| Aging a Yearling DeerYearling deer can be | | | | skin around the base of the ears. Deer 2 1/2 |
| easily aged by examining the third tooth back | | | | years or younger seldom have ear creases. But |
| on either side of the jaw. This tooth is | | | | by 3 1/2 years the hair has thickened and |
| called the third premolar. If this tooth has | | | | taken on at least one crease. A two crease |
| three cusps, the deer is 1 1/2 years old. If | | | | deer is a mature animal and is usually |
| the third premolar has only two cusps, the | | | | between 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 years old. If a deer |
| deer is 1 year and seven months old or older. | | | | has three creases at the base of the ears, it |
| | | | is likely about 7 1/2 years old give or take |
| 75% of deer harvested in the U.S. are | | | | a year. If a deer has 4 ear creases, it is |
| yearling deer. | | | | likely more than 8 years old. |
| | | | |
| Telling the Age of a Whitetail Buck | | | | Also, as a deer ages, hair thickens in the |
| | | | ear slot. Finally, an older deer's ears tend |
| In December of 1998, the Field and Stream | | | | to be more curled in and tired in appearance |
| magazine had an article that I found | | | | while a younger deer's ears will be flatter |
| interesting about a method for aging deer in | | | | and more alert in appearance. |
| the field. Here is my short version; | | | | |
| | | | Telling the age of a deer with the ears |
| The twisting and turning of a deer's ears | | | | method is most accurate on well conditioned |
| results in permanent creases in the hair and | | | | animals. |