• Help Support TNDeer:

Returning from last year

Southern Sportsman

Southern Sportsman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
3,430
Location
West TN
I went through some pictures from the last couple years and found some of the deer that have peaked my interest for this season. I posted some of the current pics a few days ago but thought I'd put them with the previous years. None of them will be high scoring, but all of them are in danger.

Always like to hear opinions on age.

2019:
Photo%20Oct%2030%2C%205%2044%2040%20PM.jpg

Photo%20Oct%2015%2C%205%2054%2012%20PM.jpg


This year:
Photo%20Oct%2003%2C%206%2056%2020%20PM.jpg

Photo%20Oct%2017%2C%206%2017%2014%20AM.jpg
 
Last edited:
This one is my favorite to show up so far this year. I know the pics from last year are the same deer, and I think the pics from 2018 are him as a 3.5 (?) yr old 6 point.

2018:
Photo%20Oct%2030%2C%208%2000%2019%20AM.jpg

Photo%20Oct%2030%2C%208%2004%2034%20AM.jpg


2019:
Photo%20Oct%2017%2C%207%2010%2031%20AM.jpg

Photo%20Oct%2017%2C%207%2014%2045%20AM.jpg

IMAG2183.JPG


This year:
Photo%20Sep%2022%2C%208%2032%2048%20PM.jpg

Photo%20Sep%2022%2C%208%2025%2042%20PM.jpg
 
Andy S.":1t1ysder said:
2020 estimated ages.

1. 4.5
2. 5.5
3. 5.5

All biologically mature and fair game unless you are trying to grow them to 6.5+. Best of luck with them.
Click to expand...

I agree with Andy. A lot of "experts" believe bucks antlers make big leaps in size year to year. But many don't change a lot. Sometimes they even shrink a little. It depends on health and nutrition factors as well as genetics. Those are all fine bucks and shooters in my mind. Best of luck!
 
Great history with them, and glad you posted sequential pics. I think that will help a lot of lurkers here learn to age deer.

I'd say 4.5, 5.5 (very possibly 6.5) and 4.5 on the trio this year

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk
 
Andy S.":1q9s61n3 said:
2020 estimated ages.

1. 4.5
2. 5.5
3. 5.5

All biologically mature and fair game unless you are trying to grow them to 6.5+. Best of luck with them.
Click to expand...


I don't kill many deer. I pass several and then I get distracted by duck hunting. But I've never intentionally passed a buck that was 4.5+. I may never see any of them, but the first one that comes by me likely wont be around next year to have his picture taken.
 
megalomaniac":3fg5feum said:
Great history with them, and glad you posted sequential pics. I think that will help a lot of lurkers here learn to age deer.

I'd say 4.5, 5.5 (very possibly 6.5) and 4.5 on the trio this year
Click to expand...

Against my general pet peeve of naming deer, I've named the 3rd one Tatter - referencing his torn up left ear. Do you think the 2018 pic is the same deer? I think I can see a notch in the ear even then, but I can't be sure. Antler shape strikes me as very similar though obviously with a couple more points. If so, you think he was 2.5 in '18?

I kinda had him figured as the oldest of the lot, but I've never been great at aging them after 3.5.
 
It is truly amazing watching them grow. Some of the ones you think will not turn into anything can turn into absolute studs. Some can also shrink in size. Some of our best ones were passed numerous times before they were shot, all because they had mediocre racks as "young adults" and weren't bucks killed due to "high-grading"

4.5
5.5
4.5

It is awesome having an abundance of mature deer around. Best of luck
 
Southern Sportsman":1ggdkqig said:
megalomaniac":1ggdkqig said:
Great history with them, and glad you posted sequential pics. I think that will help a lot of lurkers here learn to age deer.

I'd say 4.5, 5.5 (very possibly 6.5) and 4.5 on the trio this year
Click to expand...

Against my general pet peeve of naming deer, I've named the 3rd one Tatter - referencing his torn up left ear. Do you think the 2018 pic is the same deer? I think I can see a notch in the ear even then, but I can't be sure. Antler shape strikes me as very similar though obviously with a couple more points. If so, you think he was 2.5 in '18?

I kinda had him figured as the oldest of the lot, but I've never been great at aging them after 3.5.
Click to expand...

The 2018 pic of him is not what makes me think he's 4.5 this year, I could either way 2.5 or 3.5 in those 2018 pics... but rather the 2019 pic is the clincher... To me, he is a classic 3.5 y/o in 2019. Just no way his body is wide enough to be mature last year... therefore, I would call him 4.5 this year. Regardless, all are shooters and deer to be proud of.

And JC is right... it's great to have several mature bucks in the herd even if you don't kill them. The pheremonal suppression they cause in the young bucks reduces their participation in the rut and therefore they young bucks can focus on nutrition for the future instead.
 
megalomaniac":269ji7el said:
Southern Sportsman":269ji7el said:
megalomaniac":269ji7el said:
Great history with them, and glad you posted sequential pics. I think that will help a lot of lurkers here learn to age deer.

I'd say 4.5, 5.5 (very possibly 6.5) and 4.5 on the trio this year
Click to expand...

Against my general pet peeve of naming deer, I've named the 3rd one Tatter - referencing his torn up left ear. Do you think the 2018 pic is the same deer? I think I can see a notch in the ear even then, but I can't be sure. Antler shape strikes me as very similar though obviously with a couple more points. If so, you think he was 2.5 in '18?

I kinda had him figured as the oldest of the lot, but I've never been great at aging them after 3.5.
Click to expand...

The 2018 pic of him is not what makes me think he's 4.5 this year, I could either way 2.5 or 3.5 in those 2018 pics... but rather the 2019 pic is the clincher... To me, he is a classic 3.5 y/o in 2019. Just no way his body is wide enough to be mature last year... therefore, I would call him 4.5 this year. Regardless, all are shooters and deer to be proud of.
Click to expand...


Gotcha. Fwiw, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Just curious what you saw that lead you towards 4.5 this year.
 
megalomaniac said:
I still think he was 2.5 in 2018, making him 4.5 this year.
Click to expand...
JCDEERMAN said:
I'll stick with my 4.5 guess for this year. This last 2018 pic is a classic 2.5 and confirms it for me
Click to expand...

I agree. Based on the other pics I figured him for 3.5 in 2018. But in this one he definitely has the sleek look of a prototypical 2.5. And all of my 2018 pictures of him were in broad daylight - a habit they often seem to outgrow by 3.5.

It's purely an academic discussion. I have a similar approach with deer after 4.5 as I do with turkeys after 2. They're grown-ups and they should be treated as such.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top