OT: deer question :OT

RRP

I'm not a deer hunter so I'm asking out of ignorance. Today was the first time this big boy has shown up in our side yard.

We counted 10 points. So does that mean he is at least 5 years old?

We have does show up all the time, but this is only the second buck we have seen. Back before the wasting disease I used to have put out 2 or 3 large scoops of shelled corn every night so our yard was a regular stop over. It was nothing to see 4 or 5 does out feeding at the same time. The record one time was 11 deer! What a herd that was!!!

Killit_and_Grillit

@RRP It’s pretty hard to tell from that pic. Even the coat and scaring can be deceiving. 

Most people assume you can tell age by anylers but it’s really the neck and body. 

If that chair wasn’t in the way I could give you a better idea. From what I can see it’s at least 3 years old. The girth on the neck suggests a little older. 

(He is worth sending to the processor if that’s what you’re asking)

Killit_and_Grillit

(Also with those kickers/stickers he may be a 12/13. That pick is a little deceiving. You got any full frontals? (The deer, not Ron)

RRP

Here's another shot I had made with the ZOOM.

Wolfpack

That’s definitely 1” sticker off the left g2. The others don’t appear to be long enough. Makes him an 11 pointer from what I can see. 

Nice buck- Only way to accurately age him is by looking at his jaw bone/teeth but don’t think he is going to let you get a look  

Killit_and_Grillit

Ron I sent that pic to my buddy over at Outdoor Outlaws (He IS the deer whisperer). 

He said at least 4-5. I agreed with him it was looking pretty malnourished. You may wanna have someone take him out of rotation if you don’t. 

 He gave the same reason of no side shot of body or back legs. But his back is sagging pretty good but I wasn’t sure if that was because he was sick or his belly was dropping. 

So theres your answer from the pro. 

milesvdustin

I would turn him into snausages

Gym

The most accurate way I have found is to taste their scat. Sweet indicates a younger animal. Sour is much older. 

Let me know how you make out.

northGAcock

https://youtu.be/2JSNr9NxOdA

RRP

Killit_and_Grillit said:

Ron I sent that pic to my buddy over at Outdoor Outlaws (He IS the deer whisperer). 

He said at least 4-5. I agreed with him it was looking pretty malnourished. You may wanna have someone take him out of rotation if you don’t. 

 He gave the same reason of no side shot of body or back legs. But his back is sagging pretty good but I wasn’t sure if that was because he was sick or his belly was dropping. 

So theres your answer from the pro. 

Interesting that you say he looks malnourished. Our property is adjacent to a lush 240 acre protected nature reserve. But I understand you guys know better than I. Just the same when he walked down the ravine behind me and then up in my yard he sure looked pretty big and strong to me. Then when he saw me he spooked and bolted like a dragster! 

I assumed you just counted points and both my wife and I counted the same number on each side of the rack.

Hopefully he'll be back and I can get some better pictures.

Killit_and_Grillit

@RRP sometimes it can just mean they have some kind of disease or the wrong diet, not that they don’t have enough food. Reserve land can attribute to some of that. I had a buddy who had some kind similar set up. Nobody was killing off sick deer or supplementing diets. 

Get us us some more pics!

Carolina Q

@northGAcock, thanks for the Marisa Tomei fix.  

Mattman3969

RRP said:

I'm not a deer hunter so I'm asking out of ignorance. Today was the first time this big boy has shown up in our side yard.

We counted 10 points. So does that mean he is at least 5 years old?

That Buck has bones poking out on his back that resemble boobs.  Looks under fed to me.  Is that natural for deers sneaking off protected reserves ? 

bgebrent

Mattman3969 said:

RRP said:

I'm not a deer hunter so I'm asking out of ignorance. Today was the first time this big boy has shown up in our side yard.

We counted 10 points. So does that mean he is at least 5 years old?

That Buck has bones poking out on his back that resemble boobs.  Looks under fed to me.  Is that natural for deers sneaking off protected reserves ? 

Deer is malnourished and or injured.  Likely why the first time he's ventured into Ron's backyard.  I'm no expert but his health is questionable.

RRP

Thanks everybody! With all the coyotes and wolves around here I'm dead serious I wonder why/how this poor b@stard has lived this long! We even have a couple neighbors with small herds of cattle who have shot deer let alone coyotes and wolves. Maybe this buck looks malnourished from out running the fangs or servicing all the does that we have around here with their offspring! Some buck sure the hell is knocking them up every year!   

thetrim

Shoot him now!

Dyal_SC

Yeah shoot that poor fella and put some meat in that egg of yours. Lol. 

nolaegghead

I would eat all those deer, raw.

bgebrent

nolaegghead said:

I would eat all those deer, raw.

Carey, that's not a fish.  Reconsider.

littlerascal56

I bow hunted trophy deer for 28 years here in Kansas.  Shot some monsters that scored big, and knew they were 5-6 year old by their worn teeth.  The old bucks were gray and pot bellied (like many of us...lol), but not malnourished by any means.  That buck is skinny.even in the face!

CountryBoy

Like most others have said it’s hard to judge purely on that picture for age without seeing a full image of the deer or tooth wear. But take in fact that in areas where competition is high with other bucks to breed does they can get a little beat up and run off a lot of weight looking for Love this time of year. Or he may be injured. Antlers look to be in good shape with no broken tines though. Are you near a bunch of crop fields or heavily wooded area? Corn fed deer obviously pack the pounds on a little different than deer in an area of just woods. My guess in age is 3.5I live in central Indiana. Similar size deer 2.5-3.5 year old range with good genetics. A lot can determine antler growth alone on a whitetail.

milesvdustin

Looks like he might just have weight loss from rutting. 

I saw a MONSTER buck the other day, **** about ran in front of my car. Biggest one I have ever seen in person, the neck on him was very impressive. I noticed that more than the rack. 

nolaegghead

When I notice a nice rack, inside my head I think "nice rack".

milesvdustin

I did see the rack and thought "nice rack" but then i looked at the rest and he was a beefy SOB. I then immediately thought of jerky and sausage and backstrap steaks. And chili. 

I haven't been able to hunt this year, wife wanted a house so I have been building that myself. 

Woodchunk

During rut if they are really active a 20% lose in body weight can happen

nolaegghead

They'll lose 30% running from me if I'm hungry enough.

Focker

I clipped a nice one in my Chevy Thanksgiving weekend, after I saw another run out in front of a car a quarter mile ahead.  As I was driving, knew to be on the lookout, and sure enough one followed suit...
No damage, but I got his hind legs with my front right when he kicked.

He is quartered towards, too hard to tell if it's malnourished, but I doubt it.  Doesn't look injured, diseased, or in any distress, just an old, 5 year old buck, cruisin' around.  I'd eat it, and do a euro mount with that old boy, nice 11 pointer.

Jai-Bo

It's a nice buck but like others said, looks rather skinny in the hind end rib area...  Ya'lls rut should be close to being over up there so more then likely weak and probably on his way down.  Just shoot him from your kitchen window and mount him on the wall.  Hard to tell the age unless a full body pic is seen, but they don't grow a point (or should I say 1 on each side every year).

Spaightlabs

Wolves in southern Illinois?

pgprescott

Spaightlabs said:

Wolves in southern Illinois?

Coyotes, wolves , and mountain lions, believe it or not. The DNR denies populating the area with wolves , but they are present. My uncle had the big cat in his back yard two years ago. One was shot and killed by a Local DNR agent at a farm down the road. It was killing the livestock and threatening the residents. He caught major crap over that. 

More Northern IL. Maybe Ron could be classified as upper Central, but no where near southern. 

fishlessman

a friend shot a 13 point years ago, cutest little rack, i dont think it was a hundred pounder. definitely has something to do about the feed verse just age