Aging a deer

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backstraps
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Re: Aging a deer

Unread postby backstraps » Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:53 pm

I am currently involved in a facility (since 1998) doing work in wildlife conservation.

I used to be a firm believer in age per their teeth. However since we began ear tagging fawns many years ago we have found many discrepancies in teeth aging methods as well.

Much of the tooth wear can be due to the deers primary diet. For the most part though our studies have aged the deer younger than they actually are.

I think deer are are very individual creatures. Although one deer may be 4 years old and we could look at him and guess him to be 4... a different 4 year old make appear to be older or even younger. One sure way we inside a 6600 acre military facility can be 100% positive on aging is the use of ear tags on fresh dropped fawns.

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Dewey
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Re: Aging a deer

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Oct 11, 2012 2:39 pm

GRUD wrote:Dewey, is you buck with the 1/4 smaller span the 2.5?

The four finger test is just an old timers guess method. I thought I would throw it in the discussion. There may not be much difference between the 2.5 span and 6.5 span but on an older buck with a mature skull size four fingers should fit between the bases comfortably. This is in no way scientific just from a good ol boy from S Indiana.

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Yes, the 2 1/2 is the smaller one. After that I don't think the skull increases in size too much just get's thicker like Spysar said.

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