RE: Shouldn't they be bigger?
There are many reasons that these deer, assuming they are the same 2 that have been seen over a long period of time, are carrying spikes.
Age could be one reason. They could have been dropped late in the season and are not as developed as the other animals because they are younger. These deer my be right on schedule for their age, but not the age class as a whole.
Deer grow into their bodies over the course of several years. The skeletal system is the first to mature then their muscular system matures later in life. While they are developing these systems they are utilizing nutrients differently. Each system has requirements that need met and until these requirements are met there is little extra to be used for antler developement. This is a time were nutrition is very important. Being able to provide the devoping body with the best available food will allow these animals to meet their bodies nutritional requirements and hopefully provide them with extra nutrients that can be directed towards antler development. This is were we need to implement land management practices that will allow the land to produce at its maximum. If the land and the forage produced from the land is not at its maximum then the wildlife using the land will not be at their maximum.
A good example of this is where I hunt in West Virginia. The neighbors and I have tried to increase the average age of the Bucks harvested by putting in place harvest guidelines. We try to harvest Antlered Deer that either meet criteria for antler development or body development relating to age. We have seen and harvested several deer that met the 3.5 year old body development criteria but did not meet the antler development criteria. One of the main reasons for this is that we are hunting in a totally forested piece of property and there are no food plots. We rely on mainly native species management. The soil is poor and thus the nutrient uptake of the plants is also poor. Because of this the deer are having to work twice as hard to get the same amount of nutrients to maintain their bodies. When we have a bad mast year this puts them into a deficit. When this happens antler development is poor. All available nutrients are use to maintain body condition so that they are able to make it through the winter. Have this happen 2 or more years in a row and the herd is really behind the curve. We know genetics are good because quality deer have been harvested from this area in the past.
As to removing these animals from the herd based on the available info, I personally would not harvest them just yet. I prefer to wait until the deer are older and beginning to mature. Take into consideration all available info about the deer, the property and management goals when making decisions. If you wish to harvest these deer because it is legal to in your state or you have set the property up so that junior hunters can take a deer such as this, go for it. Removing them because they need to be culled due to poor development at age 1.5, I feel is not a management decision that I would make.
Just my $.02