Spikes? Who has a ton of them this year?

[careybirdwell]

I small a couple of young spikes early in the season, but haven't seen any since

[laredoarcher]

La Salle county minus one. Video to come later. JJ

[d_e_smith]

I misspoke, I have 2 on camera.

[ground level]

Zero this year, usually see 4 to 5 each year, but not a single one this year even on camera. Someone must be taking them and no one hunts around me for at least a mile or maybe just bow hunters taking them.

[Wild_Kat]

Also in VV County & we've got quite a few as well. Our 1st year on this ranch.

[Encinal]

I misspoke, I have 2 on camera.

Those really aren't spikes.

For the sake of this conversation I'm really talking specifically about yearlings.

[d_e_smith]

They really are on 1 side...one is 8 (used to score about 130 and whatever his ailment is has worsened the past 2yrs), the other 2 (and would be the best 2yo I have with the good side having 7 scorables).I haven't seen a yearling spike yet.

[sako]

Seeing more spikes on our place in Hebbronville than normal.

[Rack Ranch]

Tons... More than ever. Hunting with my daughter last week we had 8 out at one time. All first year deer. I told the guys to give all them a pass. I feel like most would have been nubbin bucks if not for the great range conditions. Need to be 3yo or older to shoot this year...

[Matt_C]

Normally in Red River county on our lease south of 82 where there aren't a lot of crops, we have pretty high numbers. Of course the two reasons for spikes according to a long term study by the University of Missippissi is 1.) lack of good food 2.) they are born late in the year. According to the study, it has nothing to do with genetics or "back breeding". Guess we can take that for what it's worth.

[Stickboy97]

We had tons this year. Let them all the young ones pass. We have a rule to let them get to 2.5 - 3.5 before shooting them. We have other culls to take, that are bigger and better. We cull anything missing brow tines. Monday I had 6 different 2.5 yr old and younger spikes out in 4 hours of my morning hunt. We never see anything like that.

Uvalde Co.

[Dry Bones]

This year has been the year of the spike for us. Seriously it is nothing to say I may see 4 or 5 every sit in the last couple of months, and I was in the woods a lot. Mind you these were not the same herd of spikes either. Everything form yearling straight spikes to a 4.5 year old heavy body. I tried like crazy to get on one that was a 4X1 only to get it inside of 10 yards with my recurve and see a brow tine on the slick side. He was not broke off anywhere else and it was a straight up slick beam. This buck was 2.5, and yes I would have shot him had it not been for the brow tine. Back to the OP though. We have had a VERY large number of them this season and I thought last seasons fawn crop was a little light.
Spikes are a curious creature to me. I have read an article recently that tried to link spike fawns and bucks in general to our tall and narrow older bucks. stating that in late age be that 4.5 or up some known spikes have put on more. Not disagreeing there, but to say that they are the reason for narrow racked mature bucks?? Anyone else have an opinion? I don't mind shooting them if I think they are at least 2.5, they eat just fine. but could this be the same deer that ends up a solid 10 at 5.5 and is only 10" wide?

[STex]

Tpwd says to kill all spike deer you can. Yes, at my place I'm seeing mostly spikes.

[webb09]

Tpwd says to kill all spike deer you can. Yes, at my place I'm seeing mostly spikes.

Have to disagree with TPWD on this. Been on current lease in N Webb cty for 7 years. Never have shot a spike, never see them. Only yearlings as Encinal stated. Come on man, just look at Encinals avatar!! SPIKE LIVES MATTER

[BDR]

I misspoke, I have 2 on camera.

I think you posted the wrong pictures. I don't see a spike in either pic.