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
1.5 year old Tooth three is a tricuspid. Tooth 6 has erupted and is slightly visible above the gum line.
3 cusp tooth 1 2 3 4 5 6

4. 2. 5 year old Lingual crests on all molars are sharp and pointed
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. 1 2 3 4 5 6
2 cusp tooth
Pointed cusp

5. Dentine is wider than enamel
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 5 4 3
Cusp worn to concavity

6. Dentine twice as wide as enamel
4.5 year old Dentine is now wider than enamel on the fifth tooth, but thinner than the enamel on the last tooth. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Cusp slopes downward
Dentine twice as wide as enamel
Blunt crests

7. Dentine twice as wide as enamel
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 4 3

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