Deer Aging

1
Deer Aging

• Heterodont Dentition

2

• .5 year old (fawn)
• Any deer with less than 6 cheek teeth is a fawn.

3

• 1.5 year old
• Tooth three is a tricuspid.
• Tooth 6 has erupted and is slightly visible above
  the gum line.

4

• 2.5 year old
• Lingual crests on all molars are sharp and
  pointed.
• Tooth three now is a bicuspid.
• Back cusp of tooth six is sharp and pointed.
• Enamel is wider than the dentine in tooth four,
  five and six.

5

• 3.5 year old
• Lingual crest on tooth four is blunt.
• The dentine is as wide or wider than the enamel
  in tooth 4.
• The back cusp on tooth six is forming a
  concavity.

Dentine is wider than enamel
1
6
2
3
4
5
Cusp worn to concavity
6

• 4.5 year old
• Dentine is now wider than enamel on the fifth
  tooth, but thinner than the enamel on the last
  tooth.

7

• 5.5 year old
• Lingual crest is worn away on tooth four and
  rounded in tooth five.
• Lingual crest on tooth six is blunt.
• Dentine in tooth six is now wider than the
  enamel.

Dentine twice as wide as enamel
6
1
5
2
3
4
8
Dichotomous key

• Aging Whitetail Deer using teeth
• 1. Count the number of teeth
• -Less than 6 teeth...Fawn (6
  months old)
• -6 teeth present...Go to 2
• 2. Locate the third tooth from the front of the
  jaw
• -Tricuspid tooth present..Yearling
  (1.5 yrs old)
• -Bicuspid tooth present...Go to 3
• 3. Look at the smiles, underneath these is
  dentine. As the deer ages the dentine widens.
  Also, the teeth become smoother when you run your
  finger over the top.
• -Dentine width thin, teeth feel sharp.2.5
  yrs old
• -Dentine widening, teeth feel smooth..3.5
  yrs old or older