How's old is this desert

[Valley1320]

So how old do you guys think this desert is that my dad shot in 2019.

 

[recurveman]

5.5 years old

 

[mdeerjunkie]

6.

 

[BigHornRam]

5 or 6. Hard to tell without seeing it in person.

 

[npaden]

I get 6 as well. Did they not age it when they plugged it?

 

[Valley1320]

The game and fish guy said 7+ but he wasn't acting real confident about that number and said he hadn't done much of that.

 

[Valley1320]

 

[Valley1320]

There's a few more pics of it

 

[Valley1320]

I get 6 as well. Did they not age it when they plugged it?

I get 6 as well. But I haven't done any of this really.

 

[Bambistew]

Few tips on aging, but nothing is for sure...

• The 3rd year starts off in an oval cross section and ends in sort of a "triangle" cross section, the end of year growth will be a flatt butting surface on the top, vs round.
• You should be able to catch the growth ring with your fingernail after year 3 on the inside/back of the horn
• If you look at the inner circle of the horn, the angle will change between years/rings. The front of the horn will grow faster or start growing before the back, that's how it makes a circle.
• The rings get progressively smaller as they age (usually). I have a couple rams that are an exception to this, that lived through a really bad winter/spring.
• The 4th ring is usually the first most prominent ring, sometimes its the third, but the ring will be really shallow (see point 2) if its the 3rd.
• The lamb tip is usually concaved on the inside and about 1"-1.5" long

This ram looks like he's 7 to me. The only way to make 100% certain is to section it, but no one ever takes me up on that. My line for the lamb tip s a little long, but close enough, the second ring is usually very difficult to see, but it won't be flat on the back/end (bullet one).

 

[npaden]

I missed that 3rd line from the tip. Looking at it that would have been an unbelievable growth year to go all the way from the 2nd line to the 4th line that you drew in there.

 

[Jape]

Few tips on aging, but nothing is for sure...

• The 3rd year starts off in an oval cross section and ends in sort of a "triangle" cross section, the end of year growth will be a flatt butting surface on the top, vs round.
• You should be able to catch the growth ring with your fingernail after year 3 on the inside/back of the horn
• If you look at the inner circle of the horn, the angle will change between years/rings. The front of the horn will grow faster or start growing before the back, that's how it makes a circle.
• The rings get progressively smaller as they age (usually). I have a couple rams that are an exception to this, that lived through a really bad winter/spring.
• The 4th ring is usually the first most prominent ring, sometimes its the third, but the ring will be really shallow (see point 2) if its the 3rd.
• The lamb tip is usually concaved on the inside and about 1"-1.5" long

This ram looks like he's 7 to me. The only way to make 100% certain is to section it, but no one ever takes me up on that. My line for the lamb tip s a little long, but close enough, the second ring is usually very difficult to see, but it won't be flat on the back/end (bullet one).

View attachment 152618

I got 6 but didn’t know the second ring was that hard to see. Learn something new every day. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Bambistew]

I missed that 3rd line from the tip. Looking at it that would have been an unbelievable growth year to go all the way from the 2nd line to the 4th line that you drew in there.

Those first few years are tough from a picture and even in had. The other side you can clearly see the 2yr ring assuming we are counting the lamb tip as "year 1". No way is that his lamb tip 4 inches long, but anything is possible. I have a hard time visualizing him growing that much between the lamb tip and the first ring you can see clearly, the segments don't add up.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I count 6yrs.

 

[npaden]

Those first few years are tough from a picture and even in had. The other side you can clearly see the 2yr ring assuming we are counting the lamb tip as "year 1". No way is that his lamb tip 4 inches long, but anything is possible. I have a hard time visualizing him growing that much between the lamb tip and the first ring you can see clearly, the segments don't add up.

This is my guess. This side seemed to be easier to see for me. That second year growth is probably too much though and I would guess there is a ring I’m not seeing in the picture.

 

[Valley1320]

Thanks guys for the tips and all!!!

 

[longbow51]

I have no clue but looks like some nice home made jelly

 

[Panda Bear]

add me to those who said seven

 

[Bill V]

7 if I was betting.

 

[walking buffalo]

6 years old.

A couple pictures here are marking a false annuli between the fifth and sixth year rings.

The OP's second set of photos, the one from the rear, prove this to be a false annuli.