Another Age Jaw Buck

[buckdeer85]

Hey guys, need your help here. I don’t post much but enjoy reading all the content. I killed a buck this morning. I keep a list of all bucks killed on property & try to do their age along with other vital statistics. I will only show you the pictures I have of the jaw. If you want other information I can provide it as well but that shouldn’t alter age estimation. I’ve tried to go online to do some comparisons but no confirmations in my studying it.

Therefore, I would love to know what age you think here. This is the same jaw side of the deer just different picture angles. I’ve tried to upload links on here but it won’t work so here is the URL of a third party. If anyone has any quick hints on how to upload the 2 photos on here that would be great:

https://imgur.com/pUYZoea

 

[ng270]

I'm far from good at this, and it's hard to see dentin versus enamel width in your pictures, but based only on what I think I see, my guess is 3.5, or possibly 2.5 given how little staining is on tooth 3 (i.e., it was replaced recently).
Unfortunately, my guess may well be worth only what you paid for it.

 

[buckdeer85]

Thank you for your response. I definitely hope to get more responses as my initial aging of this buck may be off.

 

[Drycreek]

Unfortunately, the percentage of accuracy in known age deer using tooth wear is only slightly more than 50% accurate. Cementum annuli is a little more than 60% accurate. This is from a study of over a hundred deer that their ages were known. Lots of factors at play, including diet, what kind of dirt deer are picking up acorns on, etc. I trust myself to age bucks on the hoof more than jawbone aging.

 

[buckdeer85]

Hey Drycreek. Ya good points you bring up. Hoof aging is a lot what we do. So this is what peeked my curiosity. This deer was a 3 point, broke off one side. He weighed 135 pounds. Looked older in the face than a 1.5 yo. We mainly meat hunt where I am. No spikes is pretty much the only rule. We have kept a buck list since 1960. Without fail, 95% of 1.5 yo bucks weigh 95-135 lbs, 2.5 yo bucks weigh 150-165 lbs, 3.5 yo 160-180 & 4.5 older up to 200 pounds but rare. After rut can of course affect weights. We take into consideration in aging:antler size, buck weight, tarsal gland staining/smell, Roman nose face structure & lastly jaw bone when we get that.

I just left the biologist on my way home & he was 90% sure it was a 2.5 yo, 10% debating on a 3.5 yo. This was just by looking at the jaw bone. Once I told him all the vital statistics he pretty much settled on 2.5 yo. He said deer are like people & some can be smaller some can be larger. Those are the outliers. We of course can help improve herd in the middle on the “bell curve” by supplemental/year round feeding & what not.

Anyway, in summary, what I thought would have been a 1.5 yo all along in my past turned out to be older. I just had a feeling this wasn’t a 1.5 yo. Also, it will taste just the same but I am glad to get a small buck like this out of the herd to not procreate further. I know 1 doesn’t really matter but oh well glad to have meat in the freezer.

 

[readonly]

No more than 2 year old based on back molar not fully erputed and general lack of wear. But those premolars look fresh. So fresh that based on the pics I can't rule out long yearling, or 19-20 month old deer.

I posted above after looking at pics, but before reading your post above. Based on that I'm saying long yearling.