Age this low fence 8

I have a few good pictures of him. I'm probably going to add him to my 10 year old son's hit list for this year. He killed his first deer last season and he is fired up to get an even bigger one this year. I saw this buck last year a few times, but never during the day. So far this year he's been strictly nocturnal.

6

5+ Good looking buck, if I was your son i'd be excited

What part of the state is this?

Bell county

Very much mature

Agree mature 5+

bell county is near temple or Waco right?

I don't see the maturity you guys all see. I would go 4.5 at most on this guy. Legs still are pretty straight down from the shoulders, no real sway in the back, no extra folds of skin from being big before, and his antlers don't go all the way to the nose....heck could even be a well fed 3.5 this year.

See the roman nose, but studies has shown that about 15-20% of young deer can have the roman nose so that isn't a determiner by itself. Gotta look at the whole picture and it looks middle aged more than mature.

Just not seeing the age on him.


Having said that, I would be happy to have him on my lease and would feel comfortable shooting him. Good looking buck!

4 or 5.

5-6

He's mature.

7+

School me guys...what are you seeing that makes this a mature deer? I am learning the same way many of you have done in the past, so please educate me...I listed why I thought he wasn't mature, so please help me out

Sag in his back, large shoulders, brisket/neck line, the look like he has a bowling ball in the middle of his stomach.

This. He does not look like an athlete anymore. He's starting to look like a grandpa.

That buck is 5+ for sure.

When you see him around the younger 3 and 4 year olds watch how they move out of his way. That buck is built like a heavy weight champ! When you are on the fence about how old a buck is just watch how he interacts with other deer that you feel more certain of their ages and it will tell you a lot.

I sure hope you aren't referring to that yearling buck next to him in the first two pics...

I have seen 3.5 yo bucks strut their stuff and older bucks just avoid them due to the strutting.

Hard to tell that in a couple pics though, so I guess you have seen this buck in person or at least watched video of these interactions?

the third pic is hard to tell anything about, I assume it is the buck in question with his butt facing us walking toward that 2.5 yo deer next to him on the left...I don't see much body difference between the two and the angles are hard to see anyway, but if the buck in question is the one bent over eating it is a useless picture.

JCB meant to watch this buck's interactions when he is around middle-aged bucks, not the yearling in that picture. I've seen older bucks ignore 3.5 year olds that were strutting, but I have NEVER in my 49 years of chasing whitetails, seen a fully mature buck back down from a middle aged buck who wanted a fight.

Agree. The middle pic tells it all. Look how his brisket sags between his front legs and how thick his shoulders are. This is a thick deer....no way a 3.5 would have that body structure. It's only September and it looks like he has a rutted up neck already. I'd say this is 5.5-6.5 y/o deer.

A lot of middle aged deer have the big stomach thing going, esp with all the timely rain we had this year, a lot of younger deer looking thicker is going to make for thin age structures in the years to come.

Anyway, its fun to discuss this. Doesn't matter because if this deer gets seen he will get shot. Not that it matters, I disagree everything that you have said. His shoulders are still not filled out well, his neck when swollen will be bigger than his shoulders. He still will come straight down from the shoulder whereas old bucks have that slant that tells of age in the shoulder line. His rump is not filled out well, he is getting there, but 4.5 max. Based on his antler length alone, he shows 3.5. Antler length should be at the nose in a 4.5 and past in 5.5 and above. He isn't even close. And he has a stubby nose to begin with. I will find a pick of a 6.5-7 yo and we can compare how this race horse looks athletic compared to a ancient warrior....

And I asked him if he saw that happen...I agree, a mature buck shouldn't/wouldn't back down from a fight, but unless he has seen that in this deer in question, then it is a moot point.

Bringing up what makes a deer appear older is different from observing the questioned deer doing it. Since I am neither acquainted with this deer nor will I ever see the deer live on the hoof, I asked if he had, that's all

I'm leaning towards Texas Buckeye's analysis. But I'm not very good at aging on the hoof!

Either way, happy hunting.

I'll help you guys out... same deer in the exact same spot last year. I've gotten a better game camera since then but I thought he was at least 4 1/2 last year. It appears he's gained a little spread but lost a little mass.



I guess there's only one way to know for sure and that is if my son gets to ground check him

That kind of brisket is neither saggy nor a sign of age. It doesn't even "sag" below the chest. I have many a 2.5 yo deer that has a saggy brisket just like that. This deer is still putting on bady mass, he isn't done growing yet. And his neck is not even close to being rutted up...if that what you think is a rutted up neck then you haven't seen many swollen necks

I agree, its a moot point for all this arguing, just doing it for fun.

I hope you do see him and ground check him. He is a good deer for sure. I would age him at 3.5 last year, certainly wasn't 2.5 last year, but I don't see close to 4.5 last year on that pic. Stance is a little funny, but he is a straight line front to back with no shoulder structure and no rump. Yes, rutted down a little for sure, but a healthy 3.5-4.5 last year makes him a 4.5-5.5 this year...based on the pics, of his head gear, he didn't make a huge jump this year so that would probably make him 4.5 last year and 5.5 this year. Time to take him...

NO way he is older than 5.5. I hope to see him down this year!! good luck

Who said his neck is rutted up in the first pictures?

Antler length is probably the worst way to try to age a deer. I don't even look at horns unless I have previous pictures to compare. See the other game cam pic above....he's at least 5.5.

The dentist above...

I said he had a thick neck and compared to a 3.5-4.5 y/o would appear rutted up. My bad on the wording.

Now looking at these two pictures, do you think these are even the same deer? The left main beam comes up at a much higher angle in the "last year" pic that this year pics...could be angle and stance, but not certain ...

My comment about his interaction with younger deer was a general statement to the OP about the buck in question since there seems to be some question about his true age. No I have never seen the deer in person but I assure you I know a mature buck when I see one. And THAT is a mature buck.

You sound like an expert, so I'm sure you know that whitetails antler shape and configurations change from year to year, right? And stating that all mature deer have beams extending past their nose is simply wrong.

Here's the series of pictures leading up to when he showed up (two smaller bucks sparred for about 5 minutes before the first picture), then every deer under the feeder ran off. Next picture shows the 8 and a smaller buck together. I haven't seen this deer with my own eyes yet, only on camera. Like I said, he's pretty much 100% nocturnal at this feeder.






Anyway, its good discussion.

Please Mr. Buckeye tell us what you see. We have told you what we see and you just say no.

No doubt in my mind that deer is 5 or more. Show us the 2yo with the saggy brisket, show us the young bucks that have shoulders with that muscling.

I'm about 98% certain it is the same deer. It's low fence, so he could have a twin.

I know that, and I cautioned my statement to say that I was just questioning based on one characteristic, not saying emphatically it WAS two different deer. Many times we see people ask about a deer and show last years pics of a different deer. The brwo tine certainly appears the same but the angle of the main just seemed very high compared to this year. Some things can change, some things are relatively stable in older deer for sure.

And I didn't say that the antler length issue was true for all deer, I said based on antler length alone, but it is a whole picture. have to look at the whole deer, and I just think a lot of people are going to misjudge deer this year based on belly size and brisket "sag"....

I am just having fun here fouzman. Not trying to ruffle feathers too much (well maybe just a little) but I adjusted my age to 4.5 to 5.5 based on last years pics. That is still a middle aged deer. A fully mature deer this is not. A middle aged deer it is. Anything other that that is just a WAG...

Red, I did in my initial post on this thread....I explained my reasoning so I asked other to do the same since I seemed to be an outlier...go back and read and see....

No ruffled feathers here. By the way, biologists widely agree that 1-2 year old bucks are immature, 3-4 yr olds are middle-aged and 5+ are mature. Degrees of maturity after that are nothing but a WAG. My WAG says 6 but he might be 5. He's certainly not an extra 1/2 year of age unless he was born in March.

Hey Buckeye, I got a buck I would be willing to post if you think you can tell me the age. I know his age with dang near 100% certainty. If you want to take a stab at it just let me know and I will start a new thread just to keep from high jacking this one.

I'm going to take the average and just say he's around 5 (+ or -) a year. I know if my son gets him, I'll be proud and he'll probably pass out from buck fever, lol.

This is a deer that will be miss judged on belly sag, how old do you think he is?

^^^^^

3

Then please explain. Where are you expecting his legs to not be straight? I see a sag in his mid section for sure not sure why you don't. The antler length in relation to the nose is not worth mentioning to me as all deer have different genetics and shapes some will never be as long as their nose or even remotely close. Roman nose is from breaking the nose we have had several deer with a roman nose almost all their life and several that never had one.

Red, my guess is that is a doe based on the rise in the head instead of a flat head, but that looks like a older doe for sure...the gut hangs over the frail looking hips, and what appear to be nipples on the belly...so maybe she is still nursing? I have a few doe at my place that are still nursing in late august...

But since you said it is a buck, I see frail hips, big belly over-riding the hips, scratched up neck which at this time of year would signify years of battle, and wrinkles of skin around the neck...would say older but I am guessing you are playing with me here....

x2. Skinny neck, fat belly, straight back, narrow shoulders. He's eating good.

How old is it?

I highlighted what I wrote and where you misinterpreted what I wrote. On older deer the front legs will a lot of times seem to come out from a thick triangular shoulder, not straight out like I mentioned on this one. I said there was a slight sway but not a large sway in the back like what older deer can show (and that is mainly because the rump is so much more developed on older deer this time of year). I am not disagreeing with the points you made, just don't see it pointing to a fully mature deer.

its a semantics thing. I have fully agreed to him being middle aged. I don't think he is young. So he is a shooter in all respects on a hunting lease, and on a trophy ranch he is a good cull for a kid as he is a 8 pt that didn't seem to make a big jump from last year, so shoot away. If I had no history with this deer and saw him for the first time on my property, I would probably wait and see what he did next year. But, in most of LF texas lease hunting, I don't think many would pass on him. based on last years pic and this years pic, he would be shot on my property this year if seen. He won't get much better than where he is at right now antler-wise, and he will just get chewier as he ages, so its time to take him.

yes please do...I love playing the game even if I am not good at it

How old is this buck buckeye?

You guess wrong on both counts, its a buck and he is 3.

Well one pic isn't a fair game now is it? You setting me up to fail...I like it.

Agree. He's 5-6...and as for being exact it's simply not an exact science but I've read a lot, looked at a lot of deer and based on what I've learned that's the age I believe he is. He is definitely a mature buck and therefore a shooter to me. I do not seeing him as a three year old.

I guess 2.5-3.5. He looks younger than the one Redchevy posted. HF?

What do I win?

Has this become pick on buckeye day because the buckeyes lost to Oklahoma or because everyone likes to pick on me...

He looks like he is either a middle aged deer or a really old deer that has been in a high fence for a while. Hard to tell off one pic. If I had to wager a guess, I would say he looks 4.5 but could be older. He certainly isn't any younger.

But I typically place age into groups rather than specific ages. Too young to shoot, old enough to shoot, and past the point where it matters. The latter group make the choice easy. The first group make the choice easy. So it leaves with the choice of do I want to wait and see what this deer does next year or am I happy with where he is at now....and that is a personal preference I can't answer for anyone but myself.

Study after study of people who know a lot more than I do, have said aging on the hoof is tough. Best to have pictures and years with a deer before having to make that call. If I saw this deer for the first time with no history, would I shoot it? Depends on where I was...lease yes, no questions asked. My property, no. No questions asked. Unless I had more history to know better (i.e. he was better last year or made no big jump from prior year).

Hows that for an answer?

That picture isn't really fair. I'll see if I can find some better pics and start a new post.

I think everyone is picking on Buckeye because buckeye got big for his britches and was acting out

All in good fun, it really is a buck that I believe is 3 yo also.

The 8 or your deer?

I think he was talking about the buck he posted and covered the antlers up

I swear that guy has nipples hanging like a mama tho....maybe he identifies as a doe??

Agreed. Old buck. Darn nice looking one too. Hope your Son gets a shot at him.

Kind of like us older fellas. Just have a certain swagger about them.

I killed a buck last year with nipples. It was 4.5.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbth...r#Post#6570609

Did it taste any different than any other deer? Also do you tag it as a buck or doe?

Was a little more tender and less gamey than other deer I've eaten. Tagged as a doe, so I guess technically it wasn't a buck even though it had a pecker, Lol.

Check with your local GW. I was always told it was called "anterless" and not doe for a reason. Antlered doe are tagged with your buck tag and button buck is tagged with an anterless tag if it doesn't have a hardened antler doesn't protrude through the skin.

I doubt ill ever shoot one but good to know.

This exactly. I checked with two GW because I had it on camera. Technically it's not a "doe" tag but an "antlerless" tag, so they are tagged according to what is on their head, rather than what's between their legs, Lol. No hardened antler = antlerless.

Makes good sense. Damn tranny deer trying to make thing difficult

6+ no doubt