Age This Buck #33

This deer was a local to Northern Illinois, we’ve included a few years of trail camera pictures as well as video that was captured on the day this deer was harvested.

Based on 2021 and 2022 photos what is your best guess for the age of this Illinois whitetail?

This buck exhibits a good bit of skin at the brisket as a result of the expansion of the neck throughout its earlier years. It also has wrinkles on the upper portion of its neck that disappear to a degree when the neck is fully developed. Both its hams and front legs are what I refer to as well muscled or heavy. There is a little size difference between the base of the neck and the chest cavity, and the slight yet obvious drop in the skin under the jaw is also a reflection of its age. Although its back is quite straight, the stomach is enlarged, exhibiting a slight drop, which leads me to believe it is a five-year-old animal.

This buck appears to be a 4.5-year-old. The 2021 trail cam photo gives a great look at his neck/brisket area which is clearly far from being filled out like 4.5+ year-old bucks would be. In 2022 his neck/brisket area appears to be broad and is beginning to grow the belly of a mature buck.

Based on this deer’s body and neck size primarily, I would estimate him at 3.5 years old. Looking at just his rack could easily lead one to believe this buck is older, but the body indicates a younger deer.