You're right - I think he was at least 5 years old, maybe older.
It is really something that he survived as long as he has - our place is around 300 acres low fenced with old fences with lots of holes we are always patching after bulls fight through them.
I'm not sure of the habits of these deer, but from what I have seen, they seem to have large territories. We have seen just one or two occassionally for several years, never with any consistency, and never more than a little young buck.
We saw the group with this buck a month ago, but not since. I really think we caught them passing through again, and that we have the water hole to thank if they are hanging around more. We are in a period of extended drought - no runoff rain in more than a year on our place, and our stock tanks are as low as they have been in 30 years. The rivers are largely dry, and I suspect water is drawing them and perhaps keeping them in the area.
There really isn't a high fence ranch near us - there were a few little places 10-15 years ago within a few miles, but we have seen axis deer free ranging quite often on low fence ranches within a couple of miles of us, and there have been some big ones taken. I think there is a pretty substantial wild population within 5-10 miles of us, and I suspect they travel a large territory. I have seen a disproportionately high number of them hit on the county roads and highways, so I think they cross them often.
I am really happy to have them around - I don't want them to displace our whitetails, just thrive and co-exist with them!
I think the big boys must lay low except for rutting activity for this guy to have survived. He was with a doe when we saw him the first time, and I suspect he followed a doe to water and that she left and he was leaving to follow her when I shot him. The first axis I saw when we were first approaching the tank was a doe or buck with no antlers, but I think most bucks have hard antlers this time of year, although I saw one in velvet with just a few inches of nubs.
Looking at my buck's face and teeth, I think he was at his peak and definitely mature.
DJ
