Hey Buddy, I agree with you!

I'm certainly with you guys. I'd say 4.5. I think he has just a little too much in the head and face to be 3. Great buck, and obviously it depends on your management goals as to whether or not you take a buck like that. With hill country deer the body differences aren't always as pronounced as say south Texas deer. But Vincente is right in that this guy has that "young horse" look.

i was going to say 2.5 but i am no expert

Brian M Thomas Yard of Dreams Landscape Co.

Well, it is always hard to tell from pictures especially when they are almost from the same angle. However, looking at the pictures I would almost certainly say that he is no more than 3 1/2 years old at the most. Too many things lead me to that conclusion. The long thin face, no jowles, no brisket, little to no back sag, and no gut to mention a few. In any case, he is a beautiful deer that should not be taken yet.

"Hate me if you want to, Love me if you can" Git-R-Done!

I agree with Hardy, I'd say he's 4.5.  Skin's tight and he looks "athletic", as someone said above, like a horse. 

I have to agree with all of you.He has a nice rack,but I'd like to see what he will look like next year.I passed up 2 bucks in south texas just a little bigger than this one due to the lack of rain on the ranch last year.One buck was a very symmetrical 8pt and the other a 9pt.Both of these bucks would of scored in the130's.I was told to shoot the 8pt by the owner,but I told him the 8pt. should be a great 10pt this year with sufficent rain and food.This ranch did get around 18 inches of rain this year,versus the 9 or so inches last year.God Bless,Adolfo

This is a four year old deer. I suggest reading Observing & Evaluating Whitetails by Dave Richards and Al Brothers.

Or you could pick up a QDMA aging poster with photography by myself and Dave Richards  :)

i say no older than 3 1/2, i wouldnt even go with 4.5 on this deer not enough weight and his neck still looks like its long and unpreportioned to his body. do you have pics from last year of this deer? on top of all else straight back lack of a belly, all of the 4.5 and older deer that i have seen this year all look like tanks right now with all the rain we have had.

GIG EM AGGIES

leave him be for another year is wat i think....hes about 3.5, i gotta buck about like that in my area, but that was last year....hell b down this year ;)

Hunt more........Work Less

Jason, I agree that this deer is 4.5 years old. However,I think he  is ready to shoot.  With proper feed (protein) and genetics he should have been a ten point at this age. It is likely he will look like this next year, a big eight with just a little more mass.  Put him in the Management class.  www.liveoakforks.com

From the pics this deer is 4.5.  On our ranch we take 8's at 4.5 as we classify them in a managment class.  Our goal is to have less 8's and more 10's etc.  I know we have quite a few avid deer managment minded hunters in this forum.  What are your thoughts?  Is this a mistake?  Will a 4.5 yo 8 for the most part only be a big 8 with perhaps a kicker or two at 5.5 or 6.5?  I would be interested in feedback to see what the over all opinion is.

 id give that deer 4-12 or better and mabey consider a game leg on left  not current fore leg break an healed up goin by top knot and seems to favor it in pics and little disposition in rack    hard to tell on here  ?new location feeder  due to cover?

Nice 3.5 YO - you're right, let him grow a little more.  Looks like he does have a good case of cauliflower ear, deer style.

I think he is a 3.5 and I would let him live for one more year.

I see that this post was started before the 2007 season. Did you ever get a crack at him this year Jason?

Guns don't kill people....Its those pesky little bullets making lots of holes that all the blood leaks out of.