LKNCHOPPERS

I have a piece of private property we hunt and have planted a nice food plot. I have put out calcium and saltblocks from tractor supply as well back in February. From one stand last yearI saw two button buck fawns that would always hang together in this area. This year they are spikes but their antlers are only 3-4 inches long. The food plot is chicory and clover and has been hit but still provides more food than they can eat. I would expect a 1 to 1.5 year old deer with plenty of nutrition to have more bone. Do you think it is genetics? Last year I saw a couple of 1.5 year old bucks with similar spike racks. This seems to be the norm at this spot. I did see one descent buck once on trail cam pics last year but never on stand. So do you leave bucks with pitiful spike racks in the herd or take them out? This picture isn't a very good one, one spikeis turned around and you can see the back of his head. Thanks

M.Magis

That’s not uncommon at all and really doesn’t mean anything. There’s a large variety of reasons why a deer is a spike at 1.5 years old, nutrition only being a very small one.

kevin1

You're also assuming that you're seeing the same deer each time, odds are that you're not unless they have very distinctive markings.

LKNCHOPPERS

I am relatively sure they are the same deer. They were little button bucks then, I watched their spots go away and watched them for 3 months from my stand. I have hundreds of pictures of them from last year as well.

Robv2007

I would shoot them and get them out of the herd, they will be good next year for sure but I would shoot them, we used to have the same problem by us with all spikes at 1.5, then we had a nice 7 pt 1.5 year old that made it through the season and lets just say he got around big time, now all the 1.5 year old bucks by us are at least 6 pts or better

M.Magis

It's simply not true that there is any advantage to culling out spikes. The antlers a deer has at 1.5 years of age mean absolutely nothing. There's also very little chance that a 1.5 year old deer will do any breeding unless the herd is extremely out of whack. Even if he did, there is no effect of culling out antler traits, despite what some "ranch" managers like to say on TV. That's simply advertising.

WVSPORTSMAN

You are also assuming that the deer are only eating out of your food plot...deer travel all day while eating....I would not worry about it...you are taking positive steps for your herd with the food plot...there is no reason to shoot spikes....like said before...the spike will grow into a bigger deer....Over the years, most of the spikes on our places turn into nice 6-8 points the following year....

farm hunter

I agree with what most have said -
Especially that you cannot evaluate 1.5 year old deer for potential on your hunting property -

Especially since most 1.5 year old deer re-locate in the summer of their "1st rack". Usually more than 5 miles away. Its nature's way that deer do not interbreed signifigantly, so while that spike may well be a fawn you saw last year - odds are that he will relocate away from your hunting property - usually about the time their velvet is shed.

A small % stick around -but there is also an "influx" of new 1.5 year old bucks passing through and looking for a place to call home.

FH

USFWC

Don't shoot the spikes or those with 'poorer' antler growth. That yearling spike could still wind up to be a booner at some point. With adequate nutrition, the genetics start showing at around 3.5 years of age. It is better for rack development to manage for a balanced herd and age structure in the buck segment. Set your harvest age and learn to evaluate taking a deer on that basis, then you will see a much greater response in antler size, I guarantee it. That's what I get paid for.

RackLuster

i hear a lot of people saying you cannot judge a deer by the rack they had when they were 1.5 (spike). i find that hard to believe. typically, a deers rack gets bigger every year until they start to decline around 6'ish years old. why would 1.5 be different?

wouldn't it be reasonable to think that a 1.5 yr old w/ 8 points is going to be bigger at 2.5 then a 1.5 with 2 inch spikes?

what i'm saying is i think a deer's genetics show up before 3.5. i've seen some absolute bruiser 2.5's and some 2.5 spikes. i'd have to say they don't have the same potential.

(this is a serious question, not trying to be a jerk)