Age these deer!

[sticknstring]

I have a hard time aging deer on the hoof - can you guys help me out with these two? Ignore the white boxes, they could be does. Just go by body structure.

[mainbutter]

I'm no eye for this sort of thing, but just wanted to play along. My guess is going to be 4 years old.

[Twins 57 Fan]

My guess is 2 1/2. Love how they are losing their summer coat of hair and getting their new coat. Cool color.

[Muskie456]

I would say the front deer is 3.5 and the second is 2.5.

[slimngrizzly]

Thats tough without a rack for some reference. I dont think either look any older than 2 1/2? To me the back deer looks older even though hes skinny in that position?

I know I have some really good bucks on camera that do not have impressive bodies though most are 3 1/2. Then there are some BIG old bucks with nothing for antlers, just good circumferences at the bases, yet have giant bodies.

[LABS4ME]

Front deer's face looks young....

no clue as to age. They usually make you look foolish when we guess...

Good Luck!

Ken

[LOTWSvirgin]

First one maybe a 2.5 secnd one 1.5 years

[perchking]

I think they are both 1.5's.

[bety0108]

I guess the buck in the back is bigger. I guess that based on what I have seen with my buck pics. I look at the lower belly towards the back. He has that sag. Will we ever see the bones???? Front buck 1.5 or 2.5 and back buck 3.5 or 4.5

[bottom-bouncer]

I am going to say the front deer is 1.5 the face is short the second deer 2.5 maybe 3.5 nose is a little longer and the chest is starting to get thicker

[certified jumbo]

Thats tough without a rack for some reference. I dont think either look any older than 2 1/2? To me the back deer looks older even though hes skinny in that position?

I know I have some really good bucks on camera that do not have impressive bodies though most are 3 1/2. Then there are some BIG old bucks with nothing for antlers, just good circumferences at the bases, yet have giant bodies.

i agree with you slim. very difficult to tell with out seeing the head gear. all our bigger bucks we have on camera all look young and small in body size in july and august. so it can be decieving. without seeing antler size both look like 1.5 year olds and there is no way to tell if they are bucks or does by that picture. all deer have small necks in beginning of august?? the only thing i can tell you for sure is they are not fawns. will you take the white boxes away after our guesses??

[DHost21]

Front deer I would guess 3.5 or 4.5 and the second deer I would put at 2.5

[MUSKY18]

First one maybe a 2.5 secnd one 1.5 years

+1 here.

[sticknstring]

Well, we had a wide range of guesses! Quite a few guessed yearlings & some guessed 4 year olds. I see many posts asking people to age deer from a trail cam pic and people chime in that they're certain that the buck is x years old. From running cameras for several years now, I've learned it's pretty tough to tell the age of deer from one moment in time. The way it's positioned, lighting, time of year, etc. It was a fun exercise. I've removed the white boxes for your viewing enjoyment. The buck on the left is a 2 year old, & the one on the right is 4. Thanks for participating!

[slimngrizzly]

Neat! Everyone always looks for that sagging belly, but that often times doesn't indicate anything. Theres a big difference between a young deer with a pot-belly and an all around BIG DEER with a large frame and big stomach.

What I look for in the summer is where the neck basically attaches to the body. A young buck is skinny in the neck all the way to the body (even if his belly is fat), an older buck, like your back buck, seems to be "deeper" in the neck as it gets closer to the body. That may seem inaccurate and confusing, but I find it to be true in most all cases.

I enjoy the picture games, guess age, score, etc. No one ever really knows? Its good to see the variables and how wrong we are often. Especially with pictures, each shot angle can make SO MUCH of a difference on how old that deer appears and how big his antlers are!

Thanks SNS!

[96trigger]

I would have said the opposite. Tried looking at them like I would a steer. How much finish and muscle it had on. I would have said that based on the pick, the lead buck was the older one based on muscle mass and body structure. That was a tough one.

[sticknstring]

Yeah, that was fun! Here's one more for the heck of it. How old is the deer that doesn't have spots?

[Meat-Run]

That was cool SNS my guess was completely wrong what a good lesson. I can see now how the nose of back deer is a little bit longer making him the older deer but the buck closer to the camera appears bigger and older....my grade F.

mr

[Bear55]

Wowzer, good lesson Stick! Those camera angles sure can fool you. Our best guesses are exactly that, a guess and nothing more.

[slimngrizzly]

Now its even tougher where its difficult to see the face or neck! It looks like a mature deer to me because of the tight, full stomach. I dont know if its a buck or doe but Ill say its a 3 1/2 yr old.

Now I should go with my first instinct, if that was anywhere near me it would HAVE to be 1 1/2 yr old because youd never see any older buck out in the day!

[bigbucks]

2.5-3.5 I'm assuming it's the doe, but it kind of looks like it could be a buck. I've certainly seen young & some decent bucks out in a field with a doe & a couple of fawns.

[JBone]

2.5, 3.5 on the bucks, 2 on the doe

[certified jumbo]

the best i can tell you from that pic is a adult deer. no way to tell sex or size. any guess is a shot in the dark.

[sticknstring]

Same buck as above. I call him the babysitter!

[slimngrizzly]

So do you have any evidence of "The Babysitter's" exsistence this year or did he catch a bullet? Hes gotta look really nice this year!