spike bucks
07-03-2007, 11:53 AM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: down in a hole
Posts: 1,441
RE: spike bucks
my cousin neal recently harvested amature spike (about 11 inches and 5 1/2 yrs old). im not sure if hes made offspring, but im prepared to take them out. i also shot a 6 pt. last yr about 6 yrs old and 210 lbs. his brow tines were shorter than an inch! but his main beams and T1 tines are enormous. his spread is barely outside each ear. my guess is not genes, i think its because of malnutrition.
07-04-2007, 04:06 AM
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fulton county IL USA
Posts: 4,271
RE: spike bucks
I believe modern whitetail science has consistently shown us that spikes do NOT need to be "culled". As mentioned by many of the educated sportsman above, the vast majority of spikes are simply yearling bucks and , like ANY yearling buck, they simply should NOT be shot. I have never seen a "mature" spike in my life!
07-04-2007, 04:28 AM
#16
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,454
RE: spike bucks
I have never seen a "mature" spike in my life!
07-04-2007, 07:39 AM
#17
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: spike bucks
ORIGINAL: IL-Cornfed
I believe modern whitetail science has consistently shown us that spikes do NOT need to be "culled". As mentioned by many of the educated sportsman above, the vast majority of spikes are simply yearling bucks and , like ANY yearling buck, they simply should NOT be shot. I have never seen a "mature" spike in my life!
I believe modern whitetail science has consistently shown us that spikes do NOT need to be "culled". As mentioned by many of the educated sportsman above, the vast majority of spikes are simply yearling bucks and , like ANY yearling buck, they simply should NOT be shot. I have never seen a "mature" spike in my life!
07-04-2007, 05:53 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Posts: 1,401
RE: spike bucks
The jury is out, however there are some studies that show that even a yearling spike has bad genetics and may need to be culled.
MOST yearling bucks will actually be 6 pointers and genetically will generally grow to have larger antlers than a yearling spike will over the rest of their lifetime. (Based on actual studies, not antectodal observations).
Here's a quote from a study. (I added the bold emphasis)
Here's a summary of one of the studies - http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/land/wildlife_management/deer/spikes_not_inferior/
MOST yearling bucks will actually be 6 pointers and genetically will generally grow to have larger antlers than a yearling spike will over the rest of their lifetime. (Based on actual studies, not antectodal observations).
Here's a quote from a study. (I added the bold emphasis)
In all cases, the fork group is greater than the spike group, and ranges from 6.7%-15.2% advantage for main beam spread; 13.1%-54.4% for main beam length; 13.5%-22.4% for basal circumference; 12.9%-108.3% for total points; 31.3%-125.6% for total antler weight; and 10.2%-15.3% for live body weight. It is difficult to understand how this data can be interpreted to prove that there is no difference between spike and fork-sired deer on the one hand and to state that only 20% of the spikes are inferior and 80% "will likely develop into decent bucks if allowed to grow to maturity." If you will review the tables carefully, they will reveal that in almost all cases, the fork group was equal or better at 3.5 years than the spike group at 4.5 years.
07-05-2007, 04:42 AM
#20
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 389
RE: spike bucks
ORIGINAL: Phil from Maine
It depends also on where you are hunting as up this way a yearly spike can reach up to 130 punds dressed if eating the right food. Also up this way we have no antlerless deer permits as the deer numbers do not allow it. So a spike is better shooting then a doe and it leaves an adult buck to breed and pass his genes on. Some of the yearlings will make for another year while some will become coyote food.. Our winters have been getting milder and if this cotinues the deer once again will start gaining a better foot hold. Maybe then the antler issue will get looked at, but for now 1 deer a year with antlers is all allowed in this area..
It depends also on where you are hunting as up this way a yearly spike can reach up to 130 punds dressed if eating the right food. Also up this way we have no antlerless deer permits as the deer numbers do not allow it. So a spike is better shooting then a doe and it leaves an adult buck to breed and pass his genes on. Some of the yearlings will make for another year while some will become coyote food.. Our winters have been getting milder and if this cotinues the deer once again will start gaining a better foot hold. Maybe then the antler issue will get looked at, but for now 1 deer a year with antlers is all allowed in this area..
