it is illegal to kill them here

Only if they are wounded.. otherwise they live to see another day.

Let em walk. If you need the meat then shoot a nice doe. As for genetics, there have been studies saying there is no correlation between spikes and inferior racks in the future.


The part that stinks in Jersey is that I let em walk and then other guys shoot them during gun at my club--go figure.

Bob

A lot of conjecture here from a lot of folks that have seen and done a lot of hunting. There is however a lot of research that has been done on this topic as well. In the North American Hunting Club book, "Whitetail Wisdom" the consensus is to take those spikes out of the herd as a matter of good QDM. Studies conducted in Texas and Louisiana back up the findings of hunters in the field. The primary factor in spikes is genetics, not diet although malnurished bucks in their early stages of development will be more prone to being spikes. Get the book, it is a good read.

I use to shoot them on a regular basis, now that I'm a little older and wiser (?) I let them walk for something bigger. I've alway's been under the assumption that the spikes were just young deer that will grow bigger if they survive.

If I'm down to the last day's of the season and I haven't put venison in the freezer I might still take one.

Opening morning let'em walk other than that...Lets Eat!

I would rather shoot a big doe but would shoot a spike or two point in a pinch. Can't beat does for meat.

Its a no brainer for me, here in PA spikes walk unless I want the fine. Here in my section of PA it is 3 points to a side to be legal. Before the antler restrictions though we wouldn't think twice of not taking a spike buck. If we didn't take it, the neighbors and locals would. Have a safe holiday everyone!

Deer and Deer Hunting magazine ran an article with pictures a few years back. In it was an indepth series about spike bucks and included were some photos of pen raised bucks that grew to be super bucks when older.....I am talking monsters! I letem walk, I can take a doe for meat anytime.

they walk till the last day then if I am unsucessful with a larger deer they drop