The first sight of antlers had fellow hunter Chase Windley excited. He could see them over the reeds as the buck was on the path of a doe in the early stages of the rut. He pulled his bow from the hook he had next to him in the tree and prepared to draw as the deer stepped into plain view just 30 yards out. A quick scan of the wide eight and Windley told me later how he immediately let down on his bow and eased back in his seat. This buck would get to live another day; hopefully another season. Windley knew how to age deer accurately and could tell that it was too young.

“He was probably only three and a half years old,” Windley explained later as he hunted for a trail cam photo on his phone of what he suspected was the same deer. The rack had some mass and was outside the ears, but the body told Windley all he needed to know about whether he wanted to take this one or not. It was still a young buck with a lot of growth potential, and he wanted to give it a chance to reach that potential. 

When To Let Deer Age

For hunters just looking to hang a rack on the wall they think looks good and is a good deer for them, there is nothing wrong with taking a buck like the one Windley passed up. The reality is, on the fractured, smaller properties many of today’s sportsmen hunt, the odds of that buck getting shot by another hunter after you pass him up is admittedly high.

But if you hunt a good-sized property, want to roll the dice and are managing your land to grow bucks to their maximum potential, letting them age often translates into larger headgear when you do get another shot at the big boy. Here’s some tips on how to age deer on the hoof. 

How To Age Deer That Are Young

1½ Years Old 

A buck at this age looks like a doe with antlers. His face is narrow and pointed as is his neck. The legs are long and slender, and the stomach is flat like a does as well. Antler development can vary — from spikes to multiple tines — but regardless, the main beams will be narrow at the bases and the overall rack will appear thin. The area on their legs near the tarsal glands will appear small and lightly colored. 

2½ Years Old 

Although these bucks’ bodies are starting to fill out more, their backs and stomachs are still flat and taut. Their legs are longer but appear gangly compared to the rest of their bodies. The faces are still long and pointed and the rump is squared off, not round like an older deer.

Antler development is increasing and the rack, likely for the first time, will catch a hunter’s eye. Most bucks are killed by sportsmen at this age, probably for that very reason, though according to an article by Dave Richards and Al Brothers, antler growth is truly just beginning. The tarsal area will begin to show some darkening. 

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3½ Years Old 

A buck’s neck begins to really fill out at this age and his chest deepens creating a more pronounced brisket that curves upward from in front of its forward legs. The neck is now wider than the face during the rut as hormones cause it to swell. This also makes the face look shorter. The nose is also beginning to broaden adding to the stunted face of a mature buck.

The legs are more in proportion with the rest of the body and give the deer a more even look. The back and stomach are still fairly flat though a slight curve is beginning to become apparent in his stomach. The rump is beginning to look more rounded, and the tarsals are getting darker, yet still smallish. The antlers are really beginning to develop here with increased mass at the bases, lengthening main beams and a wider overall rack that will now likely extend beyond the deer’s ears. 

How To Age Deer That Are Mature

4½ Years Old 

Bucks are beginning to look fully mature at this stage in their development. The neck is much thicker than the head during the rut and now appears muscled, yet trim — like the rest of their body. The rump is completely rounded now, and the legs are truly in proportion to their bodies. In fact, they may even appear short because of the deer’s bulk of its body.

A slight dip might be visible in the neck, but the skin is still tight across the deer’s body. Richards and Brothers liken these bucks to athletes in their 20s — with “bodies that have reached full maturity but are muscular and lean.” Antler mass is impressive with wide racks and long tines that few hunters will be willing to — and rightfully so — pass up. During the rut, the tarsal area is large and dark from repeated urinating and rubbing. 

5½ Years Old 

Past this age, it gets nearly impossible for the average observer to tell deer apart. Fortunately, it won’t matter to many of us at this point. When we see this deer, he is going down! Racks have reached probably 100 percent of their potential by this point. Their backs and bellies are starting to sag just slightly from the increased weight and the skin will begin to appear loose around the face.

The neck swells so large and is so muscular it seems to be just one huge muscle stretching down to the brisket. The deer will begin to walk knock-kneed a little at this point and other deer take notice of them when they appear on the scene. Eyes go from round to almost squinty in appearance. The tarsals are also very dark and noticeable now like never before. In many cases, racks that may have been more typical begin to develop non-typical features such as palmated beams, sticker points and even drop tines. 

Hunter Resources For How to Age Deer Accurately

For some good visuals to help learn how to age deer, visit DeerLab or check out Ryan Kirby Art’s “Growth and Maturity of the White-Tailed Buck” paper art print and get one to hang in your hunt club or cabin. The National Deer Association also offers some good resources including videos on their YouTube channel. 

Learn more about how to age deer and other hunting tips on iSportsmanUSA.

Photos courtesy of Doug Howlett.