Spike bucks

[HUNTER2]

I heard one time that spike bucks never grow into anything big. What does everybody else think?

[TMT]

I understand why some people would say that, but if the spike is a early season fawn or a 6 month old deer that grew antlers my guess is it will still produce a good rack. 
If it is a 1 1/2 year old spike buck. I don't think it will get any bigger than a 8 pionter.
My two cents.

[Mayfly]

Biggest load of bologna out there!!!!


I don't even entertain these people anymore.

[JECAMERON]

The ones you shoot probably won't.
I've actually heard that as well. I'm not too sure that I believe it.

[Mayfly]

If it is a 1 1/2 year old spike buck. I don't think it will get any bigger than a 8 pionter.

Not true.

Here is the quick version...

Fawns are your button bucks. They generally do not produce a spike or anything other than a button.

1 1/2 years olds are anything from a spike to a small basket rack. There is a lot that determines this. Time of birth, Genetics, Food Source, Genetics from Father and Mother, Environment, Stress, Over-all health etc....

You see, first of all, does go in cycle anywhere from October through January. Yes some do cycle as early as October and may get bred then. Most cycle and get bred in November but it can be possible that that doe doesn't get bred until January. So with this information and knowing that the gestation period is 7 months you can figure fawns are dropping anywhere from May to August. Then fast forward to the next spring when they start putting on their head gear. Right there you already have deer that are bigger, stronger, healthier, better at managing stress, finding good food and just at a different time period in their life which can affect their antler growth.

There is just too many factors and to dive into them all it would be a darn book and they have already been written.

Do some research on this and you'll get lots of info.

[Mayfly]

Take a look at this.....



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[Go Big Red!]

Nothing wrong with shooting a spike. 

[Steve-o]

One of the biggest deer I ever shot was a spike.  It was an older, mature buck with a thick neck.  I looked at the teeth to age it and they were ground down too far for it to only be 1 1/2 years.  However, I didn't study them to the degree necessary to determine if the age was 3 or 5 or 7 years.

I've read that a buck's ability to grow a full rack diminishes with age past his prime, but his antlers didn't even look like they tried to fork.  They were just straight spikes about 7 inches long.

And I can't say that nutrition was the primary factor because I saw a 10-pointer in the same woods two hours before I shot the spike.  I'm assuming they ate the same buds, grass, and acorns.  Aside from the small horns, it seemed perfectly healthy otherwise.

[22lex]

Way too many factors for sure like MNO says to generalize it to any one thing, or that they will never amount to anything!

I have seen a few spikes in my day, and they have all been immature small buggers.

However, I did see the smallest deer with horns in my life this last weekend. I think it was a four-point, but my goodness it looked like a yearling deer body wise.

[beeker]

there is allot to be said for good genetics. I know a few guys who've shot what they thought was a doe and once they get up to it theres a tiny 2" horn on there.. my brothers looked like it had tiny devil horns on it's head.. weird. those horns went on the neclace of shame for future generations to be warned.

some spikes  are genetically determined to never be more than a spike.. just like I'll never be 6' tall or 180#'s again.

[FireRanger]

Agree....I shot a spike in WI my first year hunting in the U.S. and the spikes were almost 9 inches long and the deer weighed 147lbs.....it's all genetics.

[Go Big Red!]

there is allot to be said for good genetics. I know a few guys who've shot what they thought was a doe and once they get up to it theres a tiny 2" horn on there.. my brothers looked like it had tiny devil horns on it's head.. weird. those horns went on the neclace of shame for future generations to be warned.

some spikes  are genetically determined to never be more than a spike.. just like I'll never be 6' tall or 180#'s again.

That's because you have been living the high life....    and so have I.... 

[Cody Gruchow]

a spike was shot in camp this past weekend and he was in the 150lbs range, fattest spike i have ever seen, his stomach was full as well. lots of grey on his face and looked like a older deer 4.5 or older. 7-8 inch spikes. some say your suppose to shoot spikes and some say give them a year or 2 to make sure they dont develop into anything. but its up to the HUNTER in my book, not all about antlers more the memorys and venison in the freezer....

[beeker]

that hurts red...

think I'm going to go crack one open now so I can feel better about myself.   

[HD]

that hurts red...

think I'm going to go crack one open now so I can feel better about myself.   

Only one? 

[beeker]

I bought some 16 ounce cans so it's kinda like 1.5 beers

[Go Big Red!]

I bought some 16 ounce cans so it's kinda like 1.5 beers

You must be struggling when you break open the pounders.... 

that hurts red...

think I'm going to go crack one open now so I can feel better about myself.   

a little payback for the sporting clays grief I was given...... 

[DeerManager]

Why would anyone shoot a spike buck? We shoot does for meat, not bucks.

[Cody Gruchow]

Why would anyone shoot a spike buck? We shoot does for meat, not bucks.

a deer is a deer in some peoples eyes....i shoot both bucks and does for meat....cant eat antlers no matter how nice they are...

[MnDeerStalker]

Any serious deer hunter can tell a 1.5 year old deer so then if you want to shoot a nice Buck u will let them walk and give them a chance to grow but if it a 3 year old spike I don't believe he is going to make much of a rack so take him out. I hate it when ppl shoot little bucks but that's the way it is. Part of the reason around where I hunt is it is a lottery area so they see a Buck they shoot it no matter the size.

[DeerManager]

I can understand if you are managing your farm or land and someone wants to volunteer their tag on a buck that is old and going nowhere but to use your tag on a spike?

[MnDeerStalker]

I agree with you manager this is a sore subject for me I don't have much private land to hunt and all the ppl around me are the brown it's down trigger happy type so its realty hard to grow big deer here but it is what it is. I don't understand y they hunt that way and then complain about never getting a shot at a trophy and they don't see the point in practicing qdm

[Mayfly]

Amen!