Spikes?

[PondPopper]

Much like aging a deer by tooth wear that Kerr study was/is useless. I sat in on the class for two days years ago thinking I was learning important management info only to find out years later that it was a total waste of time. I burned my notes a long time ago.
Just give the Kerr WMA a hard look. You decide if it works.

[PoppinPiggies]

TPWD still encourages killing spikes, on our MLD Harvest Recommendations this year the biologist specifically stated, "Focus harvest on spikes, mature culls and mature trophies."

[Traildust]

Don't shoot does either......

[Forman]

The height of the fence doesn't matter.

Lets look at it another way...

You are a basketball coach and you are able to pick your team when they are all 12 years old do you pick the short kids or the tall ones?

Really guys an age class of 1.5 bucks should have 1 points all the way to an occasional 8 point lets take the inferior young bucks out of the equation. Most hunters will not be able to kill all of the spikes anyway, there will always be some around. I've learned that people tend to believe the first thing they hear (especially if their grandad said it) and convincing them otherwise is futile. I'll bow out of this one.

[joey1656]

In my opinion there is not a reason to kill young bucks, ever. Culling bucks in a low fence wild herd doesn't help with any genetics.

Now if you just want to blast away and get some good meat, by all means shoot all the spikes! Killing deer is fun!

[Smart]

In for the potential train wreck...

[Aggie PhD]

In for the potential train wreck...

These are always great entertainment! And will eventually end up with a genetics discussion........


If you want to shoot spikes, what is your buck:doe ratio and how many does are you harvesting annually?

[Mexico]

The height of the fence doesn't matter.

Lets look at it another way...

You are a basketball coach and you are able to pick your team when they are all 12 years old do you pick the short kids or the tall ones?

Really guys an age class of 1.5 bucks should have 1 points all the way to an occasional 8 point lets take the inferior young bucks out of the equation. Most hunters will not be able to kill all of the spikes anyway, there will always be some around. I've learned that people tend to believe the first thing they hear (especially if their grandad said it) and convincing them otherwise is futile. I'll bow out of this one.

Your only flaw with your equation is 1.5 yr old deer doesn't equal 12 yr old kids. You have no clue what that 1.5 yr old deer is going to do... when a boy is 12 you have a pretty good indication at that age if he's going to be a tall kid or not.

[Jason Fry]

In for the potential train wreck...

Lol, always.

One thought I'd never had that was in this thread was the idea that some 1.5 year class deer could be 3 months younger than others.

[Walker]

Lol, always.

One thought I'd never had that was in this thread was the idea that some 1.5 year class deer could be 3 months younger than others.

If that's happening then you have more problems than spike bucks. You have a screwed up buck/doe ratio.

[DedDuk]

Dont believe Ive ever seen 4 year old spike.

Our biologist says 4.5 on bucks. Period.

[Czechoholic]

In for the potential train wreck...

Wait no more

[Buff]

I hunt my poor boy lease in east Texas. My money buys me 1 buck over 13 inches and one spike and two does. Some years I shoot a spike, some years I don't but the way I figure it, I paid for one so it is my decision on whether or not to shoot one.

[Beargrasstx]

Kill spikes for meat because legally able if you want.

If you are killing spikes because you believe you are managing a deer herd then sir, you need to google Comanche Ranch study and listen to the Mississippi State Deer University Podcast which has several informational episodes on this topic and others.

That guy mentioning killing old does....the downside is older does generally raise the best offspring (health/weight) wise and higher percentage of survival. You wack all your mature does and the herd will see significant changes..... unless your deer herd is 20 to 50 does and not like most of us that have 4 to 10 does on our property.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

[JayBay3405]

Pay your lease fee, pay for corn and protein also. Put out cameras, put up high dollar stands, Pay for gas back and forth to the lease to fill feeders and maintain. when the season starts, Don't shoot any spikes unless he's at least 3.5. Don;t shoot any does either. Don't shoot any rack deer either unless he is at least 7, and you only get one of them, and if its a dry year and you think he will be better next year, pray for rain and wait until he is 8. Don't shoot any foxes, coyotes, snakes, pigs, dove, turkey or targets during deer season as this will disturb the hunting. Please don't shoot any exotics either as they are of limits. Now pack up the crew and lets go to the deer lease and have some fun.