How old part 2?

[M16]

A pretty good rule of thumb is if the front end is deeper than the back end he’s usually always 4.5 or older. Younger bucks are usually straight in the body front to back.

[EastTexasMan]

Deer is 4.5, probably 5.5 and in the 130's

[JhuntsAlot]

Yup, he is a shooter. Bottom line.

He'd score high enough for most people.



J

[Huntergirl723]

4 yo, 138 3/8. Why do most people put on the extra 1/2 year? I mean, last Tuesday I came across a doe, and its fawn with spots. Next year this time, would it be a 1.5 yo when it is actual a year old? Okay, now I'm sounding like Riverrat1!

[sambo73]

Hope he starts back showing up in the daytime!

[AntlerCollector]

4 yo, 138 3/8. Why do most people put on the extra 1/2 year? I mean, last Tuesday I came across a doe, and its fawn with spots. Next year this time, would it be a 1.5 yo when it is actual a year old? Okay, now I'm sounding like Riverrat1!

It was probably born in June. This time next year he will be closer to 1.5 than 1



90%+ of the whitetails are going to fit that 1/2 age mark this time of year.

[Top Of Texas]

4 yo, 138 3/8. Why do most people put on the extra 1/2 year? I mean, last Tuesday I came across a doe, and its fawn with spots. Next year this time, would it be a 1.5 yo when it is actual a year old? Okay, now I'm sounding like Riverrat1!

So, since you asked...

Back in the 1940's, when aging by teeth was first studied, the researchers had to draw a distinction relative to tooth replacement in younger deer (fawn - 2.5 years). Because deer are generally born in the spring and summer (depending on geography), they erupt new teeth, and replace baby teeth, generally at fully completed years (spring and summer). But hunting season is in the fall-winter, which is approximately 6 months after spring-summer. Thus, in order to properly define the age of a deer born in the spring and summer, but killed in the fall and winter, halves were applied to account for that approximate 6 month period.

In Texas, where the SE coastal plains deer rut in September, to the deep S Texas brush country where they rut in December, halves are a broad stroke. Then consider sex ratios, late breeding, and the few healthy doe fawns that breed really late, and it can seem confusing.

Despite my lengthy reply, don't make it hard. It's just an average of a half year. And just saying, "4," works just fine!

[Huntergirl723]

So, since you asked...

Back in the 1940's, when aging by teeth was first studied, the researchers had to draw a distinction relative to tooth replacement in younger deer (fawn - 2.5 years). Because deer are generally born in the spring and summer (depending on geography), they erupt new teeth, and replace baby teeth, generally at fully completed years (spring and summer). But hunting season is in the fall-winter, which is approximately 6 months after spring-summer. Thus, in order to properly define the age of a deer born in the spring and summer, but killed in the fall and winter, halves were applied to account for that approximate 6 month period.

In Texas, where the SE coastal plains deer rut in September, to the deep S Texas brush country where they rut in December, halves are a broad stroke. Then consider sex ratios, late breeding, and the few healthy doe fawns that breed really late, and it can seem confusing.

Despite my lengthy reply, don't make it hard. It's just an average of a half year. And just saying, "4," works just fine!

Thank you.

[tgridley]

6 and mid 130s.