Co definition of mature buck

[cabinfever]

Cdow gives a report of % of mature bucks per 100 does. Has anyone asked a Cdow biologist what their definition of a mature buck is. (i.e 24 inch 4 pt)

Mike

 

[DallanC]

+2-1/2 year old deer. Antler size is irrelevant.


-DallanC

 

[tufferthandug]

How do you know they are +2-1/2 years old?
I would say they're using the antlers in some form as a tool. If they were to look at bucks in the spring with no antlers it would be hard to tell if they were a buck or a doe, unless you were able to get real close. It would sure be easier to do the study in the middle of the summer when the antlers were larger so you could see if they were mature or not.

 

[BuffaloBob]

Most guys would say atleast 4 years old. The DOW would say anything to pad their stats and try and pat themselves on the back.

 

[graybeard]

The biologists in CO that I've talked to consider three classes of bucks, 1 1/2 years, 2 1/2 years, and older are mature. The problem is the fact that different biologists classify them differently. In WY they consider anything older than 1 1/2 years as mature....Steve

 

[cabinfever]

I spoke with a biologist from CO that said they did classify mature bucks based on horn size. I would like to know the biologist, who flew the gunnison basins, idea of a mature buck.

MIke

 

[graybeard]

The biologist that flew and classified the bucks in Gunnison two years ago was Don Masden. He is back working in the Montrose office. He's soon to retire. A person that is on the Wildlife Board that lives in Gunnison told me that Don is one of the best at classification. I don't know who flew the herds this year but the statistics are very similar to the previous year, except a bit better as far as buck to doe ratios are concerned...Hope this helps, Steve

 

[txhunter58]

Where are you getting data that lists "mature" bucks per 100 does? All the stats I have seen just list a Buck to Doe ratio, with no reference to age. I have seen some articles that say you have to have a certain number of bucks/100 does to have a decent number of mature bucks in the herd. Bottom line is that units with higher numbers of bucks/100 does SHOULD have higher numbers of Mature bucks (defined by me at being 4-5+ years).

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[MuskegMan]

Methinks that a mature buck (from a biological standpoint) is any buck that can reproduce. Thus, a 1.5 yr old is "mature."

MM

 

[COHunter]

txhunter58
If you go to the Wildlife Commission minutes either April or May (I think those months) of last year, they have a breakdown of age class of the bucks per 100 Does

 

[rocketman]

>The new biologist in Gunnison is Brandon
Diamond who replaced one of the the best biologists
and niciest guys ever Donnie Masden. Lets hope
he is as good for our wildlife as Donnie was.
Roy in Montrose

 

[cabinfever]

txhunter58

here you go
http://wildlife.state.co.us/hunt/BGHunting_Guides/SW.pdf

cabinfever

 

[graybeard]

Rocketman, I agree with you 110% about Donnie. Hard to come by guys like him....Steve

 

[deerbedead]

Cabinfever, I just thought you could use a little help here. I know that in humans, they are mature when they have whiskers, and it must be the same with deer. I think to detect whiskers, one must look for milk around the muzzle. That is how it is done in Utah, and it could be the same in Colorado for all we know.

 

[cabinfever]

deerbedead

The funny thing is, I thought I called the gunnison cdow the other day but I acidentally called the gunnison forest service. I asked to speak with a biologist, but none were available. The guy on the phone said he could answer my question, so I asked him what the cdows definition of a mature buck was and he said "I think it's anything with 2 pts". I finally spoke with a cdow biologist and got an answer that made since.

Mike

 

[txhunter58]

Thanks for the link. As stated above by others, biologically/reproductively speaking, a mature buck is probably defined as one that is capaple of breeding. That would probably be 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 year old bucks.

Doesn't have anything to do with mature body size or antlers.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Ryan]

I helped fly classification this year in middle park. A mature buck up there is at least 3 1/2 years old. Maturity was based on antler size.

 

[dutch]

how can you tell how mature a buck is by horn size? I have seen 4 year old bucks with smaller horns than a 2 year old buck. Can't go by horn size as that is mostly genes and not age.

 

[dutch]

Mature defined by webster is as follows: "having completed natural growth and development"-this means it could be a 1 year old deer more or less.

I say once they get pubes they are matured.