced herd with regards to age structure and balanced buck to doe ratio. Pics can be deceiving so get some eyes on him and see what you think. Any chances you have a pic that shows the front of his front knees? That is the great thing about deer management, there are no absolutes. We try our best to make choices. Another thing to keep in mind is that if in doubt let the deer walk. I like how you are making decisions on individual deer instead of trying to use a one size fits all strategy.

Never seen a 3.5 in Texas run to the ground. Need better pics of knees but Id put him the hit list. Healthy post mature buck built by a very wet year, in that second picture.

How old is this deer?

Same page.

Almost toothless.

Looks like an older fella to me.

Where is the rest of this picture?

I'll see what other pics I can find. Most are on a laptop I didn't have on me, and these were just quick cropped ones I saved earlier, so the others will have full pics and not cropped. Think I have some from him in velvet.

The deer I posted was ancient. He was an unknown deer that just showed up on a low fence ranch. All my guides looked at the pics and called him 3.5. They thought I was crazy when I let a older teenager take him as a management buck. When I pulled his teeth they were worn to the gums. This was mid Dec. and the rut was still going on where this was. Just wanted to give an example of a buck that had a 3.5 yr old body but I had to look at other things to make the real call.

Trick question ??? Not the same deer in the closeup ???

Based off the brow tines alone it's easily the same deer.

Man, this is a tough on for sure.
There is no doubt in my mind this deer is mature looking at his front end and face.
Without a doubt he is 5.5+. He definitely looks a little 'hatchet arsed' like a lot of the post mature deer tend to get at 8.5+ but I'm thinking it is more do to just weight loss from being at the tail end of the rut on this deer. He certainly could be post mature though.

rtp, the deer you posted definitely has the hocks of an old deer but there is no way in a million years I would have guessed him to be post mature by this picture.
If you look at this deer from the hocks to the top of his head and don't look at the stains on his legs or his horns, he screams 3.5 years old. Heck, he does not even have the big front end (neck, shoulders, & brisket) that most old deer have. Even his face looks extremely young. Amazing....thanks for posting that picture.

Most of the post mature bucks I've seen down south resemble the Caldwell Cnty deer in the original post a lot but with even bigger necks and brisket and sometimes even less on the backside than this deer has. This could be due to just being bigger bodied deer overall down there than the typical Caldwell Cnty deer.

Fortunately for me I had many pics of the buck I posted to make my decision from. I just chose the one I posted because it showed the staining and not much else. I wanted to illustrate how one pic can be deceiving. If you look close in the one pic, you will see a callous area on the front knee. The buck is also sitting back on his front hooves more so than a typical 3.5 yr old. Like I said I had the benefit of many pictures. I think the OP is going to have to get his eyes on his buck to make his decision. The pics posted simply arent enough to make a great guess. I think he is post mature myself but Im not willing to lay a wager on it from just those pics. That hatch arse is one of the things I was looking at.

Good stuff rtp and dead on the money about how certain angles and poses in pictures can really make deer look older or younger than they really are!
I also believe you are spot on with your post about how younger bucks typically don't have stains running all the way down their legs this is usually something you see only in mature+ bucks. It almost seems to me most bucks don't start getting it all the way down their legs until 6.5 or older most times.

By the way, that was one hell of an 8 pt! How big was he? I am a huge sucker for bit 8s man! LOL

Here is mine from last year at my place in far Eastern Bexar County. I am damn proud of this deer.
Heck of a deer for our area for sure and one that I'd been watching grow up the past 4 seasons.
Keep in mind I tend to make things look smaller than they are in pictures as I haven't missed too many meals and am 6'4" 260. lol

On the OP's post, I would guess that buck at a 3 1/2.

Here's a few more pics of the original deer in question, along with dates.

Neck lines sure fit the description of an older deer to me.

Agreed. No way this deer is 3.5 IMHO. His neck goes all the way to the bottom of his chest. I just cant make up my mind if he is mature or post mature. I have never seen a 3.5 yr old with those types of scars/wounds either. But like I said earlier, there are no absolutes in this game. Just best guesses.

Either way..........SAUSAGE.

George, the last two pictures you posted still have me at the same conclusion.......5.5+

I agree with rtp when looking at where his neck meets his chest......there is NO drop down into the brisket. To me, that is a dead giveaway in most cases he is mature (5.5+)

I agree... Looks 5 1/2 at least to me

He really falls off in his rear end. His nose is wider than his butt. Looks like and old man to me. 6.5 or older.

yes 4.5

5 yr old from those pics, don't see enough other indicators of being older IMO.

I'd guess 3.5 years old.