Judging TX whitetail deer age

[C4Ranch]

Ive hunted for years but this is the first time I've owned a place and could put cameras out to really take a good look at the wildlife. with the long term dought, seems like I'm seeing smaller deer.

What would you gage the age of these? Maybe 3 yr?

 

[teejk]

I can't opine on Texas deer. Genetics and food vary greatly around the country. By Wisconsin standards the horns would say 4 years old but the bodies would say 2-3 years old.

Just a point...are you in a "trophy zone"? I've heard that our CWD "problem" might be related to protein supplements given to deer to aid antler growth in the "trophy zones". Dunno how it is in Texas but deer hunting in Wisconsin is BIG business (licenses, motels, bars and restaurants) and if that disease continues to spread, a lot of people are going to be hurting.

 

[C4Ranch]

Donno about trophy zone. I know I'm in a county that requires the spread to be 13", outside the ears to be legal. I don't have a big place so it's hard to "manage" them because some other neighbor/yahoo may shoot anything and I'm not a fan of high fences.

Hunting is so big here, I read somewhere that is why they created an Ag Exemption for Wildlife Management. To promote the population growth.

Hope CWD can get under control.

 

[Western]

They look , 2-1/2 to 3-1/2, but sure have nice looking genetics (considering the drought the last couple years) One on the left looks a bit older, but then the photo is just one "look"

The "13" rule, has nothing to do with "trophy status" here in Texas, it is an attempt by the Texas Parks and Wildlife to build the buck age structure in a good portion of Texas. Most popular "trophy free range areas", are mainly in the South Texas region. High fenced "farms" are very common now and their genetics can be from anywhere, anymore.

 

[MacLawn]

Oh me, here we go again, making carnivores out of our vegetation eating crits!! I hate that! I don't mean you, C4, unless you'd be feeding ye crits that ground up animal mess like they do with cyattle, thus causing mad cyow mess. Making cannibals out of herbivores - hey, it ain't right I tell ye. I done about thread jacked ye post!

Anyway, I'd say about 2 - 3 years for them. Deer antler is the fastest growing animal tissue there is, ye cain't go by antlers for age.

 

[teejk]

Oh me, here we go again, making carnivores out of our vegetation eating crits!! I hate that! I don't mean you, C4, unless you'd be feeding ye crits that ground up animal mess like they do with cyattle, thus causing mad cyow mess. Making cannibals out of herbivores - hey, it ain't right I tell ye. I done about thread jacked ye post!

Anyway, I'd say about 2 - 3 years for them. Deer antler is the fastest growing animal tissue there is, ye cain't go by antlers for age.

Agree with age/antler growth but by Wisconsin standards the horns look out of proportion with the bodies. Again I can't speak for Texas but a poor food supply leading to underweight bodies will show up in the horns as well. Perhaps they bred in superior genentics without "fooling with mother nature".

 

[EddieWalker]

They look , 2-1/2 to 3-1/2, but sure have nice looking genetics (considering the drought the last couple years).

That's what I'm thinking.


Eddie