I hate to add to the "guess the score and age" posts, but this guy has me stumped.
He is significantly smaller than other mature bucks (by 40 pounds maybe) but he has them beat on antler size, his body is about the size of the 1 1/2 year old 4 and 6 pointers.
Is he just a scrawny deer, young, or getting old?

Pictures are from 3-4 weeks ago, Mason County
Age is more important than score, but guess away.
Thanks guys

Yeah he skinny but really nice rack going there.

Nothing wrong he's just young and if he makes it a couple more years he will be a real good one.

I think he is a middle aged, smaller deer. Doesn't look young or old to me. Deer are like people, some are bigger and some are smaller. I killed a 5.5yo last year that weighed 30lbs less than our average mature deer.

Had another deer that I couldn't get an age on. I PM'd STX to see what his opinion was and he said old, I couldn't see it. One of the hunters killed him last year and he was 6.5. Here is a pic of that one. I can assure you that if I had posted asking for age, most would have said 3.5 at the oldest with a few exceptions.

This was 2012 when he was 5.5 and the other deer for reference was killed that year and was also aged at 5.5. (I added the one in September for time reference )





Here is his 2013 pic and was the year he was killed

Hes at least 3.. prolly 120.

Interesting post. I also got a picture on a trail cam a couple of weeks ago of a small buck that we call "Little Bighorn". I've never seen one this small with decent antlers. I tried very unsuccessfully to post a picture of him. If I can send it to someone to post I would apprecate it.

It is definitely not a mature deer. If he's smaller bodied than your average buck with larger horns and you can protect him I'd do it. He's your best breeder if you like long tined pretty framed bucks.

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/h...d200139992375a4[/img]

This one unfortunately got taken... we knew he had a few years to go but a newby hunter put him down... he was a 2yr old scored in the 140s

Would you have guessed the one I posted as mature?

Ouch...

IMO that buck is older than what you are thinking. For Hill Country deer I learned several things about aging them over a 7 yr period. Not every deer is going to fit into his age class weight and body size wise. Some will be large bodied and some will be smaller. Spike yearling that are runts(I have killed 40# dressed weight spikes in the Hill Country) will have a difficult time catching up to the rest of the yearling bucks in his age class if they are that small. He has the face of a mature deer, 5+ yr old buck. A few things I learned on aging bucks up in the Hill Country were the ears. Immature to middle age bucks had a large ring of black hair around the inside edge of the ear when facing you. As the bucks age that hair turns more white looking and the black disappears the older the buck gets. The feet on younger bucks did not have the white hairline showing around the hoofline and in between the hooves. Mature bucks also set down on their hooves more from age, weight and wear/tear during the rut. This buck has calloused knees which rarely is seen in bucks under 5 yrs of age. The white throat patch under the jaw of young bucks does not go down the neck as far as it does on a mature buck. This not 100% true but if you have history on a buck you can watch that patch grow in size and length down the neck. The front brisket and shoulder area give age away also. This buck is small bodied but still has a brisket line that is below the elbow joint on his front legs. The white ring around his eyes makes him appear older IMO also. The size of the pad on the hocks of bucks is also a good indicator of age, this buck has a large pad size and the rut is no where close at this time frame.
Here is a buck that I aged by toothwear at 8+. He was on a ranch that had bucks dressing into the 190lb range on mature bucks. He dressed 114 or 118 lbs(one was his weight and the other his gross score). This was right around the end of November.

Nothing wrong with a big rack paired with a skinny waist.

My first impression of that deer is "old" I am going to say 6.5+ He has a deep brisket and very collassed knees.

I appreciate the input fellas.
I do not know if we will shoot this guy or not (if he is still around). Depends on what else shows up between now and shooting time.

Shoot him! That deer is NOT a young deer despite what some of our internet game managers say.

That is one "purdy" set of antlers! Would be a very nice mount.