age?

[growalot]

What do you think?

[WNYBuckHunter]

good 2 year old or average 3 year old. Hard to tell with that pic.

[growalot]

He's  9PT

[grampy]

Nice buck! Three year old.

[NYBowhunter]

Im guessing 2 yr. Old, rack looks kind of tight to be a 3yr. Old.

[wooly]

He's  9PT

 

That's all I'd need to know!

I'd say 2.5 though since that's what you asked for!

[The_Field_Ager]

2.5 - 3

[moog5050]

agree that its hard to tell from his body position but front end looks pretty muscular - I would go with 3

[G-Man]

By me that would be a 2.5 year old this season

[growalot]

 

rack looks kind of tight to be a 3yr. Old.

 

    If you mean not past ears...... that would not play into his age in these parts...there have been many high tight racks on deer 4+ years old taken...the deer that made me nearly pass out had such a rack...I believe they aged him at over 4yrs old when the guy a couple miles away, killed him a week later.

 

Looking at his body...I will have to say 3yrs....his neck goes all the way to his brisket in a smooth line and he has well defined shoulders...though his hips aren't as big as I would expect ...but that could have been a winter effect on him.

 

I actually have better day time pics of him but it would show where he is....I prefer due to where I'll be hunting  not have the back ground showing....I set this camera up after scouting an area showed some huge tracks in a plowed field...I actually have the cam in a yard area just off the field trying to avoid loosing it..... I will need to go back track to see exactly where he is coming from  so I can avoid being too close the their yard...though I doubt they'd care....Friday will be a good day to check things out....I have to go get my whooping cough vaccine and hit the gym ...So I'll be out that way...finding alternate hunting spots hasn't been as tough as I thought...must be something about woman bow hunters...lol

Edited August 27, 2015 by growalot

[rotorooter23]

I would say 2.5...not seeing the sway back and pot belly.

[BizCT]

3

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[Merlot]

guessing 2 1/2 this fall

[phade]

I would say 2.5...not seeing the sway back and pot belly.

sway back and pot bellies don't typically exist on three year olds either....three year olds look like race horses.

 

Pretty easy to say 2 or 3, and I can see arguments for both sides based on that shot alone. Day shots would be helpful.

[Doc]

I would say that he's old enough.

[growalot]

Yep in bow he'll be old enough and he has some specials stuff going on  you can't see in that pic...I'll be hoping to see him ...Must say this makes me very glad I have only seen those two nice 4pts here...It would really bother me to see a nice buck here knowing I couldn't shoot it...especially if I hadn't seen that guy on the new place. I know ..no proof but none needed I KNOW some nice buck will be shot and scurried away on this hill that first two weeks...If the bachelor groups went back to their old pattern this year...they will be hanging out right in the area 3 different groups will definitely be hunting them the first 2 weeks...I am pull out my cams until Oct 15th...a couple will go to camp in a couple of hidey holes I have there. I do not want to see what I won't get a chance to shoot...

[greensider]

i would say 3 but until he grows his winter hair his neck chest area wont look as big

[mbucks27]

2.5

[Chef]

He I just over 2

[Lawdwaz]

Somebody PLEASE post a picture of a 4 year old buck.  Then toss in a 3 year old.

 

Bet ya' don't have a picture of a 5 year old...........................................

 

 

Looking forward to the pics!

 

(JHC the DEC can't tell from the damned jaws half the time)

Edited August 29, 2015 by Lawdwaz

[landtracdeerhunter]

Somebody PLEASE post a picture of a 4 year old buck.  Then toss in a 3 year old.

 

Bet ya' don't have a picture of a 5 year old...........................................

 

 

Looking forward to the pics!

 

(JHC the DEC can't tell from the damned jaws half the time)

 

 5 1/2 LOL. I'll see if I can get them posted. 

Edited August 29, 2015 by landtracdeerhunter

[growalot]

I think looking at the bodies one can tell a 2 from 3 and a 3 from a 4...but the 3-4 is a bit more difficult when you are sitting in an area with winters like we get....they do not always recover that full body tone if they were hit hard with a active rut and bad winter before...I have some adult does here that still look like their skin is stretched over them and ribs very visible...and they have had plenty to eat all summer. as far as pics go I would lay odds on this being an example of a 2,3,4 with 1 1/2's behind them.bkl & wht pics...the color pic I'd say 3 and a 4 yr at least....but I saw them in person took pics in lower light at a distance, but seeing them in person the size difference was very notable.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Some cam pics do not do some of these larger rack bucks justice. If he looks decent size in the pics, just wait till he's viewed in person. Had it the other way, also. They looked darn nice in the pics, not as nice in person. Night pics are not near as accurate as daylight shots, in my opinion.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Somebody PLEASE post a picture of a 4 year old buck.  Then toss in a 3 year old.

 

Bet ya' don't have a picture of a 5 year old...........................................

 

 

Looking forward to the pics!

 

(JHC the DEC can't tell from the damned jaws half the time)

 

2 year old in velvet. Killed and aged that year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theres your 4 year old.

 

 

 

 

Here he is at 6

 

 

Trying to find good pics of a 3 year old for you

[dbHunterNY]

i think the picture is deceiving with the buck's head down and contorted.  he doesn't have that much of a tapered race horse look.  legs still seem a little too long.  at 3.5 they should seem just the right length.  also he appears heavy in the front but not that heavy.  9pt doesn't mean much and pot belly with a sway back isn't even applicable until years down the road.  after 3.5 the legs appear kind of short as they reach skeletal maturity at 4.5 yr old.  antler growth starts to taper off too so after 4.5 yrs old more energy goes into bulk and weight.  that's when you see the pot belly and swayed back.  just look at WNYBuckHunter's last two pics of 4.5 and 6.5 yr old.  rectangular full grown frame (among other things) in the 2nd to last pic and in the last it's a tank. 

 

I would be looking for more pictures.  I'd say 2.5 yrs old for the buck in the OP.  I agree though it could be between 2.5 and 3.5 yr old.  deer are no different than people in that some are different sizes than others.  they all grow in the same way though.  to complete the puzzle we usually combine trail cam pics, jaw bones, and then lab results from sending center two incisors out.