What's your estimate on this guy? I go back and forth. Thin neck, but big rear end with a little paunch. Legs look shorter too. Hard to say in these tough summer conditions. West Llano county, no rain to speak of since May.

He looks better than most of the deer, at least his ribs aren't sticking out.

Looks like a 2 year old to me

3.5

With his thickness, I'm thinking much older then 2 or 3.

3 to 3.5 maybe even 4 but has lost a lot of body mass, sway belly, look at fore quarters in pic 4, front quarters lower than rear quarters and a pronounced brisket area. Neck looks like a 2 year old but probably due to lack of nutrition.

Note also, this is a new lease for us. No protein being fed currently, very challenging natural conditions. I'm leaning towards him as an older deer, just very lean.

Be interesting to see what he does come October.

In the second pic that deer looks to be at least 4 yrs old or older. Brisket is very deep and broad. Looks a bit younger in the other pics

Agreed Ranchman.

I have a few other pics where his rear end looks as big as a truck. He runs with a couple obvious 2.5's and he's clearly much beefier, too thick to be 3.5 Betting that neck swells up as we move into fall. Also betting that belly would sag more if there was better nutrition available.

3.5

3.5

I would go the 4yr route also

I'm thinking 4.5,look at that deep brisket,he just looks thick,Hill country deer can fool you sometimes.I miss seeing deer and turkey together at the feeder.

I'm thinking 4.5,look at that deep brisket,he just looks thick,Hill country deer can fool you sometimes.I miss seeing deer and turkey together at the feeder.

New pictures, same buck. Any revised estimates? I'm thinking he's mature.

Update: Here's a pic of the same buck in November. Looks to be 5.5, what a difference from the summer when most called him 3.5


Waffles anyone? Unfortunately, we don;t know for sure. He disappeared opening weekend. Either the neighbors got him or he headed for safer pastures.

From all those pictures I'd say 4.5. It just goes to show you that most people will think any deer is 2.5/3.5 in the summer because their neck is still skinny.

I hunt the area, and don't think that is 5.5, unless you'd have some history with it.

I would agree that he could be 5.5 in that pic. Thick brisket and shoulder area and forehead of a 5.5 yr old. Some staining of his hock and caloused knees are a good refernce of a 5.5 yr old. Of course I did say 4 yrs old or older before.

"That deer is 2.5 of older!"

"Also, scores between 90 and 190 B&C, hard to tell from that picture."

4.5 is my bet.. no younger...hed be takin a dirt nap if he walked infront of me...Thats a nice deer for llano isnt it? i thought they were all basket 8s

Yeah, he'd be a good buck for our place most years. Betting a neighbor thought so too!

We hunted llano for years. You have basket racks and real wide racks too. Just don't have much mass or main beam length. Y'all keep saying skinny but that's an extremely fat 3.5 or 4.5 yr old if you ask me. Even those little deer don't have a distinct line between their brisket and neck at maturity, that deer absolutely did. His paunch also went up at the back legs which is very indicative of a 3.5 yr old. I like the guy who said he could be 3, 3.5 or 4 LOL

Agreed. He should have said 3.5ish and he would have not looked like he doesnt know what he is talking about.