Here in Maine we have some really big bucks. The antlers might not get that big though.. The racks are lacking what the body size is not.. A spike up here would be the size of some of your folks big bucks in body size.. None the less we have a different situation where deer numbers are low due to the winter months as well as predators. Survival up this way is everything. No doe hunting of anykind in my area. A spike would be OK to shoot if you can get a shot at one. I would rather take a big buck like I have in the past but with our low numbers. You are lucky to even see a nice buck at all. Actually though the big buck has a better chance of making it through the tough winter months that so many deer up here face. So to each thier own if it suites them or makes them happy with it..