Spikes? Who has a ton of them this year?

[mab0852]

I've been seeing better filled out deer this year. I know the deer in my area pretty well. If I see one that's just not developing like the others, he's gone to make room for the studs. My heartburn is always when to take the big guys. I want them out there as long as possible. They get dropped when I see a younger buck with bigger potential. My bread and butter is 3 year old 4-8 points. Still good eating, but not destined for the taxidermist. Honestly, I enjoy watching them as much as I enjoy eating them, so I love leaving the best looking/developed deer in woods, while I put the awkward ones in the freezer. Now if only the neighbors felt that way, we'd have some great bucks running around.

[BrokenJ]

90% fawn crop last year, and fewer spikes than ever this year.
We had a handful and are still trying to kill the last few lol #spikelivesdonotmatter
Hf native genetics STX

[Homer75]

We have a stupid amount of spikes on our place in Harper. It's nothing to have atleast 3 or more at the feeder. The place I'm on now, it's either young 8's or spikes, very few between that bracket.

[salth2o]

I havent seen a spike all year. I've hunted a lot in four different counties.

[tl1197]

Have regularly seen 4 spikes this year, but only one of them was an older deer.

[d_e_smith]

Haven't seen the first one on camera even...all that spike culling I've done is finally starting to pay off.

[Codie]

We have not seen a spike all year - not sure why because we normally have a couple of spikes each year

[elgato]

Just got home after 3 weeks at ranch. I was somewhat surprised at the # of spikes I saw. We are directly across the river from the Faith. Good rains all yr. and heavily fed ranch. Gigantic fawn crop, bucks look good especially the younger ones, but a spattering of spikes.

I'm not sure I would say more than normal though. Frankly never pay a lot of attention to spikes.

[webb09]

A few spikes, but more 1 or 2 yr old 4 points. I believe we had close to a 80% fawn crop last year. Could be real interesting in 5 or so years,

[txwhitetail]

I think we have seen 3 this year and that is triple what we have seen in the past normally see 0 or 1 per year on our place. Lots of year old bucks but most are 4-6 pts and a few 8s this year. Our 1 and 2 year old age classes are loaded with bucks.

[louieagarcia]

Most of our 1.5yr olds are branched this year, pretty usual year for us.....however we did see two spikes earlier in the season. They tasted great!

[Adam G.]

I haven't seen 1 all year.

[Coup de Grace]

Covered up with them in Val Verde County.

[roadkill54]

Great fawn crop this year. At least double the number of spikes which is surprising considering the spring and early summer conditions.

[breederbuck33]

A lot less spikes this year for us. We had record rainfalls since 2014 and most of what would have been spikes are forks and six points and even some small 8's. Seems they are making a comeback from the drought of 2011.

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