Spike buck debate

[JVasquez]

We discuss everything under the sun from college football to rage broadheads here on TexasBowhunter. I would like to hear some of your thoughts on spike bucks and why they are shot as a "management deer". I will kick it off with my thoughts. I've never seen a mature spike with most at 1yr to 1-1/2yr old bucks so why shoot them? I would prefer to see a management plan that doesnt judge a deer by headgear but focus more on age.

[Daniel75]

Where's my popcorn GIF?

[Grayson]

Good lord

[Daniel75]

It's been proven that a spike can get to be a very nice buck, 160+ IIRC, no reason to shoot a young spike for management purposes unless a 160 is trash in your book or you just want to shoot them for a young hunter or freezer meat. YMMV

http://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/galleries/photo-gallery-from-buttons-to-booner

[zztex]

Really? Omg

[flywise]

You been under a rock

[CEO]

Not sure if serious

[Planner]

Thank goodness, this has never been discussed here before. I'm really excited to hear the outcome. This conversation will have significant outcomes on how we manage our ranch.


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[Daniel75]

Thank goodness, this has never been discussed here before. I'm really excited to hear the outcome. This conversation will have significant outcomes on how we manage our ranch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JVasquez]

I suppose so. Ive heard two different hunters this season mention shooting a spike as a "cull". Just curious what others think.

[bossbowman]

I believe the primary reason they put these "cull" bucks on the bag limit was so as not to overly limit opportunity (discouraging future recruitment of hunters), especially in counties without doe days. With the 13" rule there was going to be such a much smaller percentage of the buck population that could be legally harvested than before in the previously 1 buck counties. Even with the inclusion of culls there are now probably less bucks harvested annually in the old 1 buck counties than before the AR, that was at least the case initially.

^

[flywise]

If you have 10 1.5 y/o deer that are 3 point or better and 3 spike 1.5 y/o deer and you feel like culling a few deer.......kill the spikes.....or a few of the better bucks.....or nothing at all because they all have the potential to break records. Probably best to never actually kill a buck because you never know how f next year is the year they really sprout

[Bisch]

In!!!!

Bisch

[Juice]

if you have enough property to support 100 deer. Doe to buck ratio is 1:1 Average fawn rate of 1.3. That means you need to shoot 32.5 deer a year to stay at capacity. let's say that you have 12 1.5y/o bucks, 3 are spikes, 6 are four point and 3 are six point. Which one do you remove as a management plan? What requirements are you going to set on each age group? You have to decide what you are managing for. Just my opinion

[R.W.T]

They all taste great