Whitetail Deer Growth & Maturity: How To Age A Buck

How to age a buck & why it's important.
As an artist, I’ve spent my entire career studying the characteristics and features of white-tailed bucks to paint them. As a bowhunter, I’ve spent those same years studying their habits and behavior to hunt them. Five years ago, these passions came together in my best-selling print “The Growth & Maturity of the White-tailed Buck.”
Since that time thousands of die-hard deer hunters (and the spouses that have an eye for quality gifts) have hung this print in their homes, offices, and deer camps. It’s so much more than just a chart on how to age deer - it’s a celebration of the life cycle of North America’s greatest big-game animal.
I spent month’s researching and drawing the finer points of growing whitetail bucks to give the hunter a better understand of what happens during each year of his life. Some of the finest deer biologists, researchers and hunters in the country helped me refine the information in this print.
So to help you age bucks in the field, here’s some of the art and information I’ve learned and I hope you enjoy this video!
"THE GROWTH AND MATURITY OF THE WHITE-TAILED BUCK" Print
ryankirby.com/products/maturi...
To purchase prints visit:
ryankirby.com/
The Art of Hunting TM
Copyright Ryan Kirby Art & Illustration LLC
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[@RyanKirbyArt]

Leave a comment below…What do you want to see next?

[@Cloud4hundred20]

I would like to talk about the different shot angles mainly a frontal shot with heavy arrows..

[@Redlegwar]

Man! This is a great video and the illustrations / artwork are amazing! Thanks for sharing!

[@Cloud4hundred20]

Awesome art work

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thank you!

[@jesseknox9322]

I love this print. There is so much detail. It really helped me age bucks on my farm this previous season. Thank you for sharing your gifts!

[@virgilflores8754]

I don’t know how these videos came to my feed but they are very informative and well made. I’ve learned a lot here. Thank you and great art work!

[@imaddictedtoreddead8543]

This deserves more views

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thank you!

[@timbow50]

Every hunter, young & old, should see this and have a copy of your art work hanging on the game room wall.

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thanks so much!

[@craiglacount89]

Great video and great poster! I would love to see this video slowed way down and spend more time on each aspect of what you’re explaining. There’s a lot to digest and process at each growth stage. I’ve watched several times and as I focus on what you’re saying I realize that you’ve moved to a different age class. Confusing, but there’s a lot of really good info.

[@johndoe-fq7ez]

Fascinating, cool stuff especially the artistry

[@kimgradisher468]

Another excellent video! Thank you.

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thank you!

[@TheLindseyWay]

good stuff bud!

[@jfreshhhhhhh]

Thank you sir! Quite the artist.

[@charlesm7132]

Would love to see this applied to elk as well! This was super informative!

[@yourselfbch]

Thank you for you time

[@relax.calm.soft.nature.sle4629]

Excellent video!

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thank you!

[@cwally1994]

Thanks for all your videos. Safe hunting '23.

[@alvaromarcelooronajuarez1922]

Muy interesante y educativo.

[@Cloud4hundred20]

This is a great video

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Let’s Go, glad you enjoyed it! Have you had a chance to watch the other 3 in the short whitetail series?

[@Cloud4hundred20]

@@RyanKirbyArt I did watch a couple of them still need to watch the where to aim I think it was I watched the ageing of the deer which was very sweet also great work man.

[@ryoung6725]

I find out if you just offer the bucks a "corn grain based" beverage first, they'll ordinarily tell you themselves. Just kidding, enjoyed your video, just trying to have a little fun.

[@iPsychlops]

Can you do one of these for mule deer?

[@ohbla101]

It's crazy that 5.5 year old deer are considered fully grown. The oldest recorded doe was 20 years old. Makes you wander if there are any giant 10+ year old bucks out there.

[@CanyonMitchell]

Got pics of a 10+ year old black tail. He is a forked horn on one side and a spike on the other. I've got pics of him the last 6 seasons and he's been going down hill the last 3 years. Lost his left eye last year in a fight. I couldn't believe he made it through another winter.

[@stdavis22]

they max out around 6-7 years, maybe 8 depending on genetics, after that they start to go downhill just like an aging man

[@cwe0001]

My daughter shot a buck last December that was around 10 years old. She shot him the 5th year we had him on camera. He was at least 5.5 the first year he showed up on our place. We always called him the Old Wide Buck. He probably lost 40 inches of antlers over the last 3 years. He lost a few inches on his spread, too. He measured 21 4/8. It was so cool to have the photo history with him. She was 11, and he was her first mature buck.

[@banjobulldog]

Might be a good idea to one for scoring bucks

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Great idea! Thanks

[@Bad-BassFishing]

God bless

[@mkd7961]

good job, question? can you tell how old a doe is by her tarsal color?

[@tsemnani]

Can you do the same for Elk?

[@TheBarksMan.]

does this go for all deer species?

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Good question! This is only for Whitetail, mule deer and others will be different! Thanks

[@TheBarksMan.]

@@RyanKirbyArt Alright, cheers dude, great work regardless

[@BoricuaBenji65]

I age my deer on how long its been in the freezer. I can't eat the antlers so it doesn't matter. If a nice buck comes along then ill take it but its not something I will target. I think you guys put way to much stress on age and rack size just enjoy being out there and bring home the venison.

[@tfrost33elkhunter]

I agree with everything except teeth aging has been proven very inaccurate.

[@beardannyboy]

Your channel has extremely excellent production values, but you subject matter is niche. I hope the hunter demographic is productive for you.

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thank you!

[@mayafatah9303]

Man, all ur videos are about u and less info

[@RyanKirbyArt]

Thanks for the comment!

[@zzz7zzz9]

?? This was about aging deer. What did you watch?

[@mkd7961]

yeah he doesn’t get it

[@k.m.f369]

He talks deer the whole time, unless he's a deer ur way off.