Whitetail anatomy

[OnHoPr]

I have a doe tag left and would like to fill it. I'm a recent bifocal wearer and deer seem to be seen as looking in the rear view mirror (objects may seem to be smaller or whatever). I had a doe broadside to me at fifty yd earlier this season and the head and nose looked full grown but when it spooked it seemed like a small deer. Then a hour later a 10" spike came along in the same area/range and it was the same size as the doe. So the doe was a mature deer. I'm looking for ways to help identify deer more accurately. Especially in the later season's of muzzle loading and late antlerless. Where yearlings are getting 7 and 8 months old on a steady diet of corn, alfalfa, and soy beans. They are getting close to that 80 to 90 lb. class which is close for the average 100 lb. deer in hunting situations. Other than the shorter nose, blockier head shape, and crew cut hair cut appearance is they any other helpful characteristics that one should look for? I tend to look at the rear tarsal glands if I have a chance. Is there a way to add to the identification list the status of the tarsal glands. Usually bucks will have a very dark tarsal gland but I've also seen does with them. Sometimes does will have a lighter tarsal gland but still pronounced. I have shot a couple of puppies (yearlings) in the past few years and now are recollecting their tarsal glands which were on the lighter colored side, except for one that was a male antlerless but was shot on 1/1/09 that had nubbings but also looked like it was a small spike that already shed its antlers (reddish boney 3/8 to 7/16" in the middle of the nubs) which had small semi dark tarsels. Do the yearlings have nearly no tarsal gland characteristics?

[winelover]

When I hunted in Mid- Michigan, I found that the more pronounced the white throat patch was the more mature the deer.
I'm wearing no-line bifocals with slight magnification in the uppers. This makes everything slightly larger. They are also transitions and I find that I must take then off the last half-hour of shooting light because they make everything appear darker. It's rough getting old, but we must adapt.

Winelover

[Adam10mm]

Yearlings tend to have a fuzzy face rather than the fur laying down. Also their belly isn't as tall height-wise. It doesn't "sag" down like mature deer. It's nice and tight to the hips/waist. Binoculars also help to look at headgear and body, even at 50y a good 8x or 10x binos do wonders.

This is what I mean by a fuzzy face. It's pixilated but you get the idea. Face is young and ears are short.
http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/brm1949/brm19490901/brm1949090100066/4226295-whitetail-deer-yearling-at-the-woods-edge-in-winter-snow.jpg

Here's a mature doe (right) next to a yearling (left). See the belly on the doe hangs down a bit and on the yearling it's nice and tight to the rest of the body still?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0Zug9vkjt8/TaoCV28yXbI/AAAAAAAADnc/8oj0y6Kat5A/s320/MDGC0180.jpg

[OnHoPr]

That is what I mean with the short nose, blocky head and crew cut hair cut with short ears in the first pic. I assume that deer is about 6 or 7 months. But, I also see a darker tarsal gland there also. In the second pic that deer is 11 to 12 months old. It also has darker tarsals, but look how long the ears have got. I see your point of the belly characteristic. Two button bucks, one in December and one November didn't hardly have any tarsals markings at all in the past few years. See the differences in the deer though, in the first pic that is winter hair at approximately 1,500 hairs per inch and hollow. In the second pic, that is summer hair at approximately 5,000 hairs per inch and solid. Are both those pics of deer from the same area, just different times of the year? Thanx people, if I can adjust my identification process with these tips and aging eyes it would be helpful.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep, as said, scope out the head.

After seeing small deer taken and having taken small one my self, I started looking for the difference, and the head is a good indication as stated in the earlier posts.

In the shot of the 2 deer, note the heads of the young animal as compaired to the mature doe.

Thanks guys!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Blammer]

Don't be afraid of the small deer, they taste good too. :)

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/2007%20Deer/DSCN6242.jpg

[Blammer]

Yes the head/snout length will tell a lot.

[starmac]

Them younguns are mighty tender.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep, good eating, just not much of it.

My son took the back leg off a young one, and BBQ it up. Guess it was right tasty.

Daughter called it, Bambie bottom.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[OnHoPr]

Yep, good eating, just not much of it.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot



I'll agree with that. Hard to fill the freezer with those, but make for a good camp deer.

Blammer, Did you use to belong to the group "The B52's" :kidding:

Blammer, was that deer an early season harvest? I don't think I seen a deer that small without spots. As with the two deer pic, it dint't look like MI deer. So the geographical locations have an important role in trying to judge deer. If you are studying pics. Something swirling around in the senility part of the noodle. Are there sub-species of the whitetail in accordance with their geographical locations?

[horsesoldier]

Heck, I shot a calf elk with spots and a buck fawn without spots this year.The elk I didnt mind as much as a three hundred dollar deer tag for the fawn.They sure are tough to tell sometimes

[**oneshot**]

If it's in a group it's easy, when they are on their own you really need to key in on the above mentioned. I look for the fuzzy dopey looking heads.

[Blammer]

that deer was taken the last day of the season here in NC. Dang near a monster buck for these parts. :)

[Bad Water Bill]

Don't be afraid of the small deer, they taste good too. :)

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/2007%20Deer/DSCN6242.jpg

What kind of boolit did you use to take that small cottontail?:kidding:

[merlin101]

Compare the deer's height to the length, a mature deer will have a body thats as long as it's tall. A "puppy" (i like that) will look taller than it is long.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Merlin,

Will need to check that out!

I thought I had a pretty good handle on it with head shape and size and then last night I took a young one. Hmmmmmmm!

Oh well, hate it when that happens, but it is hunting.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[DIRT Farmer]

We also look at the head, square heads and round heads. Our late archery and M/L season a few of the bucks have lost their antlers but even a button buck will be square across the top of the head.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Well, just so we don't all get too caught up in ourselves, I thought I had the head thing down pretty well after taking a young one a few years back.

Even told others about it and sounded off earlier in this post.

However, just cut up the latest young one this morning.

Critter came out of the brush - about 200 yds. - and my first thought was, "little one." Should have gone with first impression!

Spent more time looking, and judging and decided I was wrong and it was, indeed, an adult.

What I get for doing my own thinking!

Even had good side on views.

To late to change the mind once the trigger broke.

It happens. I really try not to allow that, but it does even when you have lots of time.

We just do the best we can and it is, after all, hunting.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[RevGeo]

Ground Shrinkage - The amount a game animal reduces itself in size upon harvest.