Age This Buck #22

In this week’s Age This Buck article, we’ve got pictures of an Illinois buck from every phase of the 2021-22 deer season.

Give your best guess on how old this buck was last year, and take a look at what our experts think…

Exhibiting a thin neck and virtually no apparent loose skin at the brisket, I would call this an exceptional two-year-old. The flat, leveled-off back and extremely tight stomach also dictate its young age. The wide-open eyes and well-defined nose and pointed, tipped ears are all characteristics of a youngster. Its thin but long legs are also indicative of a young animal.

This deer appears to be 3 ½ years old. The most telling image is the shot taken on September 1 – his slim physique in that photo tells me he isn’t any older than the estimated age. The fall images don’t show a dramatic increase in body size.

Covering up the antlers and looking strictly at this deer's body, I immediately notice the slim neck leading to the brisket. He appears very long-legged with a cut body like a race horse. My guess is a studly 3.5 year-old.