Cementum Annuli Results courtesy of DeerAge.com
Only ten people (1.4%) guessed both Buck1 and Buck2 correctly:
Lee Mitchell
Jim Collins
James McKnight
Andrew (no last name)
Nicholas Martin
Doug (no last name)
Christopher Allen
Ronald McCullough
Shawn menard
Brian Nalley
The three winners chosen by random drawing for a DeerAge.com kit are:
James McKnight
Brian Nalley
Nicholas Martin
Buck 1 = 7.5 Years Old
Total Number of People Guessing:704
Number of People who guessed him correctly:74
Percentage Exactly Correct:10.5%
Percentage Correct (+/-) 1 Year:44%
Buck 2 = 6.5 Years Old
Total Number of People Guessing:704
Number of People who guessed him correctly:74
Percentage Exactly Correct:10.5%
Percentage Correct (+/-) 1 Year:32%
Comments
For the fourth year in a row this proves that even the most experienced deer hunters have a difficult time aging deer on the hoof. Although it improved .4% over last year, the results are still not stellar.
Buck 1 was 7.5 according to the cementum annuli method of aging deer used by DeerAge.com. He was peaked and an amazing buck. His rack was not bigger at age 6.5, it was still fantastic but he put on at least 30" the year he was killed. His body was a little small for that location, he only weighed 200lbs in an area where bucks can easily hit 300lbs..
Buck 2 was 6.5 according to DeerAge.com. He was an old deer for this area and it's impossible to say if he was at or past his prime. My first thought when I saw him was that he was a 4.5 year old deer. I was amazed when I found out he was 6.5. His body had the characteristics of a 6.5 deer for that area however a 6.5 year old buck typically has a bigger rack. This deer lived through two horrendous winters where many bucks his age perished. He survived, but it may have taken a toll on his growth potential.
