Tipping the scales at over 200lbs dressed, this buck from northern Illinois was definitely not a yearling! This deer was documented in early November making a scrape and being very responsive to calls.
Based off of the videos you see below, what is your best guess for the age of this whitetail buck?
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Expert Opinions
Paul Bossardet
Based on the sag in the stomach of this deer and the size of his front shoulder, I would guess this bucks age to be 5.5 years old. his front shoulders are roughly the same size has his back hind quarters, telling me me isn't super old but he is not young either. The sag in his stomach usually indicates an older age class buck, this deer doesn't have the massive stomach of a 7 year old but still has a gut to him. This buck is definitely mature!
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Justin Zarr
Based on his sagging stomach and neck I'm going to put him at 6.5+ He just looks like an old warrior.
Kurt Thorsen
This buck was a 5 and 1/2 year-old Northern Illinois bruiser that I was fortunate enough to harvest in the fall of 2021. We nicknamed this buck One-Eyed Willy due to his obvious right eye blindness and was easily distinguishable because of it. I had trail camera photos of him back to 2019 where I believed him to be 3 and 1/2 years old then. Because of that history, when I harvested him in 2021, I estimated him to be at least 5 and 1/2 years old. His body characteristics showed just that. Short legged appearance, thick brisket/neck junction and a deep belly. He field dressed out at 220 lbs. A picture perfect, big bodied, mature Midwestern buck.
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