How old?

[TNseabee]

Need a little help ageing this deer. I'm a meat hunter mostly but can appreciate a nice trophy, usually I'll get the first one out of the way and then be picky. This is the nicest buck that i have seen so far here at the navy base i'm stationed at in WV...lots of deer here and the bucks rut hard and are always on the move, just basket racks and scrub buck mostly.

 

[Columbia Scott]

he's young. 21/2

 

[TheLBLman]

That is PROBABLY a nice 2 1/2-yr-old buck.
But very easy to under-age a buck at this time of year.
This one could easily look more like 3 1/2 (or older) come late October.

 

[TNseabee]

I just put eyes on him tonight and he was about 6" taller than that nice 6 pointer in the last picture and towered over all the other deer in the field. Just judging from the deer I saw last year I would have to lean more to 3 1/2 or older. The biggest I saw last year was a giant bodied 7 pointer with 3" g2 and 17" main beams out to his ears...anywhere else in the country he would be a nice 2 1/2 year old but from the tons of bucks I�ve saw those two seem to be the exception to the rule in width and horn structure.

 

[catman529]

I am a novice with aging and it's kind of early to age them... but my first thought was 2.5 years.

 

[JohnnyDollar]

about thirteen

 

[hoytguy]

2.5 or maybe 3.5 but i say 2.5 its hard to tell this time of year

 

[BSK]

2 1/2

 

[Truedouble]

Not the best at aging bucks, especially during the summer, but I don't see how this buck could be more than 2. long legs, no belly at all.

That is a deer to let grow to 4.5. Could easily be a 150 or better.

 

[BSK]

...but I don't see how this buck could be more than 2. long legs,...

You looked at the right thing Truedouble. Since summer bucks won't have their rut necks yet, you look at the length of the front leg in comparison to the depth of the chest. That bucks front legs look much longer than his chest is deep, hence a young buck.

 

[Boone 58]

I thinks so too......

he's young. 21/2

 

[TNseabee]

Thanks fellas, yall def have good points....Maybe its just me tryin to justify putting an arrow in him and not feel bad about it.

 

[buckhorn40]

I done some HVAC work at sugar grove many, many years ago. Not much there huh..

 

[TNseabee]

Lots of deer, turkey, & bear...other than that, nothing. The only things that get to me is you can't hunt on sunday and cell phones dont work. It's a nice break from deploying every 10 months and I really can't believe the navy pays me to be here.

 

[Football Hunter]

2.5

 

[W.Seay]

2 1/2

 

[mathews338]

Thanks fellas, yall def have good points....Maybe its just me tryin to justify putting an arrow in him and not feel bad about it.

no need to feel bad about it, if you want him, take him and be proud of it!

 

[Good time Charlie]

He has nothing to suggest that he is any older then 2.5
Later in the season it will be easier to tell.
His stomach is not sagging he looks like a Quarter Horse
His head is still pointed not... blocky and a slender neck
I am not satisfied this is the same deer..

He is a good deer but that first picture says 2.5 without a doubt
But as Wes pointed out come December ..He may look like a different Deer.

 

[spitndrum]

2.5

 

[Yeti]

young deer, 2.5, give him 2 years and he'll be a beast