How can you age a whitetail deer?

Before the shot?How can you age a whitetail deer?
tooth replacement and wear a fawn is born with 4 teeth an adult has 32 which will wear down about 1 millimeter per year go to www.dccl.org/information/deer/deerage.ht鈥?to read all about itHow can you age a whitetail deer?
DUH how would you do it ask it to open its mouth,lol!Just joking anyone knows to age a deer correctly when you have killed it but he asked how to field age the animal!

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Look at the face of a deer for long and wider profile and the ears fit the face with grayish hair also the belly sag and the backs of the heavier deer will sag some also.I look for hip spread size of brisket it will be much wider on large deer.Younger deer have a sleek profile older ones are fuller and thicker!


After a few years you will look for the signs of age in deer and be able to spot a little better as time goes on!
They're just like old men. Look for a pot-belly, a big hairy chest(brisket) sticking out in front. After that, look at their heads. They have very long heads and their antlers tend to be darker. I've been told that for some reason, the older guys rub their horns less than the younger ones and their antlers tend to be more chocolate colored.





In my experience as both a guide and a hunter, when you catch yourself saying ';Whoa, where's the gun?'; when they come out, you have found the deer for you.
Before the shot is very difficult. It depends on where you hunt as well. Deer from Michigan where i hunt may be an 8pt and be 4-5 years old but from texas and 8 point my only be 2-3. The best way is to study the animals where you hunt. After you shoot a few age them using the teeth and you can get to learn the age.
The grayish looking guy with the slightly saggy neck and pot belly is going to be older than the shiny kid with the slim physique. Oh, that first guy's me! Oh, well, it works for deer, too.


I can't reliably tell a five year old from six, but if you spend a lot of time looking at them, and age them with tooth patterns and such once they're dead, you eventually get pretty good at estimating largely on gestalt rather than some particular criteria. You really shouldn't have much trouble telling a two year old from three, and those six or eight and older really look it. Just be persistent, and you'll catch on.


I belonged to a club that allowed the culling of deer aged 8+ and discouraged shooting two year olds, largely by stipulating a minimum of 150 B%26amp;C on those under eight years. The penalties were stiff enough to give good incentive.