Spend some time around pen deer, and you'll see that spikes can flourish. It's not too common for them to become 160 class deer...but it happens.

I've seen a deer with it's first rack (at 1 1/2 yrs) be a 10pt that scored in the 110's. He was with another deer that was a crappy 3pt at the same age. The crappy 3pt was a much bigger deer at 4 1/2 yrs.

I know the pen deer aren't a perfect representation, but they are still the same species.

My feeling is that MANY spikes will be basket racks at best....but some could become nice deer.

If spikes are always spikes, the state of PA will be overrun with spikes in a few years...With AR's they'll always be safe. LOL