judging mature deer?

[JeremyKS]

Whats the best ways you guys judge how old live mule deer are?

 

[fatrooster]

I'm probably not the best person to answer this question but I'll do my best. We know that a spike and a 2 point is most likely a 1.5 year old buck. A 3 point or a small 4 point are most likely a 2.5 year old deer. Medium sized 4 points are probably 3.5 to 4.5 year old deer and a big rack on a buck is gonna be a mature 4.5 on up year old deer. You can't always go by the size of the rack though because there are many variations and configurations of antlers. Some bucks can have a 24" to 30" wide rack in their second year while others might have a spindly ole 3 point rack. Genetics play a big role in antler developement. Some people can look at the way an older deers belly will sag or how their body is filled out. I personally don't think that you can really go by the color of a deers coat because they can vary so much. Some people will tell you that an old deer will have a lot of white or gray in their coat and that might be true but I've seen many young deer with a lot of white and they may have a deer standing right beside him with a coat that almost looks black. I love to look at deer in the summer because of the wide range of coat colors. I've seen groups of bucks with every variation from red to a very light tan.
In short, you can kinda use several rules of thumb. A big rack is a mature deer while a small rack is a youngster. I hope this helps. fatrooster.

 

[JeremyKS]

I guess my next question is about front and back forks.. will you ever see a younger buck that develops its back forks before is gets it front points? or is this bad genetics? Will a buck always develop its points in a certain order? like will it be a 3x3 with no back forks and then the next year develop its rear forks and become a 4x4?

 

[forkhunter]

There is a lot less certainty to it than you may wish. A lot does depend on genetics. For example, this year I saw about a 32" 3x3 while out scouting. He was definately an older deer. My uncle said he has been seeing the same buck for 3 years and it has just gotten a little wider and a little heavier each year. That buck is just a 3-point. Conversely, I walked up on a buck this year that I would venture to be 1.5 years old and it was a 3x4---about 8-9 inches wide!!! Tiny deer. Genetics and feed play a great part in how antlers develop.

 

[B_F_E]

Arthritis, prostate problems, loss of bladder control, baldness, erectile dysfunction, dementia.

 

[Roy]

Just go up and ask them! But be careful - I asked my deer (sic) last week how old she was and got nailed upside the head with a frying pan! I told her it didn't matter how old she was - she was still a 10 in my book!

ROY

 

[BUCKSPY]

IMO a guy can get a better idea of how old a buck is by looking at its face than its rack. This obviously doesn't apply to dinks and scrub bucks because its obvious how old they are.

 

[upmuley]

BFE - Nice!!!

You can probably find a bunch in Florida driving 20 miles per hour under the speed limit in the left lane. (With their left turn blinker on of course.)

 

[McKinney]

I agree Buckspy. Many times a older buck will have a really white face. Usually when older boys are in rut their necks get huge.

McKinney aka Hiker
Proverbs 3:5-6