I am new to deer hunting, and am trying to learn to age deer. I realize it is more of an art than a science, but wanted to get the opinions of the THF brain trust on the age of a couple of deer. These pics were taken this past weekend.

Deer #1 (might not be enough in the picture)


Deer #2


Thanks!

Best thing you can do is wait a bit longer until they start getting ready for rut. They show their age much better then. But id say the top is 4yr old + from that pic. All you can go off in that pic is his face. Bottom deer looks to be 3

Nice bucks btw

Get a copy of 'Aging and Judging Trophy Whitetails' by Dr James Kroll:

http://forestry.sfasu.edu/outreach/dr.-kroll-books-videos-3.html

For that matter get any/all of his books. I have enjoyed reading them all and keep referring to them. Very helpful. And, he's a good guy.

cut him open and count the rings

Need a couple of more pictures of each one.

Good advice^. And to the forum. Without another angle to work from I'd agree that the top buck is 4.5+ and 2nd buck probably 3.5.

To me the best thing to do is concentrate on your deer. Deer from one part of the state/county will look different than deer where your at. Deer that are Protein fed will look different than deer that are not on protein.

And like said above this is a tuff time of year to age a deer.

Here's another helpful link, but this is post shot...

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0755.pdf

^^^This is true... but only after they are dead.