Interest in aging deer is shared by other hunters, deer managers and nature lovers. Most people motivated to learn the technique are not just curious, but have a desire to learn more about deer. Many indicators of deer quality and herd welfare are related to age. For example, the presence of young animals-fawns and yearlings- that are growing well indicated good forage conditions. Poor reproduction in yearlings suggests inadequate nutrition.
A high percentage of old animals-4 and older- in the harvest may indicate light hunting pressure. Conversely, a high percentage of yearlings usually indicated heavy hunting pressure. The point is that various kinds of information and measurements must be interpreted in the context of the age groups represented.
To gain the most information you can use two complimentary approaches: 1) Compare your data with measurements of a standard-a high quality deer herd; and 2) Compare measurements taken in different years. Several years of data will indicate trends. For example, in a high quality deer herd nearly all 1 ½ year-old does become pregnant with single fawns. If examination of reproduction tracts showed that only 10 percent of yearlings were pregnant, or that only 30 percent of 2 ½ year-old does showed evidence of lactation, a nutritional deficiency should be suspected. An increasing percentage of yearlings testing pregnant over several years could indicate the success of a management program.
Three kinds of age-related measurements are particularly useful: those that reflect status or growth of the individual; those that show the age structure of a deer herd; and those that are descriptive averages of particular characteristics such as average weight of 3 ½ year-old bucks.
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½ year Fewer than six teeth are present in the jaw (usually four teeth for ages 5 and 6 months and five teeth for 7 months). Teeth 1,2 and 3 are temporary (milk) teeth. Tooth 3 has three cusps. Tooth 4 is the first permanent tooth erupt.
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- 1 1/2 YRs – Six teeth are present in the jaw. Tooth 6- not fully erupted through the gum (gum line high on back cusp).
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- Caution- There may be either of two conditions for the premolar: •Tooth 3-a milk tooth with heavily worn ( less than 1 year, 6 months of age). This is the most common condition.
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- Tooth 3-a permanent tooth with two cusps may have replaced its milk tooth. This two-part tooth is white or much less stained than adjacent tooth 4 (1 year, 6 months of age or older).
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- 2 1/2 Yrs – Lingual crests on all molars are sharp. Tooth 6-gum line is high on back cusp.
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- Tooth 4-lingual crest has enamel well above narrow dentine of crest. Tooth 6-wear on back cusp is slight (dentine, if showing, in narrow line).
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- 3 1/2 Yrs – Tooth 4- lingual crests are blunt. Tooth 6- back cusp is worn to a definite concavity.
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- Tooth 4- dark dentine line in lingual crests is wider than the enamel bordering it, but not in tooth 4 or tooth 6. Tooth 6- back cusp is worn concave.
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- 4 1/2 Yrs – Tooth 4-lingual crests almost worn away. Tooth 5-lingual crests are blunt. Tooth 6-back cusp is worn so badly that the outward surface slopes downward.
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- Tooth 4- dark dentine line in lingual crest almost twice as wide as the enamel bordering it. Tooth 5- dentine in lingual crest is wider than enamel. Tooth 6- dentine in lingual crest is about as wide as enamel.
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- 5 1/2 Yrs – Tooth 4 and tooth 5- lingual crests are worn away to rounded ridges. Tooth 6- lingual crests are blunt.
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- Tooth 4, tooth 5 and tooth 6-dark dentine line is wider than the enamel bordering it.
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- 6 1/2 Yrs – Tooth 4- crown is worn smooth. Tooth 2 and tooth 3-crown is heavily worn. This is the first time for heavy wear on permanent pre-molars.
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- Tooth 3-infundibulum is a small triangular hole. Caution- Heavily worn two-cusped, permanent tooth 3 should not be confused with similar conditions on three-cusped, temporary tooth 3 in 1 ½ year-old.
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- 7 1/2 Yrs – Tooth 4-crown is worn smooth. Tooth 5-crown is almost worn smooth. Tooth 6-lingual crests are gone.
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- Tooth 3 and tooth 5 infundibulum is almost gone. Tooth 6-infundibulum is a narrow, crescent-shaped line with some depth.
