At this age, bucks are very developed throughout the body and they are in their prime. 4 1/2 is the age most management systems believe that hunters should harvest bucks. 4 1/2 Year Old Whitetail DeerĪfter 3 1/2 it gets much harder to tell the exact age in the field, but it is still very possible. It is bucks like these that can teach you about the trouble that chasing women can make. This is mainly due to their hormones and attitudes at this stage. Most unmanaged properties (especially public lands) do not have many bucks past this age. This is the average age a buck makes it to in the wild. According to the QDMA, “most bucks have achieved 50 to 75 percent of their antler-growth potential” by this stage.
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They should be outside the ears and starting to accrue a nice amount of mass. Many of these bucks are starting to develop a very nice set of antlers. Their belly is still straight and they still have a defining line separating their neck and shoulders. These bucks are close to their prime and have a lot of testosterone flowing and tend to have a badass teenager attitude which a lot of the time gets them killed. These bucks are still somewhat lean but are also built, so they are small and fast while also being big and strong. 3 1/2 Year Old Whitetail Deerįor these bucks, their legs are finally the right length and they have built some muscle in the shoulders and torso. These bucks can have moderate staining in their tarsal glands during the rut, especially if only a few mature bucks are in the population. They likely have small mass but should be showing the framework of how their rack will look in years to come. With good nutrition, their antlers can be as wide or slightly wider than their ears. Most of their weight is still in their back half. Their belly will still make a straight line and will not hang down. They have developed some muscle in their shoulders along with a little swelling in the neck but not very much. These bucks are still slender looking with a thin waist.
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That is why we try to disregard the antlers and focus on body features instead. Yearling bucks antlers are most likely small and are inside the width of the ears, but on well-managed properties, yearlings can be larger and have a respectable rack. At this age, if you were to strip away their antlers it would be difficult to tell a yearling buck apart from a doe. They will also have very light staining of the tarsal glands. Most of the little weight they do have will be shifted towards the back of the deer. These deer have a distinct line of separation between their neck and shoulders with little muscle definition. They are long and lanky and look like they are all legs. What to Expect at Each Age 1 1/2 Year Old Whitetail DeerĪt this age, bucks are just starting to grow their first set of antlers and are probably the easiest deer to age. While in young deer the neck appears sleek and slender. Around age 4 1/2 a bucks neck and shoulder muscles have fully developed and will appear to be short and thick. During the rut, the neck swells up to show dominance. How swollen a buck’s neck is can also change with the season. Combined with the muscle on the shoulders, the size of the neck can be a good sign of age.
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The neck is one of the first things to look at when aging a buck.