Spikes! Should they be shot?
02-25-2006 | 02:39 PM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2005
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From:
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
To broaden your perspective, try consulting a true wilflife professional such as Dr. James Kroll or Larry Weishum. I have never met Weishum, but I started out in college as a forestry major and took a class from Kroll in 1988. I am sure he still offices at the SFASU School of Forestry and can probably be reached there.
I will offer my perspective that I use on my place in east Texas. I will not shoot a spike under 2.5 years period!
I will offer my perspective that I use on my place in east Texas. I will not shoot a spike under 2.5 years period!
02-25-2006 | 05:41 PM
#12
Joined: Feb 2006
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From:
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
Being from South Texas and having done research on this including speaking to Dr. Kroll several times and knowing one of his students very well. I think it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Knowing that you are probably looking for bigger better deer and not MORE deer. If a buck deer has antlers protruding through the skin and one or both sides do not have a fork MEANING of ANY TYPE whether a G-1 location or higher on the antler it should be harvested. Now this may not be the most popular answer but you can look up the research at Kerr Wildlife Management Area to see the results under optimum conditions being fed 16% protein and also 8% protein. This research takes place over a 30 year period and is very conclusive. They should be removed from the herd regardless of age. A scientific controlled research facility is dificult to argue with. People in other states are going to have trouble understanding this because they do not have the quantityof animals to deal with notice I said Quantity not Quality. The reason for this emphasis is that yes some may become a nice 130 class eight point but overall they will not so you increase your odds by taking them out of competition for food and other essential elements that some of the other bucks wil take their place and become a true MUY GRANDE. [8D]
02-25-2006 | 06:33 PM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,939
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From: a van down by the river
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
I like to see most of the spikes harvested. The ones I have seen around here have not matured into the kind of deer that the ones that have had 4, 6, and 8 points have. With as large a deer population as we have, we need to harvest a lot of does and some immature bucks.
02-25-2006 | 06:51 PM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,919
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From: Wilmington NC
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
i have never had a problem with old spikes around here and i have a few basket racks round here ( i try to save em but the huntin club next to us shoots them all)[:@]but i have a lot of 1 yr old spikes that i let go that are 6 to8 points next year so it depends
02-26-2006 | 12:25 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 26
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RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
Why I never thought of Kerr Wildlife Management, I have no idea. I have a good friend that did some work there. I personaly agree with what you said, but I always like to here what others have to say on matters such as this. Thank you for your imput. Where are you located.
ORIGINAL: pfa
Being from South Texas and having done research on this including speaking to Dr. Kroll several times and knowing one of his students very well. I think it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Knowing that you are probably looking for bigger better deer and not MORE deer. If a buck deer has antlers protruding through the skin and one or both sides do not have a fork MEANING of ANY TYPE whether a G-1 location or higher on the antler it should be harvested. Now this may not be the most popular answer but you can look up the research at Kerr Wildlife Management Area to see the results under optimum conditions being fed 16% protein and also 8% protein. This research takes place over a 30 year period and is very conclusive. They should be removed from the herd regardless of age. A scientific controlled research facility is dificult to argue with. People in other states are going to have trouble understanding this because they do not have the quantityof animals to deal with notice I said Quantity not Quality. The reason for this emphasis is that yes some may become a nice 130 class eight point but overall they will not so you increase your odds by taking them out of competition for food and other essential elements that some of the other bucks wil take their place and become a true MUY GRANDE. [8D]
Being from South Texas and having done research on this including speaking to Dr. Kroll several times and knowing one of his students very well. I think it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Knowing that you are probably looking for bigger better deer and not MORE deer. If a buck deer has antlers protruding through the skin and one or both sides do not have a fork MEANING of ANY TYPE whether a G-1 location or higher on the antler it should be harvested. Now this may not be the most popular answer but you can look up the research at Kerr Wildlife Management Area to see the results under optimum conditions being fed 16% protein and also 8% protein. This research takes place over a 30 year period and is very conclusive. They should be removed from the herd regardless of age. A scientific controlled research facility is dificult to argue with. People in other states are going to have trouble understanding this because they do not have the quantityof animals to deal with notice I said Quantity not Quality. The reason for this emphasis is that yes some may become a nice 130 class eight point but overall they will not so you increase your odds by taking them out of competition for food and other essential elements that some of the other bucks wil take their place and become a true MUY GRANDE. [8D]
02-26-2006 | 08:20 PM
#17
Site Buck Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,922
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From: Racine, Wisconsin
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
ORIGINAL: wihunter32
spikes are a symptom of a greater problem such as overpopulation or high stress and rarely due to genes.
spikes are a symptom of a greater problem such as overpopulation or high stress and rarely due to genes.
02-28-2006 | 05:34 PM
#18
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 730
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From: Roanoke, VA
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
I don't buy that spikes are a result of overpopulation in my part of the woods. Here where I hunt the majority of 1.5 year old deer are spikes or forkhorns. And, we definitely don't have overpopulation problems. We have about 25 deer per square mile. And, we have mixed woodlots, brushy clearcut areas, and grassland.
The best buck I've seen around here in 30 years might have scored 150 at most, and was a ten pointer. And, he was at least 4.5 years old as I watched him grow up on a neighbors farm. Most of the 2.5 year old deer we kill would not score 100 points. But, I am trying to give them some better nutrition to hopefully remedy this, and let them get a little older.In our area there is not a great potential for big trophy bucks like you see on T.V.
The best buck I've seen around here in 30 years might have scored 150 at most, and was a ten pointer. And, he was at least 4.5 years old as I watched him grow up on a neighbors farm. Most of the 2.5 year old deer we kill would not score 100 points. But, I am trying to give them some better nutrition to hopefully remedy this, and let them get a little older.In our area there is not a great potential for big trophy bucks like you see on T.V.
03-16-2006 | 11:17 AM
#20
Typical Buck
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 600
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From: Caddo Mills, TX
RE: Spikes! Should they be shot?
KIll them......The State of Texas has been researching this for the last 20 to 30 years. They have duplicated drought conditions, they have duplicated late births, they have duplicated it all and the results show that spikes need to die. Here is a link to the research. Read this and then let me know everyones opinion. My bet will be that a lot more spikes die....
-john
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/game_management/deer/index.phtml
-john
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/game_management/deer/index.phtml