Spikes?
07-21-2008, 05:31 PM
#41
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: North Louisiana
Posts: 3,050
RE: Spikes?
ORIGINAL: rybohunter
Poor soil cannot cause bad genetics. Only bad genetics can cause bad genetics.
A deer herd living in habitat that is so poor that bucks remain spikes past thier first year needs a lot of help.
How do you KNOW they were 2.5 year old spikes? Were they teeth aged by a biologist?
If the soil is poor or if the nutrition level is low, which can cause bad genetics,then you probably will see more spikes.
A deer herd living in habitat that is so poor that bucks remain spikes past thier first year needs a lot of help.
How do you KNOW they were 2.5 year old spikes? Were they teeth aged by a biologist?
And what do you think caused the bad genetics that caused the bad genetics? Obviously something in the environment. I think anyone can distinguish a 1 1/2 yr. old buck from an older one. One in my area is going to be small, around 110 to 120 pounds, so it is very easy to tell if the buck is over 1 1/2 yrs. old. You don't have to age the teeth to know the deer is 2 1/2 or older. If you have hunted long enough, which most of us have, it should not be difficult to tell the difference in a 1 1/2 yr. old and a 2 1/2 yr. old or older. Just look at the body features.Now, telling the difference in a 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 yr. old will be a little more difficult. So when I shoot an older spike, I know it's not a 1 1/2 yr. old. The area of course has a lot to do with it. A northern 1 1/2 yr. old is going to be larger than one down here, but if you hunt up there regularily, you should be able to tell. I do not believe in the once a spike always a spike theory, but if a 2 1/2 yr. old buck is a spike, at least where I hunt, then he probably will never be a good buck. He may not always be a spike, but he will probably never have a nice rack, therefore, I will probably take him. I can take three bucks down here, so It's no problem taking an older spike out.
07-27-2008, 02:08 AM
#42
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location:
Posts: 193
RE: Spikes?
In 3 or 4 of the clubs I have hunted in here in the big buck country of Florida (HA HA HA) we couldn't shoot spikes. The outcome is we had a bunch os 3 and 4 points and in some cases spike that were 14 and 15 inches long. In some parts of the world I am sure that you can let a spike go and it get bigger but this is one that it doesn't really matter!!!
07-27-2008, 08:34 AM
#43
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Possum Kingdom, SC
Posts: 545
RE: Spikes?
I let 'em walk. With 20 'either sex' days and 4 doe tags, I have plenty of opportunity to fill the freezer without shooting a buck with any potential.
Not all deer are bred/born at the same time down here. We have fawns as early asMarch and aslate as August. Our rut is verysteady through our season (Sept. 15 - Jan. 1) so plenty of breeding at different times. That meanson the following year, we could have button heads, spikes, and fork horns, all from the same season.
Only problem here is with a5 buck limit and onlya 3" antler minimum, amajority ofour hunters live by the "brown it's down" philosphy. Not a whole lot of potential for future trophys with those management practices.
Not all deer are bred/born at the same time down here. We have fawns as early asMarch and aslate as August. Our rut is verysteady through our season (Sept. 15 - Jan. 1) so plenty of breeding at different times. That meanson the following year, we could have button heads, spikes, and fork horns, all from the same season.
Only problem here is with a5 buck limit and onlya 3" antler minimum, amajority ofour hunters live by the "brown it's down" philosphy. Not a whole lot of potential for future trophys with those management practices.
07-27-2008, 09:06 AM
#44
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Carrollton, GA
Posts: 747
RE: Spikes?
If it's an easy shot and I'm bow hunting I MIGHT wack it.
Rifle I'd let it pass. I try not to shoot anything less than an 8pt. But some times I get twitchy if I havent gotten a kill within the first month or so of season. Last year was a great example. I killed a 5 and 7 pt. last year in one day. It was getting late in the season (haden't seen anything better all season) and I needed some meat so I killed the 5 pointer first thing in the morning. That afternoon I thought the 7 was an 8 (one point had broken off). BUT it just goes to show how being impatient can mess you up. Two weeks later a nice 9 pointer came cruising by my stand and all I could do was watch.[&:]
This year anything less than 8 gets a free pass from me. Lesson learned.
Rifle I'd let it pass. I try not to shoot anything less than an 8pt. But some times I get twitchy if I havent gotten a kill within the first month or so of season. Last year was a great example. I killed a 5 and 7 pt. last year in one day. It was getting late in the season (haden't seen anything better all season) and I needed some meat so I killed the 5 pointer first thing in the morning. That afternoon I thought the 7 was an 8 (one point had broken off). BUT it just goes to show how being impatient can mess you up. Two weeks later a nice 9 pointer came cruising by my stand and all I could do was watch.[&:] This year anything less than 8 gets a free pass from me. Lesson learned.
