I respect your opinion, but I disagree. The data in Texas is very compelling and not at all ambiguous. Data from the Kerr wildlife study, studying deer over 26 years, is clear. Recent deer capture data is reaching the same conclusion as the Kerr study. I invite you to visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website and read the Kerr Wildlife study in its entirety.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild...er/index.phtml

Read the pdf article titled "Understanding Spike Buck Harvest". Warning, it's over 100 pages and can get technical, but the summary pages are very compelling.

I didn't say that spikes never become good bucks. Everyone can cite the rare example of a spike becoming a record buck. But when taken as a whole, this is a very RARE event. In managing for the whole herd, one should manage for the usual not the UNususal.

This is not an easy issue, and I'm a little surprised to see a moderator weigh in with such a heavy opinion as to call something a "MYTH" when many biologists consider this area a tough one.

I know my wildlife biologist and several others in Texas firmly believe 1.5 year old spikes are inferior to their forked antlered brethren, based on data, not the rare exception.

I am NOT advocating the harvest of all spikes without some context. I think that under the right management, and if your situation allows for it, it can make good sense.

I respect your opinion and that of the Texas study.Texas is an entirely different region and should not by any means dictate or become the last word on a nat'l leval on the subject of Spikes the genetics etc....etc..

I've read numerous studies,opinions,comments and attended seminars where this very subject was discussed by QDMA biologists from the nat'l down to regional leval.
I respect there opinions no matter what some or many here might think.There is nothing in stone that states all Spikes are inferior or should be culled.As many guys here will attest to many many spikes mature into 6-8-10pnts in 2nd year.

BTW - moderators are allowed to use the word myth.ThE word "myth" was NOT intended to discredit any study on the subject.There are hunters that firmly believe ALL spikes are inferior - shoot em.That is a heavy opinion and a unfounded myth.

I would have to agree that most spikes are born a little late and should be allowed to grow at least another year or so before harvesting them. I harvested a nice 8 point 1 1/2 year old deer this year. Great genetics!!

I also agree that almost every spike is capable of growing an impressive set of antlers at some point in his life. However, major research including that done by the QDMA does seem to suggest that spike bucks overall do not grow as big of racks as yearling 6 pointers. I still would not advocate shooting spike bucks.

So you would let the spikes go, but shot a 1.5 year old with 8 points???? That's high grading your herd. Keep that up and you'll have plenty of spikes to view because that's what you'll be encouraging to do all the breeding.

Even if a spike buck is that way because he was born late, IN GENERAL, he still will not catch up to that 1.5 year old 8 point.

I advocate letting the better 1.5 year old bucks walk, and IF you are able to harvest 1.5 year olds in your harvest plan, spikes would be the ones to shoot.

Kind of getting hot in here, isn't it?

I know there are studies that lean both ways, but I'll stick with it being a myth! And besides, we're not really talking "book" deer here! Just "good" racks, and at times, even high scorer's!
Basically, older equals better! Plus, we're talking mostly about late-born bucks, not 1 1/2 year olds! I don't think that you can really judge a cull before 2 1/2. You'll never know what he could be, if he's dead at 1 1/2!
Along the same lines, I've read were Texas is adding about a dozen more counties to the 13" and forked horn rules, next season! Again, its the "let 'em go, and let 'em grow," theory.

Not quite right on the theory in Texas.

Texas is doing away with the 6 points on an antler rule and defining the criteria as (1) at least one unbranched antler OR (2) 13" or greater spread. I understand the 13" or greater rule to protect young bucks, but why allow the harvest of a buck with an unbranched antler (read spike)?

Because Texas biologists at the TPWD think spikes have less antler potential.

Read the whole debate at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild..._restrictions/

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree! It is certainly a hot, and debatable topic!
I think that you'd have to agree that it would be better to protect the spikes, than the old "East Tex" theory of "shoot all the bucks, and protect all the does!"

I've just come to believe that "cull," is a very over-used word! Some folks wouldn't know a real "cull," if it gored them in the a$$!

Im glad this topic was posted because I was wanting to get opinions on this topic also. I have seen 5 spikes in 3 days. Needless only 3 of them are left. But I still don't know about this topic. I had an older gentleman tell me this weekend that it was because of all the pea's they had been eating. Something that was in them. I don't know about that though.