Age that deer game

[ROVERT]

I've been collecting lower jaws since last year. My wife thinks I'm a freak. I thought it would be interesting to see what the knowledgeable folks here come up with for ages based on tooth photos.

I'll post up some photos of a jaw. After there have been some "guesses", I'll post a pic of the deer and how old I thought it was. I'd encourage anyone else with a few jaws laying around to do the same. I'm trying to get a feel for this and the more, the better.

So, here's the first one:

 

[pre6422hornet]

5.5....

 

[Oldtrader3]

A 4.5 year old?

 

[CatskillCrawler]

Second molar is too sharp. I 'm thinking 3 1/2 years maybe 4 1/2 years.

 

[tddeangelo]

I will say no younger than 3.5, no older than 5.5, with 6.5 being as far as I could imagine anyone taking it, and my "estimate" is 4.5.

 

[Elkman]

Tom already picked mine for mr!

 

[ROVERT]

Ok, looks like I was right in the ball park with this one. My thoughts were a solid 4.5 with the possibility of a case being made for 5.5.

Here's the deer:

She has a short body but measured 41" around her chest. That put the estimated weight way off. Her actually dressed weight was around 115 lbs, not the 150 or 160 girth charts estimate. She's easily one of the fattest deer I've taken.

Thanks for playing, guys. The next jaw will be coming up soon.

Oh, I'll try to get some pics of the incisors of the above doe, too. I was shocked by how little was left of them. I haven't seen many older deer, though.

 

[Elkman]

I killed a cow elk two years ago with one missing ivory. Her back teeth looked like razors and some were worn to the gum line. I think she was much more that 4.5. I enjoyed the post.!!!!

 

[ROVERT]

Thanks, Bill.

Here are a few pics of the incisors:

And here is the next jaw:

 

[Guest]

Rovert,
I like your selection of a nice Mature Harvested Doe. I try my best to take them based on a long snout and body size. I'm not much into shooting Mom and the little ones. She indeed looks fat.

Don

 

[JD338]

Trevor,

I am not good with aging teeth but she is an old doe for sure. Look at that long nose.
I would guess 4.5 yr old too. Nice deer for sure.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

I am going to say 2-1/2 year old for this one.

 

[Wincheringen]

Definitely 2.5 years old. Just count the rings. I used to work for the state doing biological surveys of Antelope.

 

[ROVERT]

I thought this was a slam dunk 2.5 yr old and it looks as though most concur.

Here's the deer (sorry for the pic):

The next jaw will be coming up soon. Please, if anyone else has some, I'd like to see some more posted up here.

 

[ROVERT]

Here's the next one:

 

[pre6422hornet]

Trevor, here is mine from this years buck.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Eighteen months on Trevor's? Pat, teeth say 2-1/2 years?

 

[DrMike]

'Course, I look at all these teeth, and I wonder who is doing the bridge work. :shock:

 

[pre6422hornet]

I was thinking that too Charlie.. 18 month on Trevors and 2.5... and maybe 3.5 for mine.. I am not good at this.

 

[Guest]

In order of appearance, I'll say the following:

First doe - 5.5yrs. Why? Plenty of dentine visible and wider than the enamel back to the anterior cusp of the third molar, plus the incisor wear. I'd guess, as well, that deer comes from some area with a lot of chert-like soil, or at least some sort of finely graveled soil, but that's just a guess.

Second jaw - buck - definitely 2.5yrs.

Third jaw (Trevor's) - 2.5yrs. Why? Third pre-molar is bicuspid, and third molar is fully erupted. Dentine lines on all molars are thin but visible.

Fourth jaw (Pat's) - 2.5yrs. Again, same as Trevor's. Third pre-molar bicuspid, third molar fully erupted. Note on both of these deer the posterior cusp on the rear molar is still pointed, though beginning to become concave. Compare that to the first jaw, in which the posterior cusp is highly concave.

Lots of 2.5yr old deer being taken these days. I've got a jaw or two laying around. If I can find them, I'll post pics.