How old?

[ate1cropy]

Is this a nice 3 year old or is he older?

[DonBo]

Still pretty dainty through the front shoulders, heck, even the rear quarters. This may be a dandy 2 year old, certainly no more than 3.

[BigWadeS]

the oldest I would put that deer is 2.5 but I would say closer to 2yr old, with one heck of a gene pool!

[superbee]

I agree, I would say 3 at the most.

[slimngrizzly]

Id say 3 for sure. Hes got everything going for him.

[Gissert]

I'd guess 2.5, with excellent genes, but it could be 3.5.

[DoubleLunger]

I'd say a 3.5..

[bottom-bouncer]

I'd say 2.5 to thin thru the chest to be any older

[Boar]

not sure but a real nice buck with aswome potential. boar

[Archerysniper]

2.5 at the oldest hopefully he makes it at least one more season,but with that headgear I don't think most people would let him walk.

[archerystud]

I would say a 2.5. That headgear will shrink substantially once the velvet comes off. Still he has great tine length for a 2.5 year old.

I would believe a 3.5 year old if it was from way up in the North woods.

[NWBuck]

Pretty uncommon for a 2.5 year old to have 4's that well developed. I'd say 3.5.

[Swap Buck]

Beautiful deer, but I'd say there's no way it's a day over 2.5. In my book it would be a shooter.

[Big Buck Buster]

I would say 2yr. old with great genes, and great feed to go with it.

[certified jumbo]

i would put my money on 3.5 year old. its always a real guess game based on august pictures(summer coat, velvet, etc). there are so many variables that come into play. deer antlers tend to grow faster if they are in the SE MN. one of my spots in NE MN they are usually a year behind in antler growth. not always, but generally thats what i find. last year my dad shot a 9 point that was 5.5 years old and it only scored 125". the year before we shot a 2.5 that scored 121". the deer were aged via tooth. thats really the only way to know for sure.

[CSTPETER]

Check out the body size on my post: Do I make pope and young.

I'm pretty confident that's a 3.5. year old deer. The body size on this thread is not even close. You have a wicked big 2.5 year old on your hands here

[Bear55]

Hard to say for sure, the rack is saying 3.5 but the body size is screaming 2.5 - I think I am leaning to a very nice 2.5.

[Jeremy Donabauer]

I am with cjumbo. If I had to bet...which I would if there are any takers. This deer is 3.5. Even mature 4.5 plus bucks have skinny necks right now.

[Big Buck Buster]

The backstrap line is so straight though, like it is a younger deer with big antlers.

Be interesting to see if you get him, and get the actual age.

[Cedarcreek]

I d say 3.5 this time of year they are thinner in the chest. by the rut you will know if the neck swells up good and glands get worked hard.

[Cedarcreek]

I d say 3.5 this time of year they are thinner in the chest. by the rut you will know if the neck swells up good and glands get worked hard.

[sticknstring]

Heckuva deer if he's only a 2 1/2. Looks young in the top picture and he'll look even smaller once that velvet comes off. I'll still say 3 1/2 though. Great potential.

[96trigger]

I don't think you see too many 2.5 year old deer with those kind of lobster claws on front. Just thinking what most 1.5 year old deer look like, that would be a heck of a jump in 1 more year. I'm not saying its not possible, just not as likely. Location can play a big role on determining deer size. If he is a northern deer, they don't get as big in the body. The deer down here in SEMN can have huge bodies by 2.5 years old. What part of the state was this taken? The fist pic makes me think 3.5, but in that second he looks narrow and not as massive, makes me go back to 2.5.

[ate1cropy]

Here is a photo taken last fall on the same farm as where the camera is now to compare to. Im guessing this to be a 2 yr old deer. The photos are taken in the North Branch area. I know the area has some great genes but I still find it hard to think that is a 2 year old buck in the first set of photos. Thanks for the input. Id love to see him next year but he looks so good this year....

[fishuhalik]

I'm gonna say 2 1/2 also. It doesn't look much bigger than the buck in my avatar pic, and that deer was only 2 1/2, aged by teeth. I know I shouldn't have shot it, that deer had deer-of-a-lifetime potential, but I couldn't help myself.