The Oldest Bucks

[lyingflatlander]

Here in Wisconsin, most mature deer are actually 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 year old deer. Does anyone have a whitetail buck that was aged much older then that?

 

[Hoytman 88]

Are you speaking specifically to Wisconsin?
I have a house and garage full of deer from 5.5 and up.
That is using the tooth wear standard. My partner and I strictly target deer 5.5 or older for our trophy deer, management bucks a minimum of 4.5, culls may be taken at 3. Which would pretty much be deer with out G1s
That said, I feel it is all subjective. I don’t believe anyone and accurately judge a deer with out having a history. Imo the best we can do is break them into categories, Young, Mature & Post Mature. Most can learn to do this with a little homework.
This is an obvious example of a post mature deer I shot in early nov.

 

[Hoytman 88]

The red 8 point I am calling 3.5/4.5. The full figured wide nothin buck is prob 6.5/7.5

 

[lyingflatlander]

, that works. Thanks for the jaw and other pictures to boot.

 

[HuntInWild88]

In Indiana where I hunt most are 3.5 yr. We try and only take 4.5yr and up. 20 years ago it was pretty common to find 6.5yr the oldest I know of was 7.5yrs

 

[Hoytman 88]

My partner shot this deer
, his teeth said he was 7.5

 

[Hoytman 88]

You can’t tell a whole lot from dead deer pics except that they are full figured

 

[Lvthntitall]

We think these deer are both 7 1/2 Years old or older, have pictures of the eight point in his prime from 3 years ago

 

[Hoytman 88]

IMO all of these deer are mature, the last deer was shot for mgmt, his teeth said he was 7.5/8.5
The wider 10 in the 2nd pic is prob only 4.5 he might be 5? But he will be given another year just the same

 

[Hoytman 88]

Here are pics of a mgmt 9 I shot in October

 

[nphunter]

Not sure the age but he was an old buck with a giant body and Roman nose.

 

[lyingflatlander]

Thanks fellas! Anyone else? Anyone in Wisconsin?

 

[WhatToHunt]

Where I hunt in central WI, a 3 yr old is often mature enough for me. 4 yr olds for sure have been killed in the area and certainly some 5 or older, but they're not as common of course. And friends who hunt other parts of the state have reported 4+ year olds they watched mature or had pictures to back it up. I was under the impression aging based off teeth alone wasn't precise, so I am of the belief that history/pictures is most reliable.

 

[AlwaysForward19d]

Thanks fellas! Anyone else? Anyone in Wisconsin?

Just north of Green Bay here on a private lot. Most bucks I have on camera throughout the past year have been 1.5-3.5 y/o. That said I was able to connect on this mature buck before Christmas. I am having him professionally scored and aged but best estimates have him at 4.5 - 5+

 

[lyingflatlander]

That’s a sweet buck for that area! Brown, Door or Oconto county?

 

[AlwaysForward19d]

That’s a sweet buck for that area! Brown, Door or Oconto county?

Oconto County; thanks!

 

[williaada]

Oldest deer killed on our in MI was a 10yr old doe, and a 8yr old buck. The ages came back from the state lab. Since we had the deer checked by state lab.

 

[Setxpatsfan]

Got this one in West Texas this year. Second pic is in 2016 so we are thinking 7.5.

 

[Fogalo]

Here’s a 6.5 year old buck I took this year in Wisconsin for reference or dog is 80 lb. Also shot a 5.5 in gun season, with a friend shooting a 7.5 on the same land. But we are passing 4.5 pretty consistently.

It is worth noting that my 5 year old and my buddy’s 7 year both tested positive for CWD. AND I have trail cam pictures of a 3.5 with pretty apparent terminal CWD. I’ll all but guarantee we’ll find him this winter.

 

[Husker Buck]

Central Nebraska - We've shot an 8.5y/o buck, verified by cementum annuli aging. Had history with him for 5 years. He finally slipped up in his old age. His rack 'peaked' score-wise at 5.5 (probably 150ish) and shrunk quite a bit over his next few years. Gross ~134. He was still the 'one' to hunt due to knowing his mature age.