Old Deer, how old is old?

[Central Iowa]

I once new of a buck from the area I grew up in that was 13 years old. Many of us had sheds to the buck and he was a true giant during his prime. I was luck enough to put a stalk on him once during his prime but not lucky enough to close the deal. His last set of antlers that we knew of were pretty much big thick beams and a giant drop tine on one side. We never knew his fate and assumed he died in some fence row or terrace or wherever the hiding spot was he called home was that I could never find. As I read this article from Kip Adams on the QDMA site it got me thinking about that deer.

What's the oldest deer you have known of in the wild?

http://www.qdma.com/articles/whats-...paign=Ntl+Newsletter+7/17/14&utm_medium=email

 

[bigbuckhunter88]

Not able to put a for sure number on it as we didn't know how old he was when we first caught a glimpse of him but he was for sure mature. He was a huge 6 point that never turned out to be more than that. We hunted him for 4 years after the first sighting we got of him. If I had to guess he was 9 or 10. We also never knew what happened to him.

 

[vman]

Got one that was sent in for aging. He was 9.

The buck my dad killed out in Montana last fall the taxidermist figured 8 or more. Some make it for sure.

 

[Daver]

There was a buck on our farm years ago that I am about 99% sure was at least 8 years old, but could have been older than that possibly. I had him under my stand one night and didn't shoot him because his rack was only about 130" and there were two other bucks approaching that were "bigger".

Looking back, that was stupid of me, but at the same time I am kind of glad he lived on too. But aside from that one buck, I can't think of any others that were for sure any older than 5 years old that we could track and be somewhat sure of.

There have been a few mystery bucks that show up once or twice that may have been that old or older, but a 5+ year old buck is rare specimen in nature.

 

[BDAHMS]

When first started gun hunting it was shotgun season one with my dad and his group in southern Iowa (Union/Ringgold) First buck I ever saw was known as "old gray" and he lived on my uncles place- he was around 6 at the time and a 160 class 12 pointer with a split brow- I saw him for at least 4 more seasons and no one ever took a shot at him- so that would put him around 9-10 years old and he was extremely gray in color.

 

[doublerack]

A buck i posted pics of on here "Wonder Buck" was at least 10yrs based on a history of trail cam pics. This is the first year I haven't got any pics of him.

 

[turtlshell]

wow, this post makes me all sorts of jealous.

If a buck in my hunting area makes it to 4 or 5, he's considered ancient. I know of none making it past 5 because of the hunter density and pressure. The poaching problem doesn't aid that sad fact either. Except for two confirmed hunter kills, the majority of the truly mature bucks I've ever seen just disappear.

For the record, I'm sure there are bucks that make it longer...but if so they don't call my farms home for all those years.

The above is assuming we're talking bucks. BUT, I know of a an old three-legged doe that was pretty big when she became the "three-legged-doe"...we watched her for five years before she finally disappeared. I'll assume she was 7-9yrs old when we last saw her. She had twins every spring.

 

[MadisonB&C]

If they show back up this year, I know one that will likely be 11 and another I suspect will be at least 10. From the same farm, too!

 

[Baby-G]

There was a buck here at home to the ripe age of 11.5 yrs old. His best rack was at 8.5 yrs old and was around 210" gross n/t. His best typical rack was at 6.5 yrs old and was 195" plus typical. At. 11.5 yrs old he was in the high 160's and I shot him. Lost him and never found him. Made me sick.... Only ever crack I had at him was at 3.5 yrs old. He was smart.... And nocturnal....

 

[Rowdy#88]

A buck iv picked up 5 years of sheds will be 9.5 this year. very unheard of for this part of minnesota.

 

[Baby-G]

I shot this buck two years ago and he was 7.5 yrs old and it was his biggest rack....

 

[JNRBRONC]

I passed on a buck 2(?) years ago that the neighbors harvested and they stated it was 9 years old. Not sure how they arrived at that, but I would believe it. He was TUFF looking when he was under my stand, might have been older.

 

[bluedog69]

There was a buck from IL in North American whitetail magazine called Dirty Harry. They had 14 sets of his sheds. The first set was about a 150 if I remember right. The buck stayed on 40 acres of illegal to hunt ground. He was finally shot heading back to it early one morning.

The MDC has a turkey checked in about 10 years ago that was banded and was 19!

Some animals are just tough smart and really lucky!!!

 

[bluedog69]

I shot this buck two years ago and he was 7.5 yrs old and it was his biggest rack....

I have an old Buck Fever video tape made by Jack Brittingham, and on it he states that most of the bucks on his place have to hit 8 before they have their biggest rack. A 170 or 180 at 5 or 6 will usually be over 200 according to him.

 

[meyeri]

wow, this post makes me all sorts of jealous.

If a buck in my hunting area makes it to 4 or 5, he's considered ancient. I know of none making it past 5 because of the hunter density and pressure. The poaching problem doesn't aid that sad fact either. Except for two confirmed hunter kills, the majority of the truly mature bucks I've ever seen just disappear.

For the record, I'm sure there are bucks that make it longer...but if so they don't call my farms home for all those years.

The above is assuming we're talking bucks. BUT, I know of a an old three-legged doe that was pretty big when she became the "three-legged-doe"...we watched her for five years before she finally disappeared. I'll assume she was 7-9yrs old when we last saw her. She had twins every spring.

You're not alone turtlshell! I'm lucky if I get repeat deer on trail cam from year to year. Way too much hunting pressure and way too many weekend warriors who shoot anything brown!