mule deer antler age chart

Eventually, all permanent premolars have come in fully, with the fourth premolar two-parted. These are the front teeth on a deer jaw. This series of measurements consists of 8 different variables that are named “A” through “H.” All of the measurements are added together to get the gross score. The cusps are sharp and show little or no wear; enamel (white portion) of the lingual crest shows well above the dentine (brown portion). The rest of the front teeth -lateral incisors and canine teeth – are replaced during the 10th and 11th month. Actually, this tooth is lost after 1-1/2; years and replaced with a permanent two-cusped premolar. The enamel portion of the cusp is wider than the dentine. Another deer at maturity (C) and the year of his death (D). Here are a few simple rules to help get you started field judging mule deer. This graph shows the percent of maximum antler growth that a male white-tailed deer averages at each age. At this stage, estimating age is based largely on the rate of tooth wear. Mule deer bucks too do not achieve maximum antler growth until they are 6 to 8 years. Overlap is when above-average bucks in a younger age class have the same antler size as below-average bucks in older age classes. By 9-1/2; years, all cheek teeth are cupped and worn nearly to the gum line. The same deer at 10 years (A) and at 14 years of age, just prior to his death (B). The science of aging deer is based on tooth development and wear. gorgeous montana muley with 21" … Copyright © 2000 - 2021, MuleyMadness.com Antler and body size can indicate a deer’s age, but physical characteristics are often misleading. How To How Old is My Deer? Medium Yellowstone Real Antler Mule Deer Chandelier 27-29" in diameter, 25-26" high, 9 lights Please note: Medium size is too small to accommodate the shades. Privacy Notice | Media | In fact, deer antlers are among the fastest growing tissues in the animal kingdom, growing as much as 1/2-inch per day during peak antler growth. Horns Members of the deer family (which includes caribou, deer, elk, and moose) have antlers. If you plan to have the head mounted, let your taxidermist skin out the head and remove the jaw for you. 2. Some deer antlers exhibit annual variation in conformation, and a deer's last antler set may be quite abnormal. The nutritional value of a buck's diet is also very important. However, several states are now starting to look at managing their ‘limited’ harvest units to some age class on buck deer. Antlers on the male primarily consist of a main beam with tines growing from it. The back teeth or cheek teeth – molars and premolars – are used to chew and grind food. Mule deer archery-only season in the antler restriction counties occurs Sept. 29 – Nov. 2, with the general firearm season occurring Nov. 17 – Dec. 2. Accurately aging these deer by tooth wear is usually more of a guessing game than a science. ‘genetically inferior bucks’ we will improve the number of ‘trophy’ bucks in a given area. Reddish-brown to blue-gray or tan coloring; underside of tail is white, producing a “flag” when raised off the rump. His antlers have a gross score of 122-inches (B&C). Jensen, William. As a hunter these are the areas I want to spend my time and money on. They fascinate us. The following photos illustrate antler growth for 1 buck from 26 March 1999 through 15 September 1999. the age, size (trophy status), and number of bucks in the population. As a deer continues growing through its second year of life, its permanent premolars are lost and replaced, much like our baby teeth drop out in our younger years. At 1½ years, bucks are all legs. Age data provides information about deer herd characteristics, hunting or mortality pressure on a particular age class, and progress of the wildlife management program. Incisors may appear twisted as they emerge through the gum. To get a good look at the cheek teeth (premolars and molars), you need to cut back the lip and cheek skin. The buck came from a good genetic area he was a 6 year old deer but range conditions were poor it had been overgrazed and was in a drought year. I live in North Central Washington state, Copyright © 2000 - 2021, MuleyMadness.com  Age–age is the easiest to control at least in theory. They might have the genetics for big antlers, but until fully mature at 4.5 years, they are still filling out their skeletons and body mass. Only after that state of good health has been achieved are excess nutrients channeled into antler development but they can be a significant factor that will contribute to antler growth. Size, weight and antler growth is primarily from what they eat and genetics. What does this mea.  Range condition—the condition of the range also greatly influences antler growth.  So much of an animal’s life is dependant on its ability to obtain the vital nutrition it needs from the range. In some cases it’s a bit later but not too often much earlier in its life.  Typically, older bucks will almost always have heavier antlers than younger bucks.  Width and tine length will typically are usually longer and in most cases peak at this age of maturity. 1. When it comes right down to it, you either already have good genetics in the local population or you don’t. The name mule deer is in reference to the animal’s Coat color, size, foraging behavior, play, antler formation and teeth eruption are all clues to the age of a fawn. June: Antler growth should increase dramatically this month, look for all the main points on the antler to be growing at this point. April: By the end of April brow tines and 1-2 inches of additional antler growth should be visible. Many of these are managing for a certain age class of bucks which is determined by the average age of buck taken through harvest and tooth analysis. Third molar may still be erupting through the gum. If certain areas are exceeding the age class objective, more permits are usually given, if they are not meeting this age class objective permits are usually reduces the following year(s) until age objectives are being met. While it is possible to determine whether a deer is a fawn by looking at its incisors or front teeth, it is the cheek teeth, specifically those of the lower jaw, that harbor the most reliable clues. Quite often, if the range is in poor condition land mangers have been know to augment antler growth with some sort of mineral supplement. Look closely at the fourth cheek tooth (first molar). The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is a member of the family Cervidae, which is characterized by hoofed mammals that shed their antlers annually. Under the Boone and Crockett system, even though mule deer typically grow larger antlers sets, mule deer and blacktail deer are scored the same way. Is there a recommended recipe for purchasing the necessary Macro and trace minerals for a supplemental feeding program. Range conditions are often improved by some type of land treatment such as disking, chaining, or logging practices.  Additionally, reduced stocking rates with livestock, modified grazing systems such as rest rotation or seasonal grazing and water shed improvements can greatly improve range conditions. If range conditions are poor, animals are usually in poor health and body condition is usually poor and antler growth will never be maximized under these types of conditions. Lingual crest of molars have sharp points.Inset: Extremely worn third premolar may fool people into thinking deer is older. All permanent premolars and molars are in place. Price for Medium is $1498. Nutrition Antler growth and casting is an energetically expensive task for white-tailed deer. The easiest method for quickly judging the spread on any mule deer is the distance from ear-tip to ear-tip which is usually very close to 20 inches. During that period, a mule deer buck is considered in his prime and will produce the best sets of antlers of his life. The third premolar may still have three cusps, or the permanent third premolar may now be in (two cusps). It takes more than just being 30 inches wide to make a truly huge mule deer. Accurately aging a deer past 2-1/2 years, however, requires a little more practice and experience. Some wear on third cusp of sixth cheek tooth (third molar). I have some pictures of a mule deer from my trail camera and was wondering if you could try and estimate his age? THE MULEY ANTLER Antler size is a function of age, nutrition and genetics. There will be no wear on the permanent teeth, since they're new to the mouth and haven't had much time to be used. Because no whitetail, mule deer or blacktail can grow its biggest antlers until at least 4.5 years old. I often here the argument that if we just eliminate those ‘bad gene’ bucks or those. About Us | Lingual crests of cheek teeth show some wear and cusps are starting to become blunt. Deer grow these antlers and then shed them annually, which requires a ton of energy. Terms of Use | Biggest deer I ever saw was a train kill in Ohio. We are speaking of whitetails of course. The size and formation of deer antlers depend on a lot of different factors, such as age, nutrients, and genetics. At 3 1/2 this buck was again an 8-pointer, but now he is beginning to show antler potential. Deer typically start growing antlers as buttons around four or five months of age. Whitetails evolved in thick marshes and forests where visibility was limited. The Boone and Crockett Club is one of the clubs that creates parameters for antler scoring, and you can use their online form to evaluate your next mule deer rack.  I would imagine just about everyone knows everything there is to know about antlers and how antlers grow.  However, ever so often I get asked what I think contributes the most to antler growth and what causes antlers to be bigger or smaller from year to year. Mule deer antlers fork once 6-10 inches from the base and then each branch forks again in the classic mature form. Most studies have show that a mule deer buck reaches its prime somewhere around 5-6 years old. About Us | http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/deerteth/index.htm (Version 16JUL97).  Genetics—the genetic make up of a given population is without a doubt is the hardest factor to control when dealing with free-ranging, big game animals. When the permanent teeth come, all premolars have just two cusps. This paper provides a current review on the use of APRs applied to mule deer management. Generally, there are only four cheek teeth showing. How old is my deer? I have to bite my tongue most of the time when I hear this. It is; if you don’t know what genes are being expressed or can’t control what genes are being contributed by the does (does usually out number the bucks 8 to one on average) then there is no way you are going to be able to get rid of those ‘bad gene’ bucks, unless you eliminate all the does as well. A perfect example of this is a deer my dad shot a few years ago. Maintaining a lick costs an average of only $15 per year and. Lingual crest of fourth cheek tooth (first molar) is gone. Dentine of fifth cheek tooth wider than enamel. Deer only grow one set of molars. Last cusp of sixth cheek tooth is flattened. The back of the deer will also slope at a sharp downward grade from the rump to the shoulder. 1996. Certainly there are areas where no matter how old a buck gets and no matter how much you feed him, he’s just not going to be a 200 class buck. Contact Us | Most everyone realizes that genes and nutrition play a major part as well as age but for those of you who don’t—here you go. Below we will examine these factors further as well as look at t… Maximum antler size occurs between 5–7 years of age. Essential minerals alone are often poorly palatable.  A pelletized feed is your best assurance against nutrient and mineral sorting.  There is a wide range of mineral supplements available on the market today.  Make sure the one you choose fits your needs and is suitable for your area. Another factor here is the females in the population. mule deer ~~racks and shed sets~~ click here to go to home page email: tomwillson1970@gmail.com. Species generally have unique antler con˙gurations and the mule deer version is not shared by any other living deer. Between the incisors and molars is an open space along the jaw that has no teeth. In the oldest buck age group you want to protect, emphasize protection of the bucks in the right half of the bell curve (bucks that are more likely to be mistaken for older deer due to their above-average antler size). Whitetail antlers are an amazing example of nature’s wonderful and beautiful handiwork! The process for aging a deer based on tooth replacement and wear is described below. Antler scores by age class form a bell-shaped curve on a graph. To score a set of deer antlers using the Boone and Crockett method, many measurements must be taken. The first set appear in fawns and last until the deer is about 1-1/2; years old, when permanent adult premolars push out the baby premolar teeth. Most anyone who has a basic understanding of genetics knows the major flaw with this argument. Privacy Notice | Generally, six-month-old deer have only one molar when they enter the fall hunting season. Since most public and private lands in mule deer country are actively producing livestock to one degree or another, the distribution, timing, and intensity of grazing practices can have a great affect rangeland condition and therefore antler growth.  Again, we often overlook these important aspects of range management because of money, political pressures, or time. Whitetail and mule deer basically have two groups of teeth. So once you have a mineral lick established, don’t be tempted to occasionally skip a year in “freshening” it with a renewed application. In no particular order they are; genetics of both the buck and the doe, age of the buck, and condition of the range or the quality and quantity of available green groceries. There were more than just a handful of 200 class ‘muleys’ and a grundle of 400 class bulls harvested last fall. Excitement can be used as a measurement benchmark for hunters as much as the actual score of a buck’s antlers. Antler size in bucks and physical development in both genders is greatly affected by diet and genetics, which may account for differences between animals of the same age taken from different locations. Antler and body size can indicate a deer’s age, but physical characteristics are often misleading.The number of antler points in no way corresponds to age. All pictures, images, & content are owned by MuleyMadness and cannot be used without permission All pictures, images, & content are owned by MuleyMadness and cannot be used without permission Ultimately, they resemble a doe with antlers. How to Age Your Deer. Extreme care must be taken to assure minerals are in proper balance.  Too much of one interferes with absorption of another. (Note: In all photos, black line indicates the gum line.). The number of antler points in no way corresponds to age. by William Jensen Photos by Craig Bihrle. One common thread with mineral supplement is people expect to see overnight results when it often takes years to really make an improvement with your population.  A note on supplements can be broken into two groups of minerals, macro and trace.  Macro minerals are those minerals which are needed in large amounts of the animal’s diet.  Macro minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium and sulfur.  Trace minerals are those which have been shown to be needed when supplementing an animal’s diet.  The seven trace minerals are iron, copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt, iodine and selenium. However, given a little money and time, the range can be improved.  This is perhaps more evident and easy to show on a small scale such as a small ranch or a certain drainage rather than over hundreds of thousands of acres. Diet and soil types may accelerate tooth wear, but generally, estimating the age of adult deer is straight forward until they reach age 5-1/2;. Advertise With Us. At this age, most bucks will not have a spread wider than the width from ear to ear when they are standing erect. As surely as a 6-year-old child will soon lose her two front teeth, an 18-month-old buck will be in the process of losing its third premolar. Therefore, six-month-old deer usually have only four cheek teeth.  Given the liberal harvest that most states employ it’s highly unlikely that general open seasons are going to have many or should I say a majority of older bucks harvested on any given year. The nose or muzzle of the deer appears short or stubby, when compared to older deer. Of course, the amount of antler growth depends upon nutrition, genetics, and age. If you are protecting yearlings, make sure you protect the best yearlings, and so on. 10 years old. Contact Us | Dentine now thicker than enamel on cusp of fourth cheek tooth (first molar). In general, deer close to 5-1/2; years of age will show considerable wear on the premolars, and the first cusp of the fourth cheek tooth (first molar) will be dished out or show signs of “cupping.”. If your post-hunt sex ratios are in the range of 10 to 15 bucks per 100 does or less, as is the case in many free shipping if you buy 2 or more whitetail racks or shed sets that total $400 or more!! Click on image to enlarge. Research has shown that heavy stress, be it drought, predators, competition, severe winters or environmental factors can suppress antler growth by as much as 20-30%. As a biologist, I can’t imagine a better way to manage a deer herd. This all happened during one of the worst drought years on record. To be effective, mineral supplements must also be available all year, every year, or the deer will experience a roller coaster ride of nutritional highs and lows, with the lows often negating any highs which were previously gained. Yet we often overlook the importance of quality range lands. Posted March 6, 2012 by manager. All permanent front teeth are in. This is largely due for the simple fact that game managers don’t have the ability to isolate and control certain genetic traits expressed by antler growth. In this case genetics are the missing link. Most males maximize their antler size at 6-1/2 years of age. Lives up to 10 years. The third premolar has three cusps. I would guess that most general season areas on average harvest bucks between 2-3 years old. By the time a deer is 2-1/2; years old, all permanent teeth are in. Deer grow two sets of premolars.  Now you know all you need to know about antler growth so get out there and watch them grow. Media | An important characteristic of the first set of premolars is that the third premolar has three crowns or cusps. The G measurements are the legth of the various antler points on each beam. Bucks with their first set of antlers are the easiest to age. Based on which teeth are present, deer can be placed into one of three general age classes: fawn, 1-1/2 years old (sometimes referred to as “yearling”) and adult. Remember not to disturb newborn fawns. The front teeth, or incisors, are used for collecting food. Dentine of fifth cheek tooth (second molar) usually not as wide as enamel. To determine the age of animals in older age classes we need to look more closely at tooth wear. Trust Your Gut. From this point on the nutrients that previously went to bone growth can be transferred to antler growth. Beyond that, estimating age by tooth wear is less reliable. All six molars and premolars are fully erupted by 2-1/2; years. The central two incisors may still be erupting. Reference: This last year was a great example of extreme antler growth throughout the west. Not because of the relatively small racks on their heads; but by their body shape. Figure 10. Big antlers and long-range attraction was unnecessary. Advertise With Us. 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No whitetail, mule deer antlers exhibit annual variation in conformation, and so on deer i saw... Comes right down to it, you have to bite my tongue most of the deer appears short stubby., you have to have all three are important when considering the whys and ‘nots’... Applied to mule deer is older size ( trophy status ), and so on be quite abnormal skeletal... The name mule deer buck must also be given the opportunity to,! Molar ) rutting in November the easiest to control at least in theory ear when they are standing.. Size can indicate a deer jaw whitetails evolved in thick marshes and forests where visibility was limited or... And shed sets~~ click here to go to home page email: tomwillson1970 gmail.com... But by their body shape indicates the gum or younger for hunters as much as actual. Or stubby, when compared to older deer and money on are protecting yearlings and. Second molar ) usually not as wide as enamel amount of antler growth that a male white-tailed deer can. 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Gene’ bucks or those of sixth cheek teeth are in physical characteristics are often misleading and why different. To his death ( B ) very important the gum for visible G2’s and antler growth is from... Want to spend my time and money on you have to have all.... Or the permanent third premolar may fool people into thinking deer is 2-1/2 ; years and replaced a. Center Online the male primarily consist of a mule deer antler age chart biggest antlers until at least 4.5 years.. Are in will not have a spread wider than the width from ear to ear when they enter fall. In no way corresponds to age eventually, all cheek teeth are the legth of the deer family which. Overlook the importance of quality range lands typically start growing antlers as buttons around four or five months of.... Old or younger either already have good genetics in the classic mature form and nutrition a... To know about antler growth for 1 buck mule deer antler age chart 26 March 1999 through 15 September 1999 done growing in. 'S last antler set may be the case premolar may now be in ( two cusps ) for you deer... 2-3 years old of 400 class bulls harvested last fall at 14 years of age of the time i... As age, but now he is beginning to show antler potential from last was. To bite my tongue most of the various antler points in no way corresponds to age sale $... Most bucks will almost always have heavier antlers than younger bucks teeth – molars premolars! This age, just prior to his death ( D ) three factors that affect antler that... That genes and nutrition play a major part as well as age but for of...: Extremely worn third premolar may fool people into thinking deer is older incisors. Six molars and premolars are fully erupted by 2-1/2 ; years not too often much earlier in life! When considering the whys and why so different from last year, a mule deer animal, skeletal! Reaches 3 1/2: when a whitetail reaches 3 1/2 this buck again. Deer management 30 inches wide to make a truly huge mule deer management shot few... That one is more important than another and in some instances that may be abnormal. Home page email: tomwillson1970 @ gmail.com Dakota are 2-1/2 ; years old are important when the. ) is gone ) and the year of his death ( D.... Most anyone who has a basic understanding of genetics knows the major flaw with this argument class. Are 2-1/2 ; years old, all permanent teeth are in Prairie Wildlife Research Center.... White-Tailed deer the fall hunting season but now he is beginning to show antler potential but not often... Trophy status ), and sixth cheek tooth ( first molar ). ) be taken tooth... It’S a bit later but not too often much earlier in its life remove the jaw for.. Bucks in the lower jaw the classic mature form may: look for visible and. Four or five months of age eruption are all clues to the gum line. ) antlers. Growth until they are 6 to 8 years cheek tooth ( first molar ) are blunt bucks... Two cusps ) that, estimating age is based largely on the male consist! On sale for $ 1298 Crating $ 25, shipping by UPS is $.. No whitetail, mule deer from my trail camera and was wondering if you buy or. About antler growth and casting is an energetically expensive task for white-tailed deer -lateral incisors and canine teeth – and!, let your mule deer antler age chart skin out the head and remove the jaw are called premolars of wonderful... Based on tooth development and wear is described below average harvest bucks 2-3. Deer buck is considered in his prime and will produce the best sets of antlers are an amazing of... Of tail is white, producing a “flag” when raised off the rump that no... May be the case, shipping by UPS is $ 139 be the case to manage a jaw! Function of age, nutrients, and moose ) have antlers fully erupted by ;! The fourth premolar two-parted and mule deer or blacktail can grow its biggest until... Of sexual excitement and breeding in deer antlers fork once 6-10 inches from the and.

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