How Old Was that Animal?

[antlerradar]

This buck was 4 1/2.

 

[antlerradar]

I would have loved to have sent the teeth from this buck in, but I didn't find the head on the plaque. I did find the six years of quality shed antlers form the buck and there is a good chance I am missing a set or two. I am confident this buck was 10 years old plus when he died. There is very little difference in the size of the top three years of his antlers.

 

[antlerradar]

This whitetail was 6 when he died of EHD. I didn't send in his teeth. Didn't need to as I found all of the antlers he ever grew.

 

[shoots-straight]

I enjoy the tooth data you get on your "My FWP" View tooth and age data.
All the Bobcats, and Fisher I've taken are aged and recorded there. I've got a couple of really old cats that made it 15 years in the Wild. Several over 10. That's a long time for an animal that all the predators wish to munch on.

 

[wytex]

We've been getting teeth aged by WG&F for many years.
Had some interesting results.
I took a pronghorn doe that aged at 14 1/2 years.

 

[wytex]

My very 1st whitetail buck I took in East Texas had an ear tag. It was transplanted from the hill country and based on known age at the tagging time he was aged at 10 1/2 years by TP&W.
We have several bucks from the CWD endemic area in SE Wyoming that were aged at 8 1/2 and one aged at 9 1/2 . Not bad for an area that WG&F stated does npt have mature bucks due to CWD prevalence.
I'll try to dig up some pics.

Here are some 8 1/2 yr old bucks. The deadhead was a buck we were watching but found dead and had it aged.

 

[appaloosa]

I've always been fascinated by the stories we can learn about the animals we take. I think that is what intrigues me most about antlers, hides, scars, etc.

For the last few years I've been taking the teeth of animals to Matson's Lab in Manhattan, Montana. They can age animals for you and it gives you an idea of what that animal has lived through.

The two Wyoming bucks I shot in 2019 and 2020 both survived the brutal winter of 2016-17. I have confirmed that via aging of the animal by dropping off the teeth at Matson's. Now I am even more fascinated that I took one on its way to the winter range and one near the summer range, both from the same herd that makes huge migrations through some very difficult conditions. Amazing that they make this trek for the risk-reward benefits of better summer forage up high and better wintering conditions down in the edges of the Red Desert.

Here is a video that goes into a lot more details.

If you are interested in learning more about the animals you take, go to this link on their website - https://matsonslab.com/age-your-game/

What's amazing is your buck was born in 2016. Only a fraction of that cohort made it through their first winter. A true white unicorn!

 

[Akcabin]

I don't age by teeth. But have studied body form along with antler form with the moose I see. How much sway in the back, hair color overall size. I harvested an old bull on the Stony river that wouldn't have made another winter. I was telling my wife's grandpa Whispering Jack about it. He homesteaded here n ate lots of moose. Said it would be the most tender moose to eat because it was old n not interested in fighting over cows as much. Kinda like a bull going out to pasture. He was right too.
We were on the moose road kill list for 25 years n got to get up close to them n check out. Along with having moose in our yard all winter has allowed me to view them. There's a lot to see in watching the body as a whole.
The biologists here learn a lot from the required samples. And are good to visit with also.
And thanks for all the great information, it all adds up

 

[Big Sky Guy]

From top to bottom:
3
7 (ranged 6-7) See pic of teeth
4

I was almost certain the bottom bull was a 3 year old based on my elk hunting experiences and aging their corresponding teeth in the lab, but he was 4.

The middle bull had really messed up/worn teeth for his age. In the photo below you can see the two nubs which were his central incisors (I1). Above those two is an I1 from probably a 2-3 year old for reference. The teeth on the outside were his secondary incisors (I2). Based on the wear this bull should have been very old. Guess he just liked chewing on rocks or had otherwise bad teeth.

 

[fowladdict]

Yes we can! You would get the ivory crown back and a small portion of the root, the root tip is cut off of the ivory just like the tooth in the video. (I’m AJ from Matsons in the video by the way).

Thanks for the reply AJ. I killed a bull a few years ago with some wicked cavities in his ivories and I've been curious how old he was.

 

[antlerradar]

A nine (top) and an 8 (bottom) year old EHD victims, again I didn't have the teeth cut, but when you find nearly all the shed you can get a good idea.

 

[TheTone]

Two 8 year old EHD victims, again I didn't have the teeth cut, but when you find nearly all the shed you can get a good idea.

View attachment 190496View attachment 190497

How similar did you think tooth wear was on them?

 

[antlerradar]

How similar did you think tooth wear was on them?

Good question. But I can not answer because I did not pay attention to that detail and do not have the head from the first buck.

 

[antlerradar]

A good friend of mine's brother shot this buck. Only a three point, but heavy, tall and 29 inches wide. He sent the jaw in and the buck was aged at 12. That would mean the buck was 11 years old when he grew the set with the broken browtine and 10 when he grew the other set.
He lost a little size from 11 years old to 12 but not much.

 

[idahohuntr]

@Big Sky Guy do you guys age fish as well? I worked with some guys at the University of Idaho that used to age a ton of paddlefish from MT...those things were old! Anyways, would be cool to age some of the paddlefish marcus and michael and crew catch! $.02.

 

[7Bartman]

This guy was 5.5 by cementum annuli.

This herd bull was 7.5.

This whitetail was 10.5!

I love getting the age. Makes the story that much more interesting IMO.

 

[golfer]

@Big Sky Guy do you guys age fish as well? I worked with some guys at the University of Idaho that used to age a ton of paddlefish from MT...those things were old! Anyways, would be cool to age some of the paddlefish marcus and michael and crew catch! $.02.

Did you work with Dennis by chance?

 

[Big Sky Guy]

@Big Sky Guy do you guys age fish as well? I worked with some guys at the University of Idaho that used to age a ton of paddlefish from MT...those things were old! Anyways, would be cool to age some of the paddlefish marcus and michael and crew catch! $.02.

We do not age fish, just mammal teeth. Paddlefish are a really neat fish and knowing the age of some of those would be interesting!

 

[idahohuntr]

Did you work with Dennis by chance?

Yes, never did the aging stuff but saw the lab a few times.

 

[golfer]

Yes, never did the aging stuff but saw the lab a few times.

I as well worked with him over processing the fish. That guy knows that species of fish I better than anyone else.