Can you age these deer?

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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Apr 02, 2013 1:55 pm

Thanks for posting this James, very interesting!

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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby BigHills BuckHunter » Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:00 pm

Thanks for following up James.

I too, tend to overestimate ages. I did in this thread thats for sure.

Very surprised the last buck is a 3 yr old. I believe the estimates are correct its just an eye opener for me. Thank you.
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby Arrowbender » Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:48 pm

Thanks Jake.
My point is:
If we are trying to sound or be more accurate by stating a more incremented time standard than whole years, I don't see that .5 is better than even year numbers.
It is true that the lions share of fawns are born near the 1st of June. But it seems we as hunters like to use they.5 monicker on all deer ages whether it is trail cam pics in July or post season scouting pics in February.
The facts are that we don't know exactly when these deer were born and shouldn't need to care when they were killed. If they have had 2 birthdays they are two years old. If it was killed during season it could be closer to 2 years 2 months or to 2 years 9 months. We don't want to just round up to the next year. Why round up or down to the nearest half year. I just think we sound more intelligent if we call them by how many birthdays they had.
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:15 pm

Arrowbender wrote:But it seems we as hunters like to use they.5 monicker on all deer ages whether it is trail cam pics in July or post season scouting pics in February.


Wow thats funny and so true.
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby DropTyne » Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:14 am

I can't believe Mike's deer is a 3 year old! Wowzers, not only is it a giant main frame 8 when he killed it, but can you imagine that buck in another year or 2!
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby Arrowbender » Wed Apr 03, 2013 2:51 am

That is my concern.... Dream!
Hopefully there is more of them genes in that valley.
Sure would be a tough pass to hope for another sighting in a year much less two.
Makes one wonder for sure.

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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Wed Apr 03, 2013 4:54 am

Great closure James and company:)
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby DropTyne » Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:49 pm

Arrowbender wrote:That is my concern.... Dream!
Hopefully there is more of them genes in that valley.
Sure would be a tough pass to hope for another sighting in a year much less two.
Makes one wonder for sure.

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I would not pass a deer up of that calibre, I just think it is unbelievable.

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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby James » Thu Apr 04, 2013 10:19 am

DropTyne wrote:I would not pass a deer up of that calibre, I just think it is unbelievable.


It is an unbelievable deer, however if you watched Bill Winke at all this past season he made a lot of comments about how he has had a few 160 class 3 year old deer on his farm(s). If I had a property where I could accurately manage and track deer I guess I wouldn't have a problem passing up a monster 3 year old. The key is in knowing whether or not your neighbor is going to end up shooting the buck you have been passing up.
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby dan » Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:18 pm

DropTyne wrote:I can't believe Mike's deer is a 3 year old! Wowzers, not only is it a giant main frame 8 when he killed it, but can you imagine that buck in another year or 2!

It doesn't surprise me at all... I figured it would be 3 or 4. People really tend to over estimate buck age in my opinion based on rack size.... The current world record typical whitetail is believed to be a 3 y/o
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby Arrowbender » Thu Apr 04, 2013 12:44 pm

I don't know anyone that would pass that deer.
It's a nice dream to have a property that you could manage a herd with those expectations, but not a reality for most. Without a scientific approach to aging; I doubt that too many would have assumed that buck to be a three yr old on the hoof.
A lot of us use trail cams and get history of the deer on our hunting spots. I am not even sure that one would recognize a buck that grew thirty or forty inches over the span of a year.
I guess my point is: you hear of a lot of guys say they hold out for age over antler. Well I say good luck!
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:04 pm

Arrowbender wrote:I don't know anyone that would pass that deer.
It's a nice dream to have a property that you could manage a herd with those expectations, but not a reality for most. Without a scientific approach to aging; I doubt that too many would have assumed that buck to be a three yr old on the hoof.
A lot of us use trail cams and get history of the deer on our hunting spots. I am not even sure that one would recognize a buck that grew thirty or forty inches over the span of a year.
I guess my point is: you hear of a lot of guys say they hold out for age over antler. Well I say good luck!
Not looking for vindication. I have absolutely no regrets!

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I can say without a doubt I could never pass on the buck you killed! Very impressive animal.

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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby UntouchableNess » Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:35 pm

I'm terrible at guessing age.

I was looking at a copy of the QDMA mag with a "guess the age" article over a large geograhic area which makes it even harder.

I need to work on this aspect of "my game", yet I'm all about shooting a deer that makes me happy. ;)
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby dan » Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:29 pm

Arrowbender wrote:I don't know anyone that would pass that deer.
It's a nice dream to have a property that you could manage a herd with those expectations, but not a reality for most. Without a scientific approach to aging; I doubt that too many would have assumed that buck to be a three yr old on the hoof.
A lot of us use trail cams and get history of the deer on our hunting spots. I am not even sure that one would recognize a buck that grew thirty or forty inches over the span of a year.
I guess my point is: you hear of a lot of guys say they hold out for age over antler. Well I say good luck!
Not looking for vindication. I have absolutely no regrets!

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Andrae hunts managed land and passes hundreds of bucks every year. He also gets 1000's of trail cam pictures, and a boat load of sheds each year... He shoots deer based on rack size, not age. Most of his booners are 3 year olds.

One thing that stands out with his scouting and hunting is that passing on big 2 or 3 year old bucks, even though he has over a square mile wrapped up, he rarely sees those bucks, or picks up sheds, or gets pictures follow up years... But, the ones that truly are in the 4 or older range he does see year after year. So, if you pass a big 3 year old, thinking your going to be shooting it at 4 or older, you might as well buy a lottery ticket too.

My advice would be if your happy with it, shoot it...
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Re: Can you age these deer?

Unread postby JakeJD » Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:17 am

dan wrote:One thing that stands out with his scouting and hunting is that passing on big 2 or 3 year old bucks, even though he has over a square mile wrapped up, he rarely sees those bucks, or picks up sheds, or gets pictures follow up years... But, the ones that truly are in the 4 or older range he does see year after year. So, if you pass a big 3 year old, thinking your going to be shooting it at 4 or older, you might as well buy a lottery ticket too.


I don't know from personal experience, but FWIW I have heard this from quite a few successful land managers / trophy hunters. Bill Winke has noted the exact same thing. I think it has been referred to as the "lost years." Apparently bucks are extremely nocturnal, wary, whatever around 4 y.o to 5 y/o and they rarely show up during daylight or pose for trail cams, etc. Apparently, the bucks start showing up again with a smaller core area but more daylight activity around 5 y/o to 6 y/o until death.
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