How do you really know how old that deer is…

[Wind Gypsy]

Has there been deer you were interested in harvesting in MN? If you haven't harvested a deer for 10 years in MN and there isn't anything around you want to harvest, I would adjust your goals/expectations if I was you.

I dont think I hunted MN 2010-2018, was working out of state so I travelled to places more desirable to hunt rather than travelling home to hunt. So in the last decade I've only hunted MN again since '19.

I have pictures of bucks at my parents place in northern mn, on public, and on my land purchased in '21 each year that I'd be happy to shoot. Just not very many of them.

I mentioned not shooting a buck in my home state more in relation to the idea that a guy needs to shoot what's out there to enjoy hunting. I'd really like to see more old bucks but i don't feel down about eating tags or think I have unrealistic expectations. Not saying there is a thing wrong with folks who need to punch a tag to feel like their season was worthwhile just that some folks would rather watch a basket rack walk around being a basket rack and eat their tag than shoot another young buck. I can only picture a couple things changing in regards to trigger restraint on my property - 1. My stretch of having a freezer full of elk comes to an end, less deer would get a pass and 2, I invite others to shoot stuff and dont try to keep them off the young bucks if I eventually realize multiple opportunities at 3+ YO bucks annually isn't a reality.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Here in high-pressure Pa. - I'm comfortable saying 95% or better of the hunters here don't give a hoot about a deer's age. The thought is ........... if it's legal, I'm shooting. As some have already said in this thread, here in Pa. if you pass a buck that's legal based on your age estimate thinking it'll grow bigger next year - wave goodbye to him - someone will probably take him. Passing on him (as I do for smaller bucks) is JUST a wish and a prayer here. I pass on some bucks based on hope alone. Some camps here have several thousand acres they control - it's a different story for them. They can maybe "grow" their deer. But for 99% of Pa. hunters ........ hoping a given buck will even LIVE to next year - let alone grow bigger for you to take next year - is a pipe dream.

A 4.5 year-old buck here is a miracle - if you get him aged after taking him.

 

[Foggy47]

I got a couple of bucks like shown in the pic below. They have pretty good body mass....and relatively small in the antler department. I also have a few with better antler mass.....but smaller bodies. None are booners. I'm thinking those deer that show more promise for the future (the second bucks) are going to be given a pass this year......and those with the bigger body and smaller racks are on the hit list. What say you? And.....for conversation sake.....how old is this buck shown below. (I'd say he is 3.5 or more).

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I got a couple of bucks like shown in the pic below. They have pretty good body mass....and relatively small in the antler department. I also have a few with better antler mass.....but smaller bodies. None are booners. I'm thinking those deer that show more promise for the future (the second bucks) are going to be given a pass this year......and those with the bigger body and smaller racks are on the hit list. What say you? And.....for conversation sake.....how old is this buck shown below. (I'd say he is 3.5 or more).
View attachment 58095

Makes sense to me @Foggy47

I tend to classify bucks as 1, 2, 3, or mature fully knowing I could mix up 2 and 3 YO and 3 and mature. Anything mature isn’t getting passed unless there were a different high odds buck I really wanted around and some 3 YO might get it as well. Tubby McCloverchomper there in your pic is mature enough to catch an arrow or bullet on my place!

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I got a couple of bucks like shown in the pic below. They have pretty good body mass....and relatively small in the antler department. I also have a few with better antler mass.....but smaller bodies. None are booners. I'm thinking those deer that show more promise for the future (the second bucks) are going to be given a pass this year......and those with the bigger body and smaller racks are on the hit list. What say you? And.....for conversation sake.....how old is this buck shown below. (I'd say he is 3.5 or more).
View attachment 58095

Agreed. 3.5 or 4.5. The neck looks like it almost comes down into the brisket. His front and rear quarters look to be about the same size. Might just be his position, but if I had to choose one, I'd say 3.5.

 

[drycreek]

Foggy, since that buck’s gut and neck looks a lot like mine, I would age him between 70 and 80 years old. Seriously, I have a little trouble in my mind ageing northern deer, their bodies are naturally so much bigger than ours. Still, my mind says 4.5, maybe 5.5. I can age our deer pretty well on the hoof, if cementum annuli is any gauge, because I’ve sent several sets of teeth off of bucks I and my son have killed. I was off by one year on two of them, but on the conservative side. Both times I thought a deer was younger than they aged him. To be clear, I’ve read that cemmentum annuli is only about 65% accurate on known age deer, so there’s that. I think we have sent in teeth from six bucks so far.

 

[SwampCat]

I got a couple of bucks like shown in the pic below. They have pretty good body mass....and relatively small in the antler department. I also have a few with better antler mass.....but smaller bodies. None are booners. I'm thinking those deer that show more promise for the future (the second bucks) are going to be given a pass this year......and those with the bigger body and smaller racks are on the hit list. What say you? And.....for conversation sake.....how old is this buck shown below. (I'd say he is 3.5 or more).
View attachment 58095

Just out of curiosity, what would that buck weigh. Aint no such thing down here.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Wouldn't be under 220# field dressed.

 

[Foggy47]

Just out of curiosity, what would that buck weigh. Aint no such thing down here.

A mature buck here will go over 200 and some can go over 250 or so. Antler growth can vary allot by areas. The antler development around me has generally gotten better with time. Neighbors tell of times gone by where big toad deer with little basket racks were the norm. I beleive better nutrition is changing that.

 

[Foggy47]

I was more or less still hunting an area near Aggizis National Wildlife Refuge in Northwest Minnesota during the early 80's. It was about 9 am......and I was standing near a big swamp in a cluster of trees when I saw the biggest buck of my life gently loping and then walking quickly in my direction. About 500 yards behind was a hunter coming the same direction. That buck zigged when he could have zagged and I never got a chance at him. I waited for the buck to turn my way again....but he never did. I did talk to the hunter who claimed he had put a bullet in him.....and was going to track him as long as it took. It was snowing a bit from time to time......so he was going to stay hot on the trail and try to catch him when he laid down. I wished him luck....and off he went. That young guy was no doubt an athlete (really in good shape) and was bent on hustling through some pretty rough country. Really quite a feat.

I again saw that same hunter whom had killed that HUGE buck later in the afternoon. He had it in the back of a station wagon....and the buck FILLED the back of that car. Huge rack too.....but the body was almost like a cow. If I remember right it was like 400 (?) lbs. (sounds crazy right?). It was the largest buck killed in MN in that year....and it was written up in Outdoor News a week or two later. The "kid" told me the buck had finally laid down and he struggled to gain his feet when he killed it in late afternoon. It was dark when I saw them loading the deer.

Not sure what the record weight for a buck is? ......gotta google it next.

Another big one that got away for me. lol.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Estimated 511# live weight for Minnesota.

 

[homerj]

I got a couple of bucks like shown in the pic below. They have pretty good body mass....and relatively small in the antler department. I also have a few with better antler mass.....but smaller bodies. None are booners. I'm thinking those deer that show more promise for the future (the second bucks) are going to be given a pass this year......and those with the bigger body and smaller racks are on the hit list. What say you? And.....for conversation sake.....how old is this buck shown below. (I'd say he is 3.5 or more).
View attachment 58095

That buck is all of 6.5 IMO. He may have had more impressive antlers at some point, but he'll never have a set larger than what he has now.

 

[Wild Thing]

That buck is all of 6.5 IMO. He may have had more impressive antlers at some point, but he'll never have a set larger than what he has now.

Agree homerj - I would have estimated him to be at least 4 or 5 also. He is a full grown brute…with probably less than stellar antlers. Still - a very mature deer.

 

[homerj]

Agree homerj - I would have estimated him to be at least 4 or 5 also. He is a full grown brute…with probably less than stellar antlers. Still - a very mature deer.

The stubby looking legs are a dead give away. When the body depth appears to dwarf the leg length...it's an old buck

 

[drycreek]

Neighbors tell of times gone by where big toad deer with little basket racks were the norm. I beleive better nutrition is changing that.

I remember seeing pictures in Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, etc. of buck poles in the northern states, guys posing in plaid jackets and huge bodied bucks sporting small antlers.

 

[Mortenson]

The stubby looking legs are a dead give away. When the body depth appears to dwarf the leg length...it's an old buck

Agree that he's probably older. He's just knobby and lumpy looking with a big block head. I've seen some old bucks with narrow heads and a lesser amount of young bucks with big heads. But usually a face that thick is on an older buck. I don't think he's younger than 5.5

 

[Foggy47]

Agree that he's probably older. He's just knobby and lumpy looking with a big block head. I've seen some old bucks with narrow heads and a lesser amount of young bucks with big heads. But usually a face that thick is on an older buck. I don't think he's younger than 5.5

Maybe he's identifying as a pregnant doe.