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What is Cementum Aging?
Simply stated it’s far and away the most accurate technique for aging wild animals.
The method requires the two center incisors located in the center of the lower jaw. The teeth, after a simple cleaning (see preparation section) and care taken not to break the root tips, will be mailed to the lab. The deers teeth, after being processed in a number of scientific steps, will be viewed under a strong microscope where the rings of growth may be viewed.
Each ring present represents a year of growth, much like the rings of a tree. The reason the rings develop is unclear to wildlife biologists, perhaps stress of the rut or physical changes in preparation for winter.
However the rings are generally very easy to count. One ring equals one year of age.
Why is Cementum Aging Best?
You said Cementum Aging is Far and Away the best Aging Method, please state your reasons.
Folks have tried for many years and are still trying today to come up with ideas for aging animals. So far two methods are commonly used. But even the difference in results between the two is mind-boggling.
The two are eruption-wear aging and cementum aging. Eruption-wear bases it’s results by comparing your deers molars to pictures and descriptions of teeth from known age deer. Scientific research show this method to be successful about 45 percent of the time ( studies completed with experienced wildlifebiologists) with aging descrepencies off by as much as 4 years. (See article in Nov. North American Whitetail Magazine and on this site at Deer Aging.
However this technique can be useful to wildlife managers and biologists in large herd situations because it does works well on whitetails 2 ½ years and younger and it’s cost effective.
Cementum-Aging employs a laboratory employing a scientific procedure at modest cost. Success rates are dead on for more than 85 percent of whitetails at any age group and just as importantly, the few teeth that were off, were off by only ONE year in every case.
How Can You Folks at the Lab (Whitetail Labs) be sure of your Results?
That’s a great question. The lab has been tested and used in scientific research studies to test the validity of the process in the past. But just as importantly we receive animals from clients every year (Hunting Clubs) that have identified or tagged animals when fawns so that they know its age. When the known age animal is harvested they send its teeth along with the teeth of other unknown age animals. They then compare the labs results with their known age animals. The accuracy has been outstanding and we still get all of their business.
How Can I Be Sure To Get The Best Results?
There are a few things that you must be careful of but its very simple.
- It’s very important to follow the correct collection and preparation
method. Read tooth preparation carefully.
- Take care when removing your deers teeth- A broken root-tip may impair accuracy.
- Print or write clearly and include date of kill.
- Please follow the simple shipping instructions. That’s It.
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