Hunt. Age.
Inform. Conserve.
If you can hunt them, we can age them.
If we can age them, we can inform.
If we can inform, we can conserve wildlife.
Teeth Aging For Hunters, Outfitters, and Taxidermists
Need to age a deer or other game species?
Look no further…Matson’s Lab is the answer!
At Matson’s, we use cementum age analysis for aging deer teeth. It is scientifically-proven to be the most accurate way to age your deer and other game. We take an unbiased approach. You will notice that we do not ask any questions about how old you think your deer or other game may be. We don’t want to know. Our results are based on science. All we need is for you to send us teeth from your game, and we do the rest. Our cementum age analysis technique may be complex, but we like to keep things simple for you. Visit: Prepare Your Specimens for easy-to-follow instructions on how to extract, prepare, and ship your deer teeth for us to age.
The Conservation-Minded Hunter
Did you know that hunting plays a major role in wildlife management and conservation? You play an active role in wildlife management and conservation by hunting and aging your deer, elk, bear, and other game teeth. Hunting is much more than filling your freezer for the year. Our nation’s wildlife managers use hunting as a critical tool in managing wildlife populations to ensure that our wildlife can be supported by the environment and persist for generations to come. Aging harvested deer and other game animals provides wildlife managers and biologists with important information about populations and helps them make informed management decisions. We want you to remember that hunting is conservation and to take pride in the role that you play in managing and conserving our wildlife!
There Is No Better Time To Age Your Deer Teeth Than Now!
Follow the links below for easy-to-follow instructions on how to extract, prepare, and ship your deer teeth for us to age.
How Does Cementum Age Analysis Work?
Cementum age analysis is based on the growth of cementum, a hard tissue that protects the roots of teeth. Cementum is only found on the outer root layer and is deposited in an annular growth pattern similar to tree rings. Matson’s Lab has highly trained professionals that age your deer teeth and other game by counting the growth rings. These rings, along with standard tooth eruption schedules, allow us to determine ages. Our ages for white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and bear are up to 90% accurate. For a more in-depth look at cementum age analysis and its accuracy, please visit the following links: Cementum Age Analysis, Accuracy.
Why Is Cementum Age Analysis Better?
Molar Bar Aging
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Ages and Accuracy:
Limited to 3 age classes: Fawn (less than 1.5 years) Yearling (1.5 years) Adult (2.5 years and older) Not able to accurately age above 2.5 years -
Age Determination:
Based on tooth eruption schedules and tooth wear. Eruption schedules are predictable and can only age deer accurately up to 2.5 years. Tooth wear patterns are used to age deer older than 2.5 years. However, tooth wear patterns are unpredictable and age estimates for deer older than 2.5 years are unreliable. Tooth wear patterns can be highly variable among deer of the same age and should not be relied upon to provide an accurate age estimate.
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Accuracy:
Only able to accurately age deer up to 2.5 years
Cementum Age Analysis
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Ages and Accuracy:
No limit on age classification. Can accurately age deer and other mammalian species of any age from 0 and above. -
Age Determination:
Based on tooth eruption schedules and cementum annuli growth. Both eruption schedules and cementum growth on deer teeth are predictable. Cementum grows in a cyclical pattern resulting in a series of annular rings much like tree rings. New cementum rings are formed each year, and accurate deer ages can be obtained by counting the rings and accounting for tooth eruption schedules. For a more detailed look at cementum aging, click here. -
Accuracy:
Able to accurately age deer of any age. Our ages for white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and bear are up to 96% accurate.
Prices & Results
Matson’s Lab charges a minimum of $75.00 which covers the processing and aging of up to 4 animals. For quantities over 4, we charge $75.00 plus $15.00 for each additional tooth over 4. For example, sending in 5 teeth costs $90.00 ($75 for the first 4 teeth + $15.00 for the additional tooth). Visit our Pricing Page for a full list of services and a price calculator.
Matson’s processes hunter-submitted teeth on the 1st and 16th of every month.
- Teeth received between 1st – 15th will be processed on the 16th of the same month
- Teeth received between 16th – 31st will be processed on the first of the next month
The aging process turn-around time is 2 months at which time we will send you your proven and accurate results. For Example:
| Received: March 1-15 | OR | Received: June 16-30 | ||
| Processed: March 16 | Processed: July 1 | |||
| Results Sent: May 15 | Results Sent: August 31 |
Would You Like To Earn Or Win A Free $75 Gift Card?
Learn how below!
Oldest Animal Competition
There’s no fun without a little competition! Throughout the year, we keep track of the oldest animals aged at the lab. If your harvest is the oldest animal of the year, you will win a $75 Matson’s gift card! To sweeten the deal, we have two separate competitions: the oldest deer of the year and the oldest non-deer species of the year. The winners will be announced every March.
Are you curious how your oldest harvests match up to our oldest animals aged at the lab? Check out our Oldest Animals page!
Referral Program
Are You a Taxidermist, Outfitter, or Wildlife Manager?
Bulk orders containing 31 or more teeth are eligible for special pricing!
Please contact us by email: doscience@matsonslab.com or phone: (406) 258-6286 to learn more.