age this buck

[fr0sty]

Can you post pics of the lower jaw teeth? Looking forward to the aging results.

[slimngrizzly]

You have yourself a great buck there BIGRED! Whether hes 1 1/2 or 5 1/2, the fact that your happy with him makes him PERFECT!

[DonBo]

From "Deer & Deer Hunting"

Three characteristics are employed to estimate age of live bucks. These include antler size, body characteristics, and behavior. The following is an overview of characteristics that can be employed in the field to age whitetails on the hoof.

Yearlings

A yearling buck can be described as a doe with antlers. Ears are semi-pointed at the terminal end, and the nose is well defined and square in appearance. Their legs appear long and thin because their body is slim.

Yearlings will not develop a swollen neck or the muscular features of older bucks. Although fawns rub tarsal glands, a yearling’s tarsals remain small and tan in color. In the relaxed or semi-alert position, the tip-to-tip measurement between the ears is approximately 14 inches. Seldom will a yearling buck exhibit an outside antler spread over 14 inches.

The number of antler points is not a reliable feature when estimating age.

This is especially true in nutritionally strong deer habitat and in supplementally fed herds where yearlings commonly produce six, eight, or even 10-point antlers.

2.5-Year-Old Bucks

At two years of age, antlers are not large, but can make you take a second look. They are larger than yearlings, but their legs remain long in proportion to their body. Their belly remains firm with no sag whatsoever.

During the rut, neck swelling is minimal. The tarsal glands begin to get darker in color, but obviously less than older males. When observed broadside, the head appears elongated.

3.5-Year-Old Bucks

Middle-aged bucks portray a muscled neck and deeper chest, yet a distinct junction between the neck and shoulder exists. Some describe their appearance as that of a well-conditioned racehorse. Muscling absent in 2.5-year-olds begins to become obvious in the third year. Their chest begins to appear as large as their rump. Antler spread is often outside the ears and on quality habitat impressive antlers can develop. For inexperienced individuals, three-year-olds are often mistaken for mature bucks.

4.5-Year-Old Bucks

Bucks mature at four years of age and lose the racehorse appearance. The obvious junction between the neck and the shoulders fades away as the neck becomes firmly muscled, appearing almost as large as the chest. The animal is muscled throughout, but their stomach remains taut, yet rounded, and their back remains flat. The legs begin to appear shorter and no longer out of proportion. Antlers can be large, as they have attained 90% of their size. The tarsal glands become noticeably larger and darker, chocolate to black. Behaviorally, four-year-olds are the most aggressive and active age class during the rut.

5.5-Year-Old Bucks

At this age bucks are approaching their maximum antler-growing years, thus antlers can be large yet indistinguishable from genetically superior four-year-old males. The principal characteristic defining this age class is an obvious sag in the stomach and a slight drop in the back. The nose is often rounded, losing the square confirmation characteristic of younger males. Their legs appear thicker as well. During the rut their necks are extremely muscled, inflated-like in appearance, eliminating the juncture between the chest and neck. The neck and brisket area appears to become one.

Five-year-olds are in peak muscular condition with little sign of aging. The tarsals on some become obviously chocolate brown to wet-black, oftentimes extending down the entire inside of their legs. One other characteristic.

Often at this age bucks will start to develop narrow, squinty eyes. Watch for it.

[sticknstring]

I'd guess that one as a 3 yr old.

Quote:

The largest deer in the world have been from MN, 511 pound buck, 509 pound buck....

Hard to imagine a buck field dressing at 400+ lbs. 250 is huge. 300 is nearly unheard of, but 400? Incredible. A genetic mutant for sure.

[bigbucks]

I think he's a 3.5 year-old with only so-so antler genetics. I think 2.5 year-olds are generally in that 140-160 lb range, maybe 170. The buck I shot this year was 175 lbs, but almost had to be a 3.5 year-old, his rack was just too big.

[InTheNorthwoods]

I will say it again. If that guy is 2.5 years old and 200 lbs, thats gonna be a rarity....

Just as an aside to your post, I will add a personal story:

A few years back a family member of mine shot one in NW MN that bottomed out the scale (200-some pound scale) at the registration station which was also manned by a DNR employee. The DNR aged the deer at 2.5 based on tooth wear. The rack on the deer supported the idea that the deer was 2.5.

While I agree a 2.5 year old deer will typically not push anywhere near 200 lbs (heck, most mature bucks don't push 200 lbs dressed during the rut), I won't say it is unheard of in MN.

With that said, I would guess this deer is 3.5 based on his features. And to go out on a limb, if he isn't 3.5, I'd lean more towards 2.5 than 4.5.