That deer in the first picture, the one with"badgenetics",is a 6 pointer and I'm pretty sure he's 4.5 years old. This picture was taken in December this year. He looks like a lean 3.5 year old because he's run down from the rut.

Someone said "they don't believe in the once a spike always a spike". I don'tbelieve that's the case. I do think that a 1.5 year old basket 6 or 8 point has more potential than a spike. At 2.5, I think you can get a pretty good idea of what that buck's antler potential is.

I'm not disputing the fact that age doesn't play a big role in antler development. It does. So does nutrition, stress, injury and I'm sure a lot of other things. But...Genetics play a HUGE roll in a buck's antler potential. There area few peoplewho raise deer around here. One had a160" 1.5 year old. I understand they're not wild, free ranging deer, but that's all genetics. Genetics make a difference in the wild as well.