I can't say anything about the 4.5 year old spike that you saw, but I have seen the rack of a very spike buck. A buddy of mine shot him with a bow a long time ago. The bases have to be close to 4 inches around if not more. It may have been a state record spike, but it sprouted legal stickers at the tops of its bladed spikes. This was clearly a mature deer. If he were legal I would shoot him before I'd shoot a 2.5 year old basket 8.