Big spike buck

[ArcoCazador]

Exactly, a point has to be an inch long to be counted.

well....to be counted as a point yes but to be a spike it says unbranched and the picture in the book shows an antler WITH NO projections off the main beam. Im not trying to start anything im just trying to learn something

[BrianG]

The great spike debate! Dr. James Kroll did a ten year, million dollar study on spike deer. A very informative and interesting read. You can find it on his website.

[Putemdown]

IMO I don't believe a reasonable GW would count that as a branched antlers unless over a inch. For this reason If buck was out over 60 yards or so and shooting open sights I don't think I could see them

[whiplash]

Congrats on the bowkill

[Chrisj81]

I agree with some of what is said. Some may call it a 3pt or a 4 pt or a 5 pt, none of the branches are 1". With that being said that is a 1 yr old deer that would probably be a 7 pt next year ect ect ect. I do not harvest any deer under 3yrs old and thats when I take out spikes if they are there, inferior deer, in most of Tx. a deer in his 3rd yr of life is only going to be at about 50% of his full genetic potential true ranges are 45-60%. the biggest leap is from 2-3 yrs. Let your mature bucks and bigger sized does live and walk no matter what their size is to a minimum of 4.5yrs old. I like the nicer bucks to make there full potential and breed as many times as possible. Doing so you help the herd, if you kill off all the young there at some point will be no mature!!!

Now after saying my .02 That is your place, do what you want!!! Congrats on putting meat in the freezer

BTW they have 3d targets for target practice

[russcat]

Congrats on the nice spike. Enjoy that venison. Good luck the rest of the season.

[psebowhunter]

Actually, from a legal standpoint, that IS a spike. Just saying..........

What he said, the outdoor annual says the point has to be at least 1" to count as a poit......^^^^^^^^^^^^

[gingib]

Actually, from a legal standpoint, that IS a spike. Just saying..........

AGREE! This is legally a spike as neither of those 2 points break a 1 inch mark.

Yes I would prefer to shoot a clean spike but congrats he is legal and will eat perfect

[bassmatt72]

A spike?
A 4 point?
A 5 point?

Watching this thread for educational purposes.

According to the TPWD outdoor annual that deer might be a 3 pointer? A legal point is 1 inch in length.

[bassmatt72]

OOops, I guess I should have read all the way through before I posted, several have already talked about this.

[coldgas]

Congrats on the deer!!!

Enjoy them chicken fry deer steaks!

[lexingtontexas]

Don't worry! I kill spikes tooooooo..... I don't care how big he may get. I got me some sausage coming!!!
[ATTACH]669410

[EarleyBird]

He may be happy he isn't your neighbor either.
So all spike deer eventually become trophies if you give them enough time? Or do some of them never reach that status only to be shot as a cull (after they have bred a few doe)?

this^


A friend of mine was a TPWD biologist for ten years and now runs a big piece of property in Walker County. He manages it very well and they kill some big deer there. When discussing spikes one day he told me that if your policy is to kill every spike you see, you're helping more than hurting. Sure, he said, some spikes grow to be trophies but the vast majority don't. I'm no biologist, but he sure is; and I'd trust and apply his advice where herd management is concerned.

[Roperyoung]

I shoot spikes (old spikes)

[blzn04]

Well this is TEXAS Bowhunter...and in Texas that is a spike...2pt.... Tine has to be one inch or more to be a scorable point. so regardless of "where I come from" rules. legally it is a spike. That being said I don't shoot spikes until they are 2.5. Im just trying to clear up all you people saying its a 4 or 5 point