3.5
3.5
4.5+

4

2

3

That last one is tricky. Angle is tough. He "quarters" down from back to front and appears to have short legs but he's sleek and doesn't have a deep chest. I believe he could be anywhere from 2.5-5.5. He's got me stumped.

Would it affect your answer if I changed antler size only, bodies shape has not been manipulated?

3.5
4.5
2.5

4,4,3

Yes, typically the characteristics you would look for in a deer for maturity shouldn't change based on region. However, a 4yr old in Kansas looks a lot different than a 4yr old in Alabama. From what I've seen of midwest deer, the mature characteristics are almost exaggerated at each age vs a southern deer if that makes since. For that reason is why I was wondering where the pictures came from. As you mentioned, antler size is not a for sure indicator of age but in my opinion, you could use mass as an general indicator of maturity. Typically a deer is going to put on more mass each year up until a certain point but body characteristics will be the better way to put an educated guess on an age.

My guess on the pics.

#1. 4 yr old
#2. Bad pic to age from but I say 3.
#3. 3 yr old

All 3.5+ and get a bullet/arrow from me

Beat me to it... ditto

Must admit, I shoot deer. I find them tasty. And most I see are transient/migrational/seasonal/roam through thru my small 70 acre plot. If I want a buck for the season (and not a big deal) any one of these would help fill the freezer.

5
5
3

Are they different deer or the same deer?

Now...

3.5
4.5-5.5
2.5/young

That I don't know. A professor from State sent them to me.

3.5,4,4,5

4.5 possibly 5.5,3.5 possibly 4.5,2.5

4,3,2

Well a few got it right: 4.5,3.5 then 2.5. I find it interesting that in a related thread about what makes you shoot bucks that only 4 of the 13 that said maturity is the only way they shoot, dared to even guess. After only 3 responses on this thread getting it correct, I'm gonna conclude that it is just a guessing game. Had these pics not been in rut and necks not swollen, I feel confident that they all would have been aged at 2.5 by most. What I'm getting at, if you want to shoot, let it rip and don't let anyone try to tell you that you should have let him grow another year because there are deer in every thicket in the south and the chances of shooting a Midwest sized rack are slim to none!

WAM!!!

Close enough for me.