Aging Bucks on the Hoof

Deer hunting season has already begun for those of us who have the patience to sit in the tree with a bow and arrow and willingness to tolerate the mosquitoes and warm October afternoons. As you know, the keys to having large-antlered bucks on your property are providing nutrition, maintaining genetics, and allowing the bucks to reach maturity. The genetics to grow large antlers are already present in white-tailed deer populations of Brazos, Grimes, and Madison Counties. Much of the river bottom habitat provides an abundance of native plants providing quality nutrition. In most cases, the factor limiting antler quality in our area is age. Most of the bucks we see while sitting in deer stands or on our back porches are less then 3 1/2 years old. They have not yet reached maturity and, consequently have not grown their biggest set of antlers.

While aging deer "on the hoof" is more of an art than a science, the educated hunter and wildlife observer can learn to adequately determine if a buck has reached maturity and/or should be harvested. The physical characteristics which help define the different age classes can vary with geographic location, health of the animal, time of year, observer bias, and individual animal variations. By studying bucks carefully before harvest and comparing age estimates based on tooth-wear and replacement with "on the hoof" estimates, one can hone their aging skills on a particular ranch or geographic area. The following are some general characteristics which should be used to distinguish between young, middle-aged, and old deer:

• Young deer have: (1) long legs, (2) long, thin necks, (3) high flanks, (4) rumps higher than their shoulders, and (5) an overall slim, dainty appearance

• Middle-aged deer have: (1) thick, muscular necks, (2) heavily muscled round hind quarters, (3) bellies that are full, but not sagging, (4) legs that appear proportional to their torsos, (5) flat backs that do not sway



• Old deer have: (1) swayed backs, (2) "pot-bellies" which lack musculature, (3) heavy necks and shoulders, and (4) legs that appear short and stubby

Classifying bucks as 1 1/2, 2 1/2, 3 1/2, 4 1/2, etc. is not a precise science. However, there are some researchers and authors who have published some useful guidelines and training tools. Click here for an article from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine archives that paraphrases text and introduces a book written by Dave Richards and Al Brothers which I introduced on this blog months ago. This book contains very good pictures of deer from south Texas which follows the same deer throughout their life and antler progression. Mississippi State University Extension Service also has a publication titled A Hunters Guide to Aging and Judging Live White-tailed Deer in the Southeast which includes a some good pictures and descriptions. Click the title or find the link on the right of this blog to view this publication.

When you go hunting, take a good pair of binoculars, be aware of the ways that lighting conditions, the deer's distance from you, the angle you are viewing the deer from, and the amount of adrenaline flowing through your blood can affect the way you perceive that buck. Take time to study the characteristics of his body before looking at his antlers. Remember, once you pull the trigger, the decision is final and his antlers will never grow to be any larger.