I guess aging deer by the body isn't the same as aging people by looking at their body? I know a lot of guys that have pot bellies and sway backs but aren't that old. I also know some guys that are muscular and skinny but have a few years on them. I still say it depends on the body type of the animal and muscular frame if they have the sway back and pot belly. Also depends a lot on how good they have been eating. We have been seeing some of these examples posted on here lately. It is just plain to tell a bucks age by body alone without a history with the animal.
You have to keep in mind that here... we get to see one picture with the rack cut out. Pictures are decieving and no one can argue that. It would be nice if we got to see more pictures of a buck without cropping and cutting to make it tougher for us. I am not sure what the point of cutting and cropping is other then that ?? It is a little different when you are looking at them on the hoof in yor own area. You are getting to use everything to judge. You get to see him from different angles. No doubt history with them is a big factor and makes it much easier. You should be able to tell the difference between a 2.5 and 3.5 year old pretty easy. 3.5 to 4.5 is a little tougher but still do able. Your odds of gettting it right should be better then 50/50. if I figure a buck is 4.5... it doesn't matter anymore. I am probably going to shoot him if I get a chance unless I know of a " bigger racked " buck that I am more inerested in. Also keeping in mind that you are familar with the size/genetics of deer for you area. A 4.5 year old buck here looks much different bodywise then one in North Carolina. A 3.5 year old in Illinios or Iowa can have racks scoring better then most of our mature bucks here. Heck some parts of a state have better genectics/food then other parts of the state. I pretty sure you could find that in both Iowa and Illinios or any state for that matter. I know some areas of ND are better then mine. My area is better then other areas also. I like guesstimating ages and scores. Wrong or right... it is fun to do. Tim
