DeerManiac874

Alright y'all. After getting this last batch of pictures, I have some questions that y'all might be able to help me with.
Before the pictures:
If we have roughly 360 acres, would you guess that this is the one bachelor group that we would have or do you think that there might be multiple ones. In other words, would all the bucks on 350 acres group together or is that big enough to hold multiple groups??

Here are the first two pictures. My two questions about this deer are:
1) How old do you think this buck is?
2) If you look at the 2nd picture, you will notice that something is really wrong with his back leg. In many of the pictures of him, he is standing in a strange position like in the second picture. Do you think that he can survive like this?





Next question. We have a ton of food for wildlife, but some of these deer look famished. I thought that they bulk up during the summer, but some look incredibly skinny. Do y'all have any idea why they might be looking thin? Could it be the heat? Any ideas?



I just really liked this picture when I first saw it. But then I began to wonder why the bigger buck's body looks smaller than the other buck. What do you think the ages are of these two?

recurver67

I would guess the bucks are between 2 1/2 to maybe 4 on the big guy. The reason they look starved to death is the amount on nutrition it takes to grow antlers . They can grow up to a inch a day,just imagine how much it must take out of them.You have some great bucks there and you should consider a foodplot to help in the growth of some real monsters. Good luck tagging one.

UPHunter89

Hmm, I have read that they can only grow up to 1/2 inch a day?

livbucks

The bigger racked buck looks smaller because he is a bit further away that the smaller racked buck. Simple laws of photography at work here. If you look at the shape of his body, the big rack really looks bigger bodied too, at least to me.

mahoningbuck

That injury looks to have happend recently, perhaps from last season. From the amount of muscle lose in the area. It is hard to say but he may have injured it in a fight but only he knows. Hope hemakes it through this up coming winter. Antler growth may be zapping some nutrients away from these guys and a food plot would be ideal. Their body shape is nothing to be concerned about because all in all they look natural. If there was not any food in that area they would not be showing up on your camera.

Rebel Hog

3-1/2 to 4-1/2!

Illinois Bowhuntin

They have plenty of time to start bulking up.I wouldnt worry about there size unless they are close to the rut and still havent put on the extra weight.If the inhury was serious I would imagine you could see some odities in his antler growth on the injury side.I wouldnt owrry about it he looks like he is growing well and he will more then likely make it through the season.

UPHunter89

Well, from what I just researched, if the injury was serious and on one side, abstract antler growth would occur on the opposite side and I see none of that. As far as bulking up, they will start soon. Late summer is when they turn it on and start bulging those necks and eating a lot preparing for the rut.

DeerManiac874

Thanks for all the input. The only reason I ask about their weight is because we have so many food plots(especially around this area). For instance, the field that these pictures were taken is a 4 acre clover food plot. Plus, there are 5 additional 3-4 acre food plots scattered around our property. I would imagine that they would be bulkier than this with all the food, but I guess y'all could be right. Maybe they are using so much energy for their antlers that it just isnt going toward bulking up. Well, since they are already starting to shed the velvet in our area, I will keep an eye on them and see if they beef up a little before the season starts.

PA Bow/Flinter

Nice deer...to me it really doesn't look like that buck is injured at all. I don't see a wound (maybe I'm blind) but it looks like he is just resting his foot. His back leg is setting the same way a cow, or a horses leg it when they are resting. I would think, like others have mentioned, that if there was a injury present then the opposite side reack would suffer, and that doesn't appear to be happening.

One way you will be able to tell for sure is after you kill him this season, then you can look him over real close and figure it out.