This trail camera photo is of whitetail buck that hails from the Louisiana, the state known as the Sportsman’s Paradise. According to the hunter, this buck lives in an area in Louisiana with fair nutrition, although neighboring hunt clubs do not practice deer management of any sort.
This photo was taken during primary rut. So, take a good look at the photo, then tell us the age of this buck.
How old is this Louisiana Buck?
I suspect most of you answered that this deer is not a young buck. If so, we are in agreement. In fact, the hunter that submitted this photo said, “I feel this deer is at least 3 1/2, probably 4 1/2 (slight sag in chest, legs looking short).
I agree with the hunter as this looks to be a healthy Louisiana buck that is at least 4 1/2 years of age. The large neck comes in low on the front end. The buck has good depth across the body. In addition, the buck’s head looks short because of its depth.
The head shape alone (short, deep appearance) makes me think this deer could be another year older, and check in at 5 1/2 years old. Deer with decent nutrition in the southern part of the range can get quite large. Without more familiarity with the area, I’ll say this buck is at least 4 1/2, but could be up to 5 1/2 years old.