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Mississippi State University Extension Service

Forest and Wildlife Research Center

Mississippi State University Extension Service

Forest and Wildlife Research Center

Rapid growth of deer popula-tions, the overharvest of bucks,and the underharvest of doeshave created overpopulated deerherds with highly unbalanced sexratios across the Southeast.These conditions result in a largenumber of female deer and a lim-ited number of older aged bucks.

Deer overpopulation causesdamage to forest vegetation andagricultural crops, threatenshuman health because of deer-vehicle collisions, and createsunhealthy deer as a result of inad-equate food supplies. Becauseantler development increasesdramatically with age, lack ofolder bucks translates into fewerlarge-antlered bucks available forharvest.

Correcting overpopulationand unbalanced sex ratios is agoal of many deer managers,hunters, and the general public.Maintaining deer populationswithin the available food supplyand at a more balanced sex ratiowith older aged bucks becomes along-term management activity.This approach to deer manage-ment is generally referred to as“quality deer management.”

Recreational hunting experi-ences are improved when hunterstake a more active role in makingharvest management decisions.Letting young bucks “walk”becomes a rewarding experienceand often leads to observation ofpreviously unseen deer behavior.

Managing deer populationnumbers and sex ratio requiresselective harvest. Hunters mustrefrain from harvest of youngbucks and choose to harvestapproximately an equal numberof bucks and does. In the earlystages of a quality deer manage-ment program, harvest prescrip-tions often require higher rates ofdoe harvest to compensate forpast harvest strategies.

Fawn production often in-creases as overpopulation is cor-rected, which means there will bemore buck fawns that could bemistakenly harvested as does. Tobe successful in selective harvest,hunters must be able to roughlyestimate age of bucks on the hoof

and avoid the harvest of buckfawns during doe harvest.

The goal of this publicationis to provide a few generalphysical criteria for aging andsexing deer before harvest.Individual deer variations ensurethese criteria will not apply inevery case; however, using thesecriteria will help provide a rea-sonable expectation of making acorrect harvest decision.

A few “mistakes” are expect-ed when applying selective har-vest to an intensively manageddeer herd. Land managers andhunters should treat honest mis-takes as opportunities for learn-ing. The net benefit of a qualitydeer management program great-ly exceeds any ill effects from afew selective harvest mistakes.

Balanced sex ratio and older aged bucks will help fulfill the goals of hunters.

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Body size and snout length differences distinguish the adult doe(right) from her fawn.

An adequate doe harvest isessential to maintaining popula-tion densities within availablefood supplies and balancing sexratios. Unfortunately, well-inten-tioned hunters often mistakebuck fawns for does. Harvestingthe “nubbin” 6-month-old buckfawns will reduce future antleredbuck numbers, so it should bekept to a minimum. Fortunately,there are several ways to differ-entiate between does and fawns.

Early season bow huntersregularly see spotted fawns. Thefawn’s spotted coat is normallyshed and replaced with a brown-ish or grayish coat by mid-autumn, although areas with latefawning may still have spottedfawns even during gun season.The fawn’s forehead and nose(snout) are shorter than the adultdoe’s.

Fawn behavior differs fromthe adult doe’s behavior; fawnsare more playful, naive, inquisi-tive, and, in the buck fawn’s case,more aggressive. A buck fawnmay be the first antlerless deerseen because he is less wary andmore inquisitive. The “nubbin”buck has developing antler basesor pedicles (immature antlers)that are difficult to see early inthe season but are easier to detectlater, particularly from the side.

Use these following tips toharvest an older doe and to avoidharvesting a buck fawn:

• Do not harvest an antler-less deer that appears alone.Adult does rarely travel alone.Does and fawns normally traveltogether in social groups, al-though it is often the buck fawnthat enters an opening first. Waituntil several deer are togetherand then look for obvious sizedifferences. Harvest one of thelarger antlerless deer.

• Later in the hunting sea-son, it is not uncommon for“orphaned” twin fawns to feed infood plots. Probability dictatesone will be a buck and one a doe.In this situation, it is easy to mis-take the buck fawn for an adultdoe, since it is normally largerthan the doe fawn. The doe’shead normally is more roundedon top between the ears becausethe buck’s head is flattened bythe presence of the pedicles.Close inspection with binoculars

looking for the pedicles or antlerbases helps avoid harvesting the“nubbin” buck.

• Watch the behavior of deer.Fawns are playful, curious, andnot as cautious as adult does.

• Examine the head of deer;check for pedicles on buckfawns, particularly from the sideview. Pay attention to obviousfawns throughout the season;look for indications of pedicledevelopment. Do not wait untilyou are ready to harvest a doe tolook for differences betweenfawns and adult does. Do notharvest antlerless deer with shortsnouts.

• Look for “wear and tear”signs that typify mature does (forexample, ears that appear tooshort for the head, a swayedback, and a sagging belly). Thesnout of an adult doe is relativelylonger than a fawn’s. An adultdoe’s body is rectangular shaped,while a fawn’s body is squareshaped.

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number of antler points, as prac-ticed in some states, also protectsa significant number of yearlingbucks. Restricting harvest ofbucks not meeting a minimuminside spread criterion and num-ber of points is a common man-agement tool.

Use the following tips tojudge antler size:

• Ear width—In the normal

or relaxed position, the tip-to-tipdistance between ears on a buckis about 15 inches. An alarmeddeer orients his ears in a forwarddirection to focus on noises; thisalarm behavior reduces tip-to-tipear width down to about 12 inch-es. Use ear width to estimate

inside spread of antlersif the buck looks inyour direction.

• Ear length—The

length of a buck’s earfrom base to tip isabout 6 to 7 inches.Use ear length to esti-mate antler tine lengthdirectly. Beam lengthis difficult to estimateaccurately and requiresfrontal and side views.If inside spread ex-ceeds the relaxed eartip-to-tip width, thenlook at the side view. Ifthe antler seen from theside projects forwardbeyond the midpointbetween the eyes andthe tip of the nose,beam length of thebuck likely exceeds 20inches.

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“Nubbin” buck (left) shows developing antler bases and flattened head.Yearling doe is slightly larger and has a more rounded head.

• If you are not sure of theage, wait to harvest an animalwhen you can make a more posi-tive identification.

Antler size is difficult tojudge in the field, particularlyunder hunting conditions. Har-vest decisions often are madehurriedly. A hunter might mis-takenly harvest a young, imma-ture buck unless age and antlersize can be determined withaccuracy. In the Southeast, 11⁄2-year-old bucks rarely exceed a12- to 13-inch inside spread. Notharvesting bucks with less than a13-inch inside spread effectivelyprotects the entire yearling ageclass. Requiring a minimum

Antlers on yearling bucks generally are wellwithin the normal ear tip-to-tip distance.

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Typical 15-inch ear width indicates aninside spread of about 17 inches.

Ear position affects perception of antler width.This photo shows the same buck with earsback.

• Number of antler points—

It is almost impossible to see allantler points clearly from anyone perspective. Use frontal andside views to get a full count ofantler points. It is difficult to seebrow tines, except from thefrontal position. From the side,count the number of points pro-jecting upward from the mainbeam. If there are two seen oneach side, it will likely be an 8-point buck. If there are threepoints seen projecting up on eachside, it will likely be a 10-pointbuck.

Whitetails are like people inthe sense that the overall bodyappearance changes with age.The general appearance be-comes “more mature” as thebuck ages from year to year. Byjudging the general overallappearance and then focusing onspecific body characteristics, it ispossible to place bucks into oneof several age classes.

Selective harvest to meet thespecific needs of individual deermanagement programs requires

that bucks be aged based on gen-eral physical characteristics.Specific antler characteristicssuch as minimum inside spreador minimum number of pointscan greatly help protect yearlingbucks. Antler characteristicsalone, however, may not providethe needed level of resolution forall selective harvest applications.For example, many maturebucks’ antlers never exceed 8points and a 16-inch insidespread. Even general appear-ances change during rut; an olderbuck may lose up to 25 percent ofhis body weight due to increasedactivity and decreased food con-sumption.

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Yearling bucks showing classic “doe with antler” body characteristics andthe varied antler size found in this age class.

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It is often said a yearling buckresembles a “doe with antlers,”which makes it relatively easy todiscern. The 11⁄2-year-old buck willnot have developed the swollenneck and muscular characteristics ofolder bucks. These bucks tend tohave thin hindquarters and long, thinlegs. Think of a teenaged boy notyet reaching full height and notnearly “filled in.”

Almost all yearlings have anantler spread less than 13 inches.These “teenagers” have not learnedto be as secretive as their older asso-ciates, so they often enter food plotsearlier than older bucks and tend tobe in the vicinity of doe familygroups. The average size of a buck’santlers doubles between 11⁄2 and 21⁄2years of age, so it is a good decision

to let a yearling buck grow at leastanother year.

NOTE: The photographs of 21⁄2- to 61⁄2-year-olds show theantler improvements and body changes of the same buckas he matures.

21⁄2-year-old with relatively thin neck, chest, and waist.

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difficult than yearlings to judge. Amajority of this age group still haveantler spreads inside the ears, butsome individuals may produce agood set of antlers. During rut, thisage class produces a limited amountof neck swelling due to muscledevelopment, and the waist, or areajust in front of the back legs, is rela-tively thin. Their hindquarters aremuch more filled in than the year-ling’s, but their legs appear to be“long and lanky.” This age class haslots of growing to do before reach-ing full maturity, so it is best to letthem grow at least another year.Their racks are only about 60 per-cent of the size they will be at 51⁄2 to61⁄2 years of age.

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31⁄2-year-old buck with thickened neck and a “racehorse” appearance.

41⁄2-year-old showing the blending of neck, chest, and waist areas.

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The ability to distinguish the31⁄2-year-old age group is impor-tant to a management programemphasizing harvest of mature-aged bucks with maximum antlerdevelopment. During the rut, thebuck’s neck is thickly muscled,yet there is still a distinct junctionbetween the neck and shoulders.Some biologists compare its lookto that of a well-conditionedracehorse.

The chest region may beginto appear deeper than thehindquarter area; inside spread ofantlers typically is at or outsidethe ears. These bucks can devel-op impressive antlers, especiallyon well-managed properties inproductive habitats. They areeasily mistaken for “mature”deer; in reality, they have reachedonly about 75 percent of maxi-mum antler development.

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White-tailed bucks physiologi-cally mature by 41⁄2 years of age. Bythis age they have almost all of theadult body mass and have lost theracehorse look. The neck region isfully muscled, giving the appearanceof blending into the shoulders, andthe waistline is as deep as the chest.Buck activity patterns may havechanged by this age because of anincreased wariness; they may notventure into open areas until aboutdark. Physiological maturity isclosely associated with the maturingof a buck’s antlers. By this age, theaverage buck will have grown about

90 percent of his total antler size.

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Fully matured bucks have adistinctive look that is undeni-able once experienced. This pub-lication groups deer 51⁄2 years oldand 61⁄2 years old into one ageclass because few hunters ormanagers will want to try to dif-ferentiate between these animals.Antler size typically peaks at 51⁄2or 61⁄2 years of age and may dete-riorate thereafter, depending onforage conditions.

During the rut, the buck’sneck blends completely into hisshoulders, and his front halfappears to be one large mass. Hislegs appear shorter than legs ofyounger deer, but this is an opti-cal illusion because his chest istaking up more of the viewingarea. Just as people in middleage, most mature bucks exhibit asagging belly. Their eyes aresquinty in appearance. Maturebucks often show battle scarssuch as torn ears, broken antler

tines, and scratched necks.

61⁄2-year-old showing the undeniable distinctive look of a mature buck.

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Overmatured bucks areoften mistaken for younger ani-mals because some body charac-teristics tend to revert. Muscu-larity is lost in the neck areabecause these animals may notparticipate as frequently in nor-mal rutting activities. A swayedback and a prominent potbellyare other signs of this aged buck.Notice the declining body condition evident in this overmature buck.

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Loose skin develops on the neckand head areas as muscle tonedeclines. Recent battle scars maynot be visible, but old scars suchas slit ears are evident. A buck’santler size tends to decline withadvancing age.

Deer hunters and managershave a wealth of reliable infor-mation to incorporate into theirmanagement plans. Deer biolo-gists recognize that the future of

deer populations in the Southeastdepends on the willingness andability of hunters to make ration-al and informed harvest deci-sions. Adequate harvest of doesand the use of discretion in har-vest of bucks are among relevantmanagement decisions.

Although the harvest processis more of an art than a science,you must base harvest on the bestscience available and practice theart diligently. This publicationprovides additional insight intothe art of aging and judging livedeer and helps sharpen skillsneeded in making harvest deci-sions.

Ultimately, the deer hunterbecomes the deer manager.Maintaining a healthy deer popu-lation should be a goal of anydeer management program,whether or not it is based on the“quality deer management con-cept.” This is the responsibilityof all hunters, who must considerthat, with each harvest, they con-tribute to the future of this mag-nificent game animal.

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www.cfr.msstate.edu

Printing of this publication was supported in part by the following organizations:

International Paper–South Central Region Quality Deer Management Association

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks The Timber Company

By Stephen Demarais, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries; Dean Stewart, Extension Wildlife Specialist, Departmentof Wildlife and Fisheries; and Robert N. Griffin, District Administrator, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

Photographs by Mike Biggs Photography, Fort Worth, Texas; used by permission.

MSU-ES Publication 2206 FWRC Publication WF113Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or group affiliation, age,disability, or veteran status.Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress,May 8 and June 30, 1914. JOE H. MCGILBERRY, Director rep (10M-12-04)

Published jointly by the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi State University Forest and Wildlife Research Center.

To order additional copies of this publication, send a check or money order for $2.00 per copy to

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Attention: Deer Aging Guide, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

A waterproof, pocket-sized version with line drawings is also available for $1.00 per copy. Both publications can be purchasedas a set for $2.50.