I'm thinking 2-3 years old based on body structure.

I wish I could get excited about hunting for something other than does.  But if experience is any indicator they will die at night from a bunch of drunk cocksuckers with spotlights.


Seems like there are some great genetics around here though.
















If you are wondering about the 'DNR' tag on the photos, it'st just there to hopefully give a mild coronary to anyone who steals the camera.


We have an epidemic around here of people who will shoot ANYTHING with antlers instead of a doe.  Even if it is little two year old basket rack.   "I got mah buck."  Is commonly heard.  I'm always thrilled to be in the woods and put a tasty doe or two in the freezer.  Maybe this year will be different.

Maybe 3 but one thing for sure is their not mature and shouldn't be harvested.

Without checking their teeth I would say you are spot on with 2-3 years old. Their torsos have not broadened out and seem a little on the small side for a mature buck. But come rut time their necks will fool most novice hunters thinking they are bigger than they really are. They would be excellent to hunt in a couple of more years, they have some good traits running through their blood.

My area is the same with jackholes who will shoot anything with a rack and poachers at night. Too many leased properties to "Outfitters" around my land so come opening day of rifle it is like a war zone with these "invaders" shooting at anything that moves.

I'd agree.  Skinny necks...

DFM

I'd say most are 3 1/2  the left rack with doubled tines looks 4 1/2. The necks will get thicker as winter comes. He has a nice dip in the back and a big boy belly. Bag him this year and I'd bet you will see he's 4 1/2. I have been wrong before.... I thought I was wrong.... but I was wrong

I'll go along with this. All I hunt are small properties and I flat guarantee you none of those would walk if I had a shot on them. Doesn't get much better than that on them.



 

I'd agree here. I would definitely take one of them. I understand letting the young ones go, but those look like good, fairly mature bucks to me (not knowing the area)

This is exactly my guess as well. The bigger one may be 5.5yo, he will look like a brute in rut with his winter coat and swelled neck. They usually always look younger than they are this time of the year.

Shoot what makes you happy though. I'd be more than happy to put the older deer on my wall and wouldn't worry about the next year. Just cause you let them grow another year, there is no guarantee you will ever see them again. In fact, you prolly wont!!

Choot em!!!!

Thanks for the info gents.

In some counties in TX they have a new law that the inside distance on the rack must be at least 13" or some such. I was out of the country for some years, got back and called the game dept in Austin - one of the game biologists called me back and explained something that I never knew:

I had assumed a 1 1/2 year buck had spikes, a 2 1/2 had 4 points, 3 1/2 had 6 and so on. He said that a 4x will most always be a 4x and that a 2 1/2 buck with 10x will have 10 or 12 but will never have 4 and a 4x will maybe become a 6x but never an 8x or 10x.

He said that the ONLY determination of age without looking at body size, teeth, etc., was to look at the inside spread. a 4x, 6x, 8x, or 10 or 12 will be at the same distance inside spread when 1 1/2, then at a larger spread at 2 1/2 and larger yet at 3 1/2. When a whitetail's rack is just outside of his ears, he is 3 1/2. When it goes 1" outside, he's 4 1/2, 2" outside, he's about 5 1/2 and so on.

As a biologist, I'm calling BS. Rack size is not a reliable indicator of age whatsoever. I have a 2.5yo rack here, that scores 220 inches and has 24 scorable points with a 19" inside spread.  I have game camera pics of deer that have went from  8 pointers to 10 pointers, and have seen racks of the same age deer vary by many inches in spread.

+1

Where I'm from in SE Ohio these would clearly be 2 1/2 year olds.  I'm pretty sure the body characteristics that identify a buck fairly accurately by sight will vary with the area they are from.  Deer further south in the US have considerably smaller bodies and I doubt what applies here would be the same further south.  Antler size is not a reliable indicator of age anywhere.

I would say two or three years old at the most.  If there is no pressure on them and the property will hold them, then pass on the shot and harvest a doe for meat.  Let them grow and work the property to support better food and habitat.  A couple years of patience and you will have some bucks there.