Well, you're not alone, this occurs nearly every time my father or I harvest a buck. Mule deer also have striking pelage markings, large antlers, and scent glands. Posted March 6, 2012 by manager. Field Judging Mule Deer Width. Mule deer (Odocileus hemionus) is a species of deers.They are sometimes called black-tailed deer.They live in western North America.Their name was given to them because of their mule-like ears.There are many subspecies, including the black-tailed deer. Antler and body size can indicate a deer’s age, but physical characteristics are often misleading.The number of antler points in no way corresponds to age. Mule deer are primarily browsers, with a majority of their diet comprised of forbs (weeds) and browse (leaves and twigs of woody shrubs). If you’re interested in lab aging your mule deer, whitetail, elk, moose, or antelope, you need to save the lower jaw bone. Accurately knowing the age of a big mule deer buck has taught me a book-full about big mule deer behavior. As much as age is talked about, it’s the one factor that is hardest to determine. How To How Old is My Deer? Even jawbones that are years old can be tested. A mule deer buck must also be given the opportunity to mature, which in most cases is 5-8 years of age. Mule deer and whitetail deer are oftentimes mistaken for each other. How to: "Age Your Buck" Have you ever harvested a buck and then debated with your hunting buddies about how old he might have been? Deer digestive tracts differ from cattle and elk in that they have a smaller rumen in relation to their body size, so they must be more selective in their feeding. Well, you're not alone, this occurs nearly every time my father or I harvest a buck. Assuming you want to shoot older bigger deer, You want to know how old the buck is Before it is dead and you examine the teeth. It's mostly out of curiosity, but it's also a key ingredient in the total education process of mule deer hunting. Most mule deer hunters get caught up in the outside spread when in reality, the actual measurement taken will be on the inside spread of the main beams. Mule deer, (Odocoileus hemionus), a medium-sized, gregarious deer of western North America that derives its name from its large ears. How to Age Your Deer. During that period, a mule deer buck is considered in his prime and will produce the best sets of antlers of his life. Large bucks rarely exceed 95 kg (210 pounds); does weigh about a third less. by William Jensen Photos by Craig Bihrle. Sort of like determining the age of your tires by tread wear. Mule deer usually live about 10 years in the wild, but can live to be much older in captivity. Mule deer are bulkier, have larger ears, a black-tipped tail, a whiter face, are a third larger, and have bigger antlers that fork out instead of branch from a … It's mostly out of curiosity, but it's also a key ingredient in the total education process of mule deer hunting. It takes more than just being 30 inches wide to make a truly huge mule deer.. Age is one of the three most important factors in predicting how big a buck will grow. How to: "Age Your Buck" Have you ever harvested a buck and then debated with your hunting buddies about how old he might have been? Whether you are aging Whitetail deer or aging Mule deer or just about any deer, learning these skills will help you become a better hunter. In the same study by Hamlin referred to above; the accuracy of molar wear aging was 62.3% for mule deer, 42.9% for whitetails, and 50% for elk in the 3-4 year classes, 16% for elk 5 years old. Mule deer You can either ship the lower jawbone, cut it off behind the front row of teeth, or remove the front two teeth (see picture below). The nutritional value of a buck's diet is also very important.