Shooting Spikes

[Gumbo Man]

I’m sure it has been discussed over and over and over again. But I’m bored and seeking knowledge. If shooting spikes is a good management practice why do I never see a 2 1/2 year old spike after seeing 3 or 4 yearling spikes the year before? Could it actually be a fawn that didn’t get enough nutrition the first year after birth and didn’t branch into something other than a spike. It seems that a lot of buck deer get taken out prematurely for about 30 lbs of deboned meat.

There was a deer named Dezi that was pen raised in the late 60s in Texas that was orphaned and he was a 3 point his first set of antlers. Given everything he needed nutrition wise he grew beyond 200” non-typical over his lifetime. Just something to think about.

[Smart]

In for the 1000+ post argument....and to watch the trainwreck

[Bisch]

Yep! Got my popcorn!

Bisch


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[Mule Skinner]

It all depends.

[oktx]

It's all part of the plan...

[hogslayer78]

[lovetohunt]

Popcorn is ready. We do not shoot young spikes. We do not seem to have a problem with older (greater than 2.5yo) spikes. But we will see yearling spikes and who would want to shoot a yearling spike. What we have been seeing is young typical 12 pointers.

[RascalArms]

IN to see the carnage when this one goes off the rails.

[Throwin Darts]

I’m just here to see who thinks they can change low fence genetics with a rifle and bow

[jjaimes]

Everyone has a different approach to this. I went to a high fence ranch last season and they allowed us to shoot spikes as culls. However there were some that they would watch and said to not shoot just because they were yearlings that could possibly have potential. They would look at the body and antler size on those deer to determine if they were passable spikes. They guide said he worked at another ranch where they didn’t shoot spikes but at this ranch had the green light to do in their management program. He says it’s all preference depending on the ranch. Also one thing I forgot to mention. Some high fence ranches will shoot spikes in their management program to also help reduce the numbers for feeding purposes.

[stickman]

I’ve been on places that shoot them and some don’t. I personally would hate to shoot any buck less than 4.5 simply to give that deer an opportunity to show their true potential. Only case I could see where it would be necessary is reducing numbers to alleviate pressure on the property/feed bill to sustain an acceptable amount of nutrition for the herd.

[jomw10]

There was a study that has been misquoted a million times. The quote goes something like “once a spike, always a spike” . That statement was never in the study. Their actual conclusion was something like a spike will have greater probability of having a smaller rack than a 1 1/2 year old 4+ point deer.
There are great bucks that were spikes and not so great bucks that were 4+ pointers.

[flywise]

They eat good

[Mexico]

in for the 1000+ post argument....and to watch the trainwreck

x 2

[Traildust]

We shoot every spike we see. We don't see many mature bucks.