Spikes

[Lost Buckaroo]

try reading this it might help you make a choice. the bottom line is you have to make yourself happy. if you want to shoot him lay him down and enjoy yourself isn't that what its all about enjoying ??

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107579

[canny]

This picture is posted courtesy of Lost Buckaroo.

[WyoHunter]

Can someone break out the picture of the horse? Ya know the one where its dead and someone is beating on it!!!!!!!

Good one!

[Biggun]

I have seen many a spike grow up to be a nice deer and being an Alabama boy I wondered why Texas always preached shooting spikes. From what I have read is that they are not saying that spikes wont grow up to be nice deer but that with being spikes their first year means that they are behind the curve. So shooting them gets the slower growing bucks out of your herd or bucks that might take longer to grow decent horns.

[Coon]

In east Texas we learn at an early age that spikes have 2 important traits:
1. They're usually young and tasty, and,
2. They don't know not to look at the spotlight!
j/k.
Dave

[Speedgoat]

In east Texas we learn at an early age that spikes have 2 important traits:
1. They're usually young and tasty, and,
2. They don't know not to look at the spotlight!
j/k.
Dave

Winner winner chicken dinner!!!!!!!!!!

[Cam-Mac]

Spikes kill all the Black Panthers, therefore if you want to see black panthers, spikes are bad. If you don't like black panthers, spikes are good.

[Russ81]

I didnt open the link but judging by what you said I'm assuming it is the Kroll study. There are studies that show both sides of the spike controversy. The Kerr study was believed and followed religously for years until Kroll published his and people were very hesitant to accept anything other then the shoot all spikes theory. I have personally seen spikes as 1.5 yr olds grow to be 150" deer.

Yup, the ten year study we all helped on at Tamuk had one that peaked at 170" that was a spike, and more than a few even went 140-150" if under the right habitat conditions

I guess it's hard to argue with science, but I am a spike shooter. With the exception of ranches utilizing a strict protein program, I have not witnessed 1 1/2 yr spikes that turned out to be quality bucks at maturity. Ranch and region specific.

But what is quality? If your hunting your own place great blast away, but if its a hunting operation then are you going to pay for a spike or for a 130-145" buck? I say let them go a year or two, if they ain't making the cut then whack'em.

And if anyone shoots a 5+ spike AND HAS THE SKULL WITH THE JAWBONES INTACT, then I'll buy into the whole "A spike will always be a spike" Bull hooky

[johnsonzl]

Exactly, I've seen several examples of spike bucks actually turn out to be something worth keeping around. When asked I always answer that no judgement needs to be made on a yearling bucks potential untill he has had a couple years to show what he's made of. Those spike antlers his first year could be resulting from several variables, especially drought.

We aint in a drought, Kill em...just screwing with you.

[keatonskidmore]

Thank you all for the info. I will put it all to use this coming season.

[shunter14]

Kill all Spikes.

I want to win more deer contests easier.

Rain down on them with a vengence.


Seriously, I have said it before and I will say it again, guys that shoot spikes show us some of your rewards (bucks, dead or alive) and those of us that don't shoot them will show you ours.

Whip it out, lets measure them, the horns I mean.

This!

[Split Arrow]

there are studies that "prove" both that they will not and that they will develop to better deer.

my personal opinion is that if they are 2.5 or older, they are risking their lives by stepping out to the feeder. now, this may vary from deer to deer if i see something promising out of one individual or whatever...

actually there's only one commonly accepted study that "proves" that spikes will never catch up to their fork-horned brothers. All the other evidence suggests that it's best to wait and make your decision at 3.5 or 4.5.

My parents breed deer and I've been blessed to learn a lot about antler growth through their operation. As a result, I feel very strongly about letting spikes walk in all instances. I don't like TTHA, but their latest issue has an excellent article about the spike debate... go check it out!

[systemnt]

76.4% of all statistics concerning spikes and the percentages of them that will branch out are made up on the spot.

Oh, and spikes are just evil unicorns. It's true. Look it up.

[dadojr]

A spike is gonna breed another sike its best to get them out of the herd before they are the dominant buck!but they could(very slim) grow up to be a nice buck ! your decision!

[kyle1974]

A spike is gonna breed another sike its best to get them out of the herd before they are the dominant buck!but they could(very slim) grow up to be a nice buck ! your decision!

and your data for this?


one of the main problems i have with people shooting spikes, is when they drag up their "cull" buck on the skinning rack, milk usually has to be wiped off the mouth of it...

I have seen yearlings that were probably born late, and their first set of horns is poor.

I don't care what a set of horns looks like... shooting a "cull" buck that isn't at least 3 years old is a friggen joke, unless the deer has lost a leg, or some other serious disability.

if you want to shoot a spike because you're a "if it's brown it's down" type of hunter...so be it. It's a legal deer to shoot, you like deer meat... get after it.

don't sit there are try to convince people that your 18 month old 65 pound spike is a "cull" buck though.