Curious what others think on the age of this deer.

I’ve watched him all year and he’s always with a long horned spike. The spike hangs back while he eats but they’re always together. Makes me think he’s young but his body is pretty big for our area.

Body tells me 3.5 but I am torn. Maybe a 2.5 year old deer or a late bred buck so around 3.

Body on the buck looks like a post rut and rutted down mature buck. The staining on his hocks solidifies that. The depth of his chest also show his age. You don't see that much staining and scalding on a younger buck.

I think you might be right.

Have some other pictures where he looks older but watched him on the hoof for over an hour this weekend and made me think he’s a lot younger than I thought. My other pics made him look 4.5ish but he’s definitely younger than that.

That’s what I thought in the past, but I’m not sure this buck did much chasing in the rut. I’ve got pictures of him for weeks and that spike is with him in almost all of them.

I’m not going to shoot him, but considered letting someone else. He’s definitely the most consistent. He hits one feeder in the mornings and another in the afternoons and rarely changes his routine.

Heck, maybe he is old. I never change my routine either!

rutted down 5 year old would be my guess with just these 3 pictures.
Big time staining on his hocks also points to him being older than 3 or 4.

Rutted down 5yo

4.5-5 y/o I would think

Id call him 4-5

4.5

5 plus

6.5

5 maybe