Based on size and tooth wear, how old do y'all think this MT mule deer is?

[watson138]

Tagged out in MT yesterday, very happy. First time completely packing out an animal alone. Had a blast! ( It was terrible and I rolled my ankle )

Based on tooth wear when comparing to my other euro mounts, I think he might be the oldest buck iv harvested so far. I don't know what I'm looking at as far as determining an age. What do y'all think?

 

[Scottf270]

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 at most

 

[littlebigtine]

Tooth wear is very dependent on what they eat and where they live.

Ive seen 8 and 9 year old bucks with visibly less wear then 5-6 yr olds. Only true way to know is to get it tested!

My best guess is 4 1/2

 

[wytx]

Need better pics on lower jaw.
We hunt rocky terrain and deer's teeth can look like they have been chewing on rocks literally when only 4 yrs old.
Show a clear pic of that lower jaw, not the upper.

 

[watson138]

Need better pics on lower jaw.
We hunt rocky terrain and deer's teeth can look like they have been chewing on rocks literally when only 4 yrs old.
Show a clear pic of that lower jaw, not the upper.

 

[bergie]

Pull out one of the lower front teeth and send it here https://matsonslab.com/ $75 and they will do 4 critters. I started doing it last year and will continue now if for nothing else than its cool to know for sure how old each animal is. For example, my buddy killed a large bull last year, we got it aged and it was 10.5 years old. I admittedly have limited data points but to me that is ancient considering the high pressure area we hunt. I would love to know how many arrows and bullets that guy dodged in his lifetime.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Yeah, I'm with others, 4.5 maybe 5.5. I killed a WT buck on my place in 2007 that I know for sure I had seen in 2000 (very unique) as an 8-pointer already and several more sightings. He was a cagey SOB. He may have been 10+. Teeth were just nubs. Don't think he would have made it another year. Moose I killed in 2016 was 11.5, same thing. Teeth were so brittle I couldn't pull one as required. They kept shattering.