How old?

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Setting goals for new farm I purchased in December.

Will be bow hunt only. I want deer 4 1/2 or older to be harvested. Not looking at antler size. Want to harvest on age structure.

So how old is this one?
 

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30/06

Twelve Pointer
Is this NC, VA or other? I always found it hard to judge a deers age by summer pics unless they’re really old. I’d guess 3.5 or 4.5. Probably know better once October rolls around and he swells up.

If he’s 3.5 he’s a stud and will be a giant in the next year or two if he makes it.
 

ABBD

Ten Pointer
Contributor
I would say 4 yr old. Has a little back sway and pot belly starting to show. Good luck if you choose to get after him!
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
Just about impossible to tell with those angles, but imo, he doesn’t have the shoulders of a 4 yr old.
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Just about impossible to tell with those angles, but imo, he doesn’t have the shoulders of a 4 yr old.

Yeah angle is tough. I've glassed him about 10 times this year with 4 other bucks. He was the biggest last month but another has passed him.

Im struggling with aging these bucks. Funny they are together every day but he and another are the only two I got on camera

I dont plan to shoot him but told my son he could if got the opportunity.
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Is this NC, VA or other? I always found it hard to judge a deers age by summer pics unless they’re really old. I’d guess 3.5 or 4.5. Probably know better once October rolls around and he swells up.

If he’s 3.5 he’s a stud and will be a giant in the next year or two if he makes it.


VA just across the line
 

Winnie 70

Ten Pointer
Body size wise a 3.5, but that being said, would being changing in few weeks and could look different. How big are your biggest, older bucks in that area and knowing that, you would have an idea how that relates to his age.
 

TravisLH

Old Mossy Horns
Really hard to call.... my gut says closer to 3.5 than 4.5 but he looks to be a stud with potential for more growth in either case.


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KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Here’s two other bucks from a few weeks ago to compare body size. I’ve started seeing these 3 in a group of 5
 

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KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
if that is goal,,,then if any doubt don't pull the trigger,,

Exactly. Not looking to ground check. This is an ideal farm with very low surrounding hunting pressure.

I’m not planning on taking him. I only want deer taking close to their maximum growth. But surely don’t want to kill one that has the potential to be a true stud in future.
 

Sportsman

Old Mossy Horns
The buck facing to the right in the two pics of the "two other bucks".......looks to be the more mature of the three you posted. All 3 are great bucks with potential. Good luck.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Need a clear, level, broadside pic for best judging. All of them will likely be bigger if given another year, but they're wild deer that get killed by vehicles and disease as well as hunters. At the end of the day, it's still about the hunt, not milking the last 5" of potential out of a 6.5 yr. old deer.

He's a very nice buck with lots of potential.
 

buckman4c

Spike
I believe your best indicator will be establishing history with the buck population. All of these bucks are at least 3.5 years old. If your goal is 4.5 or older, passing on each of these bucks this year shouldn't be an issue. Based on the photo's, I would say you have a diamond in the rough for a property.

Maybe consider population control with doe the first year or two which gives you time to better age the bucks using the property. We manage doe by trying to limit the number of mature ones we kill. In our opinion, mature doe are the best mothers. We try our best to harvest young (1.5) middle age (2.5) or old (single or no fawns) doe. Our property is large enough with plenty of deer around that we don't overharvest any one age class and if we happen to kill more of one age group than we prefer, we change our management strategy for the next season. Except for the kids hunting the property, we too try to kill bucks older than 3.5.
 

Dan Apple

Old Mossy Horns
Looks 3.5 to me,,,, but I suspect with that many that close in age in size they're fixing to scatter in about 2-3 weeks... he may or may not be one of the ones that sticks around....

A few years back I decided to quit putting out cameras until after the velvet shed, some years even mid October.... I got tired of questioning this very type thing in Aug and Sept only to learn that all that thinking and planning was for nothing because that particular deer left anyway.
 

buckman4c

Spike
Looks 3.5 to me,,,, but I suspect with that many that close in age in size they're fixing to scatter in about 2-3 weeks... he may or may not be one of the ones that sticks around....

A few years back I decided to quit putting out cameras until after the velvet shed, some years even mid October.... I got tired of questioning this very type thing in Aug and Sept only to learn that all that thinking and planning was for nothing because that particular deer left anyway.

I keep seeing this type of reply on many boards. I find it very interesting to say the least in regards to mature bucks dispersing once velvet shed occurs. Does it happen? I'm sure it does but does it happen all or even most the time? No, I know it doesn't.
Our experience is quite the opposite. Mature bucks we get pics of, see in velvet or using the property earlier in the year typically continue using the property for the remainder of the season. Now, when your talking about them "moving" around into different areas of the property, we have seen this happen but generally it's not a long distance move. And, mature bucks are mature for a reason. They aren't easily seen or even captured on camera, especially once hunting starts which happens to coincide with shedding.
I will say, the property I'm speaking of is 900 acres in size. The property also contains everything a mature buck needs, food, water, cover and doe. Additionally, the property has "controlled" hunting pressure. With that said, I believe the property itself plays a large roll in how far a mature buck may or may not move or how often he uses that particular area. I'm blessed, I know, but there are also public properties I hunt where I have seen similar results.
Given the traditional 1 square mile (640 acres) home range of most buck a 900 acre tract will have many which overlap. A smaller tract will also have overlapping home ranges and I would say based on habitat etc., the better it is, the more you will have.
I think when we evaluate the whole picture, the land we are hunting needs to provide mature bucks with everything they need or at the very least provide more than one in order for them to continue using the property on a consistent basis. There are many exceptions to the rule of course. A very small tract could be a preferred travel corridor from bedding on another property to food or doe on yet another property etc.. Gun hunting pressure is another which plays an even larger roll. Telemetry studies have shown some mature bucks will sometimes make long distance moves. Eventually, usually within a short period of time they do return to their home range but that movement does tend to get them killed on occasion a mile or two from the home range where you were getting pics of and hunting him.
 

nontypical

Ten Pointer
buckman I know what you're saying but most older bucks year after year that I see in July and August dissapear in September, and different older bucks start appearing. The places I hunt are pretty small though. I will say this though, deer are like people, all are different!
 

Dan Apple

Old Mossy Horns
I keep seeing this type of reply on many boards. I find it very interesting to say the least in regards to mature bucks dispersing once velvet shed occurs. Does it happen? I'm sure it does but does it happen all or even most the time? No, I know it doesn't.
Our experience is quite the opposite. Mature bucks we get pics of, see in velvet or using the property earlier in the year typically continue using the property for the remainder of the season. Now, when your talking about them "moving" around into different areas of the property, we have seen this happen but generally it's not a long distance move. And, mature bucks are mature for a reason. They aren't easily seen or even captured on camera, especially once hunting starts which happens to coincide with shedding.
I will say, the property I'm speaking of is 900 acres in size. The property also contains everything a mature buck needs, food, water, cover and doe. Additionally, the property has "controlled" hunting pressure. With that said, I believe the property itself plays a large roll in how far a mature buck may or may not move or how often he uses that particular area. I'm blessed, I know, but there are also public properties I hunt where I have seen similar results.
Given the traditional 1 square mile (640 acres) home range of most buck a 900 acre tract will have many which overlap. A smaller tract will also have overlapping home ranges and I would say based on habitat etc., the better it is, the more you will have.
I think when we evaluate the whole picture, the land we are hunting needs to provide mature bucks with everything they need or at the very least provide more than one in order for them to continue using the property on a consistent basis. There are many exceptions to the rule of course. A very small tract could be a preferred travel corridor from bedding on another property to food or doe on yet another property etc.. Gun hunting pressure is another which plays an even larger roll. Telemetry studies have shown some mature bucks will sometimes make long distance moves. Eventually, usually within a short period of time they do return to their home range but that movement does tend to get them killed on occasion a mile or two from the home range where you were getting pics of and hunting him.


There aren't many of us that have the luxury of hunting 900 acres.... on my 126 acre lease.... off my land is off my land.... even if he's an acre or two away, I stay within my boundaries... so gone is gone... Trust me when I say I know what it takes to locate, target, and kill a mature deer....I've done it on small tracts, large tracts and medium tracts.... I feel certain the "community" here will back me up on that....

My point is that if the deer spends his Aug and Sept on my land and I spend a lot of time thinking about how to kill him and then he moves a half mile in any direction I have wasted my time thinking on that particular buck.... I'd rather wait til the shift happens (--and it will, some will stay, some will leave....) and hunt what "is there" instead of what "was there".

the OP knows me and I'm sure knows what I meant... he's had it happen before too.
 
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KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Looks 3.5 to me,,,, but I suspect with that many that close in age in size they're fixing to scatter in about 2-3 weeks... he may or may not be one of the ones that sticks around....

A few years back I decided to quit putting out cameras until after the velvet shed, some years even mid October.... I got tired of questioning this very type thing in Aug and Sept only to learn that all that thinking and planning was for nothing because that particular deer left anyway.
;

I very seldom run cameras at all in more. Only running these because: 1. new property and I been watching these bucks and wanted pics, was interested in antler growth, and I picked these cell cameras up at a pawn shop so figured good place to test.

I agree with what your saying. Lot of hunters get frustrated cause bucks disappear.
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
There aren't many of us that have the luxury of hunting 900 acres.... on my 126 acre lease.... off my land is off my land.... even if he's an acre or two away, I stay within my boundaries... so gone is gone... Trust me when I say I know what it takes to locate, target, and kill a mature deer....I've done it on small tracts, large tracts and medium tracts.... I fell certain the "community" here will back me up on that....

My point is that if the deer spends his Aug and Sept on my land and I spend a lot of time thinking about how to kill him and then he moves a half mile in any direction I have wasted my time thinking on that particular buck.... I'd rather wait til the shift happens (--and it will, some will stay, some will leave....) and hunt what "is there" instead of what "was there".

the OP knows me and I'm sure knows what I meant... he's had it happen before too.

Most definitely had it happened. Very few times do I want a certain buck but the one your talking about was killed a long ways away (??) . Way more than 900 acres away.

I'm like you I want to target my deer where they want to be at that giving time. As we know that shifts during the hunting season. Those that don't shift their hunting approach are just hope hunting.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I just keep running the cameras from August to February. When they show up in daylight, hunt them, and hunt them right then. I will have bucks cycle through. Some are there early, some mid-season, some show up later in the season. Sometimes I see them again, sometimes I don't.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
way before trail cams we would see bachelor groups that would have several older deer.
They sure as hell didnt stay for the party. Disperse, move, whatever they be gone.
what has always bugged me is the "new" ones never seem to be as nice as the ones that disappeared. :)
Just my bias based on my experiences.
 
way before trail cams we would see bachelor groups that would have several older deer.
They sure as hell didnt stay for the party. Disperse, move, whatever they be gone.
what has always bugged me is the "new" ones never seem to be as nice as the ones that disappeared. :)
Just my bias based on my experiences.
Yea really before trail cams everyone thought there was 1 big buck per every 10 square miles and when someone saw a 100in 8pt in the headlights it was the talk of the town

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