This is my nephew, Tyler, and his 2025 muzzleloader buck. He is one of the best hunters I know, shooting large, older-class animals every year.

At first glance this might look like just another good 4-point buck. However, upon further examination during the skull-mounting process, I concluded this to be the oldest buck I’ve ever seen.

Without tooth analysis, judging old age in mule deer is difficult. However, this deer was unusually large in body and and neck size. It also had an unusually wide muzzle and face.

Tooth wear tells the whole story. First off, it has NO front (biter) teeth at all; they are completely worn away. Second, it’s missing a couple teeth in its lower jaw and some of the regular chewers are completely worn flat.

Wildlife biologists are able to determine the exact age of a deer by tooth analysis. This deer won’t be aged, but it’s clearly very old and likely would not have survived many more years.

As a taxidermist I’ve examined dozens of old bucks, but none were this advanced. I would estimate the age between 12-15 years. What do you think?