COLORADO DOW BIOLOGISTS STUDYING MULE DEER AGING

[6x6 bull]

When I checked mine most of the deer were 3 years or younger but there was one that was 9. I'm going to say he was 4.

[westernhnter1]

My buck was aged at 5 years old! he was the biggest bodied deer i have taken. i guessed he weighed around 300 pounds. he definately was a fighter, he was missing his right eye. do you think that is why he was weak on the left side? still a good buck though, grossed close to 180 but netted in the 160s. i will dig up some more pics of him! curious to see some other pics of the bucks taken last year in 54...

[sneekeepete]

Westernhunter great buck! I read an article a while back talking about the effects on antler growth that damaged legs had on deer. It was very interesting. The shortened version of the article is that when a buck had damaged a leg in some way (been shot in a leg or broke its leg) then the opposite side antler would suffer antler growth. Later that year my buddy shot a buck that had a beautiful typical 4 point on one side and just a ball of antler about 3 inches tall on the other side. After we skinned the buck out we found out that the buck had been shot in the front left leg in a previous hunt. I guess the damage to your bucks eye could have very well affected the growth of his antler. Just a little information for ya! Again great buck!