Assessing the accuracy of field-based versus laboratory methods for determining the age of roe deer

Accurate age determination in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) is essential for selective harvesting and informed population management, yet field-based methods widely used by hunters remain imprecise. This study compared field-based and laboratory age determination methods in 204 harvested roe deer, categorized by sex and habitat type (forest vs. open field). Age was estimated using (i) field indicators based on tooth wear and cranial traits, and (ii) laboratory methods including second molar height, dry eye lens weight, and cementum annuli counts. Generalized Linear Models and ANOVA revealed that dry eye-lens weight increased monotonically with age (η² = 0.885; p < 0.001), showing strong predictive capacity for cementum-derived age. In contrast, second molar height exhibited a hump-shaped pattern, with weaker explanatory power. Sex and habitat type had no significant effects on morphometric traits associated with age, indicating that temporal biological processes dominate over eco..., , # Data from: Assessing the accuracy of field-based versus laboratory methods for determining the age of roe deer

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.9p8cz8wzm](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9p8cz8wzm)

## Description of the data and file structure

The dataset was collected as part of a multi‑year study evaluating the accuracy and applicability of different age‑determination methods for harvested roe deer (*Capreolus capreolus*) in Lithuania. The experimental effort involved coordinated sampling across multiple educational and research-oriented hunting management units operated by Vytautas Magnus University, as well as one collaborating hunting club. Between 2010 and 2014, hunters legally harvested 204 roe deer, recording the sex, estimated field age, habitat type (forest or agricultural fields), and collection location of each individual. These animals constituted the core sample set for subsequent laboratory and analytical work.

Field personnel initially assigned ages using standard hunter-..., ,