New Axis - age & score please

[ATXBowhunter]

This guy started hanging around - would appreciate anyone's thoughts re: age and score Thanks!!

[bloodtrail18]

3 y/o is my best guess. Belly not sagging like an older buck.

[Shane]

Do you have a higher resolution pic? Either 3 or 8+. Can't really tell for sure in the pixelated pic.

[ATXBowhunter]

Here's a few more -

[raider19]

Young buck

[Palmetto]

Looks young. Cover up his horns, and he looks like a doe.

This is a good example of an older/mature buck.

[AntlerCollector]

3 year old. He’s not gonna score much. I’d estimate 27” main beams. 4 1/3” caudels 9” eye guards. No guess on mass. I can’t tell iif he’s hard horned or velvet in those pics.

[ATXBowhunter]

He's still in velvet....eye guards look nice but agree rest of it is kinda average. Appreciate the insights! I'm new to hunting axis.

[Shane]

It's hard to tell in the low-res pics. He kinda looks wrinkly. Makes me think he might be past prime, old and skinny rather than young and skinny. He's one or the other.

[BowhunterB]

Pretty buck. Think he is young as well. Think he might possibly go as high as 29" on main beams but I would definitely expect him to get bigger over the next couple of years.

[PROD49]

Young, he is about to tip out, I'd peg him at about 3yr old 27ish" Old Axis has a big sagging stomach and looks like little squatty legs.

[Hills of Texas]

He’s older than 3 but young. Axis live to approximately 18 years of age in free range conditions. His antlers and body development put at over three but I’d say under 5. By the same token though, he could be past his prime and hitting that stage where he looks less developed.

[Kdog]

He's big enough to put on the wall, especially if you are new to hunting them. Obviously if you have some special rules you need to follow about shooting them then you should follow them. But he would be a nice trophy and many good meals. My 2 cents.

[ATXBowhunter]

He's big enough to put on the wall, especially if you are new to hunting them. Obviously if you have some special rules you need to follow about shooting them then you should follow them. But he would be a nice trophy and many good meals. My 2 cents.

Thanks for the info! This is on my new property in Junction, and we actually have several groups of large axis bucks. However, they are really hard to pattern - typically show up in the middle of the night at inconsistent times. This one is pretty consistent in the AM and early evening. Again thx!

[AntlerCollector]

He’s not old. Axis can live 15 years or more in the wild. You can’t age them like whitetails. They will get gray/white in the face when they are old. Also many will have heavy mass on the main beams, but will end up with shorter caudels and eye guards when post mature.



Absolutely no shame in shooting this one you posted. It’s all relative to where you hunt and the animals there.




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