What happened to this buck???

[SB09]

He just got old as dirt it looks like to me. The callousing and swelling in those front knee joints indicates a much older buck than 5.5 in that second picture.

Looks older than 4.5 in the first picture. More like 6.5.

[SB09]

I have often asked myself this same question of the deer that I perceive as the same deer from last year. Can a deer's characteristics change so drastically from one year to another, positively or negatively (horns/body/whatever), that you get them mixed up? I tell myself no but at the end of the day we are just making a very well educated guess.

Yes, they can. We had a buck named Droopy at home that was a 150'' 10 all his life up until 9 years old. Last year, the final year of his life at 10, he was a massive 4 point that you wouldn't have been able to recognize if it wasn't for specific markings on his body. He was a mercy killing. Probably lost 50lbs. of muscle mass.

They're just like humans. If we lose our teeth and don't eat our bodies go through some pretty drastic changes. Antlers are no different.

[Pullersboy]

He looks really old in the 5.5 yr old pic. Was he sick or injured during the rut? Using whole cottonseed?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. He looks older than that to me.

[bphillips]

I've been watching him since he was a 2 yr old 8 pt. I'm pretty sure of his age and he has always been a regular at my stand. We do feed whole cottonseed, but I'm not sure what that has to do with it. I have not notice any signs of distress with his body the last couple of years. He is a big body deer and probably weighed around 250 on the hoof when he was 5.5.

If you're using V mesh with your cottonseed there is a chance he is injuring himself eating the seed. The small side of the V leaves a place to hang a developing antler especially some of the heavier massed deer. Just a possibility

[tbgascorer]

Based on the pics, I would add 2-3 years of age per pic. I think he got old and funky. I fully agree with the knee and joint comments.

[rtp]

He just got old as dirt it looks like to me. The callousing and swelling in those front knee joints indicates a much older buck than 5.5 in that second picture.

Looks older than 4.5 in the first picture. More like 6.5.

Just looking at the pics this was my first thought as well. In all my years I have never followed a deer for years that ever did anything remotely like that. Crazy cool rack for sure.

[dustoffer]

I would have shot him in the first pic---or 2d, or 3d. And in that last pic, with that body I don't see how his legs hold him up.

[Big Mike M]

Haha. Y'all are funny. I didn't ask for AGE and score. Since I have been watching him since he was 2, I know the age. The buck is 6.5 years old this year. I'm just curious on what caused his rack to change dramatically over the last 3 years. I've watched numerous bucks get really old (10+) and the racks normally get smaller, but stay the same shape.

This doesn't look like skull damage from a cottonseed feeder to me. I know it happens sometimes.

[Apretz]

I think the 5.5 pic he damaged that one side while it was growing, otherwise the other side looks normal. And the 6.5 pic who knows, maybe he had some sort or injury and sickness. He could return to normal next year.

[Serbin]

I don't know ur deer but if u have anymore pics it might be helpful. From what u posted it looks like the same deer. IMO he is a older deer. I have never seen a 5 yr old deer with those characteristics (best picture) but again every ranch is different. Good luck.

[Big Mike M]

How old do you think this buck is?

[NF HUNTER]

Old enough to shoot!

[BTLowry]

I have no idea why he looks the way he does


I do feel pretty good about my aging skills though, thought he was older like a bunch of others.
Just goes to show that it is very hard to age deer accurately just by looking at pictures

[Serbin]

Hard to estimate from one picture. Looks like u have some great deer. Good luck this yr.

[dope hunter]

I had a buck go from a jacked up dink one year to a really good symmetrical 10 the next...could have been an injury, but could be genetics too.


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