how old is this heartbreaker?

[luvhuntin]

Ok guy`s what are the odds this deer will grow something reasonably normal on his right side next year? i`m not sure if it looks broken or if he suffered an injury when he was growing his rack this year or both? also i`m not good at ageing deer but i say he`s no more than 3. actually i hope he is no more than 3, that gives me three years to chase him before he starts the down hill slide.
it`s the first time trail cameras have ever been used on this little piece of iowa heaven, pretty good start i would say.

[luvhuntin]

PICT0060.JPG (1.76 MiB) Viewed 549 times

whoa
sorry about the monster size pics it`s been a long time since i posted a pic.

[loneranger]

I'd say he has potential! Also say,why is he so Thin? Maybe just the picture. I'd say more like 2 yr old. give him some time ,,if you can. In my area of Iowa,,though,,,good luck with that!

[loneranger]

If it's Brown it's Down,,mentality is rampant...Sad to say..

[SwampLife]

His rear left leg looks injured the way he is holding it up in the first pic (my dog has a hip injury and holds her leg the same way). Could be a coincidence that he is just stepping in the pic but I would bet not since it is his right side that is funky. He may heal and grow better but probably won't be very symmetrical ever again.

He looks older than 3.5 in my opinion, which isn't worth much.

Good luck.

[luvhuntin]

hi guys
LR, i agree with the brown is down attitudes but this guy`s got a chance! IF he`s on the camera again this weekend. SL The second pic where he`s with the does his good side looks thick like he`s a 4 year old. THEN in the other angles it looks spindly.I`m going to shed hunt every inch of the land and hope i find at least one of the two sides i really could care less which one it is.

thanks for the opinions i`d love to hear some more if anyone has one throw it out.
MERRY CHRISTMAS

[charlie 01]

I wound say it is just broken. He could be the same structure (not broken) next year, or he could change some. Antler structure on some deer stay the same, and some change, with an exra point, split brows, and stickers. They are something you cannot predict. I've got pics of two bucks with antler deformities due to injuries from a few years ago that this year are back to a normal typical structure. I've had sheds of an 8pt for 4yrs up until the 5th year that I found him dead. He stayed the same typical 8pt with a 12 to 13 inch inside spread. Gained a little mass the last two years.

[loneranger]

Depends on what state this deer is in as to how old it may be too. In state I moved from it could be three yrs old,,or even 4. In state I reside in now,,would only say 2 yrs old. Is also true some deer, never each huge trophy standards, no matter the environment. Genetics,,food,minerals all play a role,,not just age.

[luvhuntin]

It`s in Iowa
And we`ll see, we have heard a couple of property line neighbors touch off muzzleloaders this weekend so who knows what went down. hopefully it`s a couple of the ten pointers that i would have loved to see make it one more year BUT who cares, good for them if they did knock him or all of them down i should have enough years left in me to find as good or better.