Spike buck debate

[Reel Screamer]

I think it comes down to are you going to shoot young deer. I'm talking 1.5 yo and less. Remember a fawn buck born this year will likely grow spike horns in December but does that make him inferior NO it just means he is YOUNG. If you are ok shooting baby deer without regard to what potential they might have then fine don't complain when you you don't see the bigger racked deer.

Now if you see a true 2.5+ yo buck that is a spike then he probably should be taken out of the herd.

Wrong. Most bucks born this year will already be forked. Spikes are usually born late, thus not having the same nutrition that Bucks had born earlier same year. Will all spikes always be an inferior deer? No but MOST spikes will so if your managing for best deer, spikes should go before any others. IMO.

LW

[zztex]

This is getting good

[GTXHUNTER88]

it's a game of numbers, if you have 10 forks 1.5yo and 10 1.5yo spikes those 10 forks are already at an advantage even if 1 of the spikes had the potential to get big it's not worth the odds. On our ranches we let them go though until 2.5 for spikes if still a spike they are far inferior compared to all else. Sure some make it through our sights but I've never had a 5.5 spike on the ranch one 4.5 about 5 yrs back had 9" spike no clue how he made it through the years without getting blasted but he did.

[JW]

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[trophy8]

Good lord

Made it to the second response before I started laughing

[careybirdwell]

Will try to get a pic of a shonuff cull spike killed on our lease a couple years back. Aged 4.5 and scored like 86 and some change. Right side was a normal 5 pt and left was a 21" main beam with a bump that was should have been a brow time but never made and slick all the way out. Under the spike definition this is what I'm looking for but I've never seen one on the hoof.

That is not defined as a spike, that is defined as a buck with 1 unbranched antler.

[Neck]

Year old does taste the same as year old bucks.

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[Sippy]

Kill all of them. State research from the 70's has to be the best data available.

[Philip-TX]

Wait,

This came from and "eight point"????????????

[AntlerCollector]

I've got nothing

[Antlers86]

Wait,

This came from and "eight point"????????????

Joined in 2006 when you did!

[Aggie PhD]

Kill all of them. State research from the 70's has to be the best data available.

Good lord I hope this is sarcasm

[clintb]

I think it comes down to are you going to shoot young deer. I'm talking 1.5 yo and less. Remember a fawn buck born this year will likely grow spike horns in December but does that make him inferior NO it just means he is YOUNG. If you are ok shooting baby deer without regard to what potential they might have then fine don't complain when you you don't see the bigger racked deer.

Now if you see a true 2.5+ yo buck that is a spike then he probably should be taken out of the herd.

This all day

[dustoffer]

Kill all of them. State research from the 70's has to be the best data available.

Sippy--if you are talking about the Kerr WMA study---it is not the best data available. See my post #16 up above.

[Graysonhogs]

Made it to the second response before I started laughing

Me too