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Tip on judging bucks age ( body )

Chickenrig said:
It looks easy on paper . But every deer in every enviroment does not grow at the same rate depending on multiple enviromental variables . I'd say that after 3 yrs old bucks become difficult to age in most places .
Just my $.02
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On individual bucks, I agree. I've seen bucks that I KNEW were much older than their body conformation suggested. I have clients for whom I've been conducting photo censuses for years. And there will be a buck easily recognized by his rack. His body conformation has been saying 4 1/2 for the last three years! He just never seems to look any older.
 
One big problem I have with many "field judging age" guides is the comment you will see on all of them for mature to old bucks. They will talk about swayed backs and saggy bellies. Perhaps it's a regional thing, but in the Southeast I'm not sure I've ever seen an old buck with any more of swayed back than a 2 1/2 year-old. And bellies don't really get saggy, just VERY thick. In essence, they completely lose their waist-line. Which I can commiserate with! ;)
 
Most bucks that starts with a swag in the belly area I'd bet is approaching 4.5 . That's in the wild though and not living in a very rich agricultural area . Beyond the 4.5 to 6.5 I really can't tell the difference. Best practice is history because we've begun to know teeth judging is flawed so .....
 

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