I see people on forums say I saw a mature doe while hunting. Why not just call her an adult doe? Mature sounds cooler I think. Anyhow, how old do you believe this doe Is? I know her approximate age. Click on the arrow and play the video. [video=youtube_share;7xSdGLTo5vQ]http://youtu.be/7xSdGLTo5vQ[/video]
Once past their first couple years, it's very difficult to field judge does ages... unlike bucks and their body posture etc... does in PA have been aged (tooth) into their teens... I'm not even gonna venture a guess (which it solely would be) on her... she's "mature"... and would get my arrow.
I've shot some huge does that weren't old at all and some smallish does that were. I really don't think appearance is a very good indicator of age in does. The only thing I've ever noticed is the older does tended to have more white on their feet/legs. But who looks at feet? This might just be my area too.... So.. I have no idea how on the age of your doe. Other than 'mature' or 'adult'. ;D
This doe Is 8+ years old. 8 years ago I saw this doe the 1st time. She's easy to age because of her hoof otherwise It would be down right Impossible aging her going off of just looks. However long she was an adult before we saw her 8 years ago Is beyond me. I've had numerous chances In shooting her but she'll always get the pass with us. Kind of neat following a deer to see how old she will get and what she has for fawns every year. The last few years she's only had one fawn. This year I'm not sure If she has a fawn at all. My dad lives In northern Minnesota. They feed the deer In their yard In the winter. They had a doe they named bare butt that didn't have a tail. This doe was 20+ years old. She fed In their yard for 20 years. She had fawns every year up until last year. From what I understand the neighbors ended up shooting her last year.
Dang it! I was going to guess 7 or 8+! I have 2 does on my place that I have been getting trail camera pictures of since I started running cameras, and that was in 2004. One of my biggest goals going into this season was to actually shoot one of those old ladies, but I haven't had the chance yet. I had one at 20 yards a couple weeks ago feeding on clover, but her little ones were more concerned with playing than eating, so she got irritated and left the plot.
Schultzy, exactly why I said what I said... and thanks for that little quiz. My mom's husband will put out feed for their local deer herd after the seasons, over the winter as they both enjoy watching the deer in the back woods. There was a doe, assumingly obviously hit by a car, she looked so pitiful and the first year it was the hardest thing not to pop her and put her down... the next year she came in again and bore 2 button fawns, she dropped another pair of buttons the next year, that's been 6 years ago now and she still walking, where she goes during the season is anyone's guess but she's now presumably, 8 plus years old.
Pretty cool, Steve. Never would have guessed her to be 8 years old. This just proves to me that I am no good aging deer. :D How can anyone really be?
Pretty cool, Steve. Once they reach 2.5, it is damn near impossible to guess the age of a doe unless you have history with it. I hear hunters say all the time that a doe must be really old because she is huge. Most hunters don't know the biggest does are normally 2.5-4.5. A 4.5 yo doe would not be considered "old" in MI.
Couldn't agree more Matt. I hear this allot here on B.COM. Not sure what I think of that yet. Up where my dad lives the doe's up there are huge (and old). It's not uncommon up there for someone to shoot a 140lb dressed doe unlike It Is In most parts of the country. When bucks get older, they normally put more weight on. Why not a doe?
Steve, I did a quick search for an article relating to this, but couldn't find one. My brain is a little foggy on the reason why, but I think this is how it was explained to me by a biologist a few years back. Both does and bucks have peak body mass years. For a buck, its 5.5-6.5. For a doe, its 2.5-4.5. I can't remember the reason why a doe puts on more muscle and body mass during those years. If anyone has some information, please let me know. Its bugging me that I can't remember this. There are exceptions to every rule. I have seen doe weights and ages range all over the board. One thing I have learned is that body size/weight certainly does not equal age when it comes to does. I have shot a 1.5 yo doe that was heavier than 5.5 yo. You won't see that happen with bucks.
