What are your thoughts on this one's age? I am thinking he has great potential if he makes it a couple of years. (And I am thinking 2.5)

More like rutted down 3.5

Still has good potential

With normal range conditions, if your in small body deer area then 3.5 would be reasonable, if your in an area where bucks reach 130 + pounds then I would say 2.5.

Those tarsals sure are tiny if thats a 3 year old. This time of year those things should be much darker and larger than that. I lean more towards 2 year old but could be swayed that its a 3. I will say there is more there that looks 2 than 3 though.

Depth from top of shoulder to bottom of brisket in second pic is the only thang that leads me to believe its a 3 year old.

i'm thinking hes a 2 year old

I agree

That dude looks hungry !

2.5 nice.

2.5 year old

No more than 2.5. His ears haven’t even grown yet. Stubby little nose and pencil neck look like a yearling.

2

2

I'm thinking he is going to be a very nice buck when he grows up...

When I see antlers like that on what looks like a 2 year old deer I start thinking about Methuselah.

Still a 2 year old, gonna be a very nice deer 3-4 years from now if nobody else kills it.

If that dude can live to see a few more birthdays, he's going to be something really special

Could you elaborate on that?

That buck is on the young side of maturity - 2.5 to me, but see where the case could be made for a 3 year old that was a late fawn. Definitely looks like he will have some very interesting headgear over the next few seasons. I hope he sticks around for you to find out and we hit a several year pattern of wet weather for good range conditions!

He's a 3yo, should be really good in 2+ more years...