Deer age study?

[30-30]

There are many more variables affecting tooth wear than just soil type: vegetation type, food preferences, and even left or right side chewing. Wear can vary regionally and even locally. It's a ballpark method that will get you within about 2 years of correct. But it's one of our better methods.

[Rwc]

Since keeping trail cam picture inventory of deer on my grounds in Bosque County I have seen the same thing as above. 5 out of 8 bucks killed in the last 7 years we have yearly trail cam photos of and knew the age. Teeth ware on all but one showed the bucks to be 2.5 to 3.5 while yearly photos confirmed much older.

My bet is one of the south Texas ranch owners / biologist has studied this and will chime in shortly.......I hope.

Great question and good post.

Rwc

I should re-read my post before submitting it. "Teeth ware on all but one showed the bucks to be 2.5 to 3.5 while yearly photos confirmed much older."
Should read 3.5 to 4.5...... I still have the jaw bones and the years of photos of each......

I agree most with Chance's post.

Rwc

[Kdog]

Not really a study, but one of the guys I hunt with has a calendar/planner he takes with him to the blind. He writes down any distinguishing characteristic he can see on any deer. Then the next year does the same thing. This is how he keeps track of them. For example 3 years ago he wrote down a nubbin buck had a mole/mark under his right eye. So he recognized this buck the next 3 years. I am going to start doing the same thing next year. He does this with does too. I think it is a great idea and I am going to start doing it too.

[CBB78]

yeah