Robert,

There are three primary methods to fairly accurately estimate a buck’s age.   These include cementum annuli, tooth replacement and wear, and body shape.

Cementum annuli is a technique where the a deer’s incisor is sectioned and “growth rings” are counted after the section has been stained.  For more detailed information about this technique check out:  http://www.matsonslab.com/cementum-aging.html

Deer replace their premolars at about the same age with permanent teeth.  The permanent teeth tend to wear at about the same rate and expose more dentene (the material under the enamel).  Thus by consider which teeth have been replaced and the amount of dentene exposed fairly accurate estimates of a deer’s age can be made.

For living deer, their body configuration changes with time in predictable ways.  I’ve explained this in detail in the How Old is this Buck section of Ask Grant.

Enjoy creation,

Grant

January 24, 2016