 A common tool in deer management today is estimating live buck ages. Let's discuss some basic characteristics. One and a half year old bucks often look like young does with antlers. Two and a half year old bucks will have a larger body than a doe, their back and belly will still be slender, and their legs may appear too long for their bodies. Three and a half year old bucks will start to acquire noticeable muscle mass on both front and hind quarters, but stomachs will remain tight. Four and a half a buck's chest begins to deepen, the legs appear proportional to the body, the hind quarters will be very muscular, and the stomach begins to align evenly with the chest. At five and a half, necks tend to widen and align with the shoulders, the belly may appear round or begin to sag, and their front legs may seem short in contrast to a two and a half year old. At six and a half a buck will likely have a sagging belly, the shoulders and hind quarters will still have muscle mass, but likely lack definition when compared to a three and a half or four and a half year old.