If you want to hunt deer, you must be able to determine its age. By doing this, the deer population will be kept under control and the age diversity will be maintained. Keep in mind that deer characteristics will vary quite a bit, depending on where the deer population is located. By taking a little time to study the characteristics of a deer, you will be able to determine its age by observing its body shape and teeth.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Determining the Age of a White-Tailed Deer by Size
Step 1. Learn the body shape of the doe
Female deer are often confused with young stags or fawns. Deer and fawns have no antlers. Generally, the top of the head of a fawn is flatter than that of a doe. The female deer has a longer and more muscular neck than the young male deer.
Step 2. Learn the characteristics of the fawn
The fawn has a boxy and small body. In addition, the fawn also has a box head and large ears. The body and legs are quite slender and not very muscular. Generally, fawns do not have antlers so they are often confused with doe.
Step 3. Observe the width of the deer's neck
Juvenile deer have a much slimmer neck than adult stags. After 3-3.5 years, the deer's neck will appear much more muscular. After 4.5 years of age, the stag will have a well-proportioned, muscular neck.
During the mating season, the neck of an adult stag will enlarge and swell slightly
Step 4. Observe the deer's feet
Young deer's legs are slimmer and longer than their body length. Before turning 3 years old, the deer's legs will still look slender and long. After 4.5 years, the deer's legs will appear shorter and fuller than before.
Observe the tarsal glands of the deer. You can find the tarsal glands in the joints of the deer's feet. The older the age, the tarsal glands will darken
Step 5. Observe the deer's body
Juvenile deer have a smaller belly and chest than adult deer. Look closely at the deer's belly. If the belly looks full, the deer is probably quite mature. Also observe the area between the neck and chest of the deer. The older the deer, the larger this area will be.
Method 2 of 3: Determining the Age of a Stag Based on Its Antlers
Step 1. Observe the length of the deer's antlers
Look at the deer from the side and measure the length of the antlers. The antlers of an old deer will extend to the level of its nose. Adult deer antlers generally stick out 50 cm long in front of the face. If the deer's antlers don't stick out long enough in front of its face, the deer may not be fully grown.
For some beginners, determining the age of a deer based on its antlers may be quite difficult. This is because the growth of deer antlers is influenced by their habitat
Step 2. Observe the distance of the deer's antlers
Watch the deer from the front and try to estimate the distance between the two antlers. For stags under 2.5 years of age, the antlers should not be more than 35 cm apart. Once the stag is 3.5 years old or more, the distance between the two antlers will usually exceed 40 cm.
Step 3. Understand the characteristics of deer in your area
The size of the stag's antlers will depend on the state of the deer's habitat. Try to understand the deer habitat and find out the average antler size of young and adult stags around you. Consult with the nearest professional hunter so you can better understand the characteristics of deer in the area you live.
- In some areas, for example in Texas, United States, the antlers of a stag can grow to a length of 280-380 cm.
- In Wisconsin, United States, deer antlers can grow up to 500 cm long.
Method 3 of 3: Knowing the Age of a Deer from Its Teeth
Step 1. Count the number of deer teeth in its jaws
Deer with less than 5 teeth are generally young. Usually, deer have 4 teeth when they are 5-6 months old. Deer have 5 teeth when they are 7-12 months old. After 1 year old, deer have 6 teeth.
Step 2. Observe the deer's third tooth
If the deer is under 1 year old, the third tooth is tricuspid, or has 3 protrusions. These tricuspid-shaped teeth will look slightly damaged and will later turn into bicuspid teeth, or teeth that have 2 protrusions.
Step 3. Observe the color of the deer's third tooth
If the deer's third tooth is bicuspid, the deer may be young. If the color of the deer's third teeth is quite bright, or just starting to grow, the deer is over 1 year old. If the third tooth is the same color as the other teeth, the deer is over 2.5 years old or is an adult.
Step 4. Observe the deer's tooth enamel
As they get older, the deer's enamel will begin to fade and the teeth will darken. The enamel layer in adult deer is generally completely faded. If the deer's teeth look a little worn, the deer is probably over 5 years old.
