At what age do you shoot spikes?

[EFsDad]

I'm guessing 27, because I'm 28 now and this is the first year I was able to pass on a spike that presented a shot.

That's about how old I was.

 

[MoBoost]

Thats not true... though a lot of people think it, there has been many studies done showing that a spike can turn out to be a great deer but if its still a spike at 2.5 he probably wont be worth keeping around

Can you post a link to one of those studies. The study I linked says that a spike will be an 8-point AT BEST.

I personally don't shoot a buck unless it's "better than last year's". I do take kids and guests that will take first opportunity shot. I do aggressively cull young bucks that are not forked - I do bring my spotting scope with me to be SURE that main beams don't have any extras. I'm also paranoid about button bucks - if I'm going for a doe I'm using my spotter to check for buttons.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Can you post a link to one of those studies. The study I linked says that a spike will be an 8-point AT BEST.

I personally don't shoot a buck unless it's "better than last year's". I do take kids and guests that will take first opportunity shot. I do aggressively cull young bucks that are not forked - I do bring my spotting scope with me to be SURE that main beams don't have any extras. I'm also paranoid about button bucks - if I'm going for a doe I'm using my spotter to check for buttons.

Google it and read up. It’s a widely accepted postion among biologists. From Dr. James Kroll:

"Studies repeatedly have shown that whitetail bucks do not reach maturity until four years of age, and by the time the bucks in our study had reached 41⁄2, there was no significant difference in any of the antler measurements, no matter what the buck started out with his first year. The antlers were just as wide, just as heavy and had just as many points. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in gross B&C score," he says.
Many of the bucks that had been yearling spikes had grown 130-inch racks by age 41⁄2. Ironically, the average B&C score of all bucks killed across Texas each year is about 131 inches.
"It appears from our data that the spikes and 3-pointers are genetically equal at birth to multi-point yearlings for antler growth potential," Dr. Kroll concludes. "It just seems to take some deer a little longer to show their capability. The trick is, you have to let them grow up before it becomes obvious. Genetics certainly is an interesting aspect of whitetail management, and fun to debate around the campfire, but genetics is the least important of all the factors leading to the production of quality bucks."
So should spikes, or, for that matter, any bucks, ever be culled from the herd? According to Dr. Kroll, perhaps in some cases.
"...culling bucks is a very complicated issue," Dr. Kroll says. "In our opinion, instead of trying to cull bucks, landowners and hunters are far better off focusing their attention on things they can do something about, such as nutrition. Today the question of shooting more does is the only issue that generates as much controversy as that of what to do about spike bucks, and that's a no-brainer. We should all do our part in trying to shoot more does. It's essential for the welfare of the herd."


Read more: http://www.petersenshunting.com/content/shooting-spike-bucks/2#ixzz16znAMKuz

If you want to shoot spikes and it’s legal and makes you happy, by all means do it. But this abuse of the term “culling bucks” is just that…abuse of a buzzword. You ain’t changing the genetics of a free ranging deer heard by killing spikes. All you’re doing is preventing young bucks from reaching maturity. You don’t know what kind of antlers a mature buck will have until he is mature.

If your goal is more nice bucks, shoot the hell out of does and let the little bucks walk. “Killing-wise” that’s the best we can do in Oklahoma. Our buck to doe ratio ain’t exactly balanced, and killing yearling bucks is just making it worse. Every dead yearling is a racked buck you ain’t gonna see in a couple years.

 

[AllOut]

I LOVE YOU Ridgehunter... First for saving me the effort next cause u just posted an statement from a guy i really enjoy reading from. That text says things i have been telling people forever, the biggest part that kills me is when people preace genetics about free range whitetail. I love how kroll points out its on the bottom of the pyramid of what make a trophy rack.

 

[RidgeHunter]

I LOVE YOU Ridgehunter...

Bro...that's a bit too heavy.

All that being said, I've been lucky enough to take does with my bow early in the year the last few years. That's always my goal, stick a doe early for the freezer, then buck hunt the rut until the end of rifle...then go back after the does with my bow later.

If my luck on does with the bow runs out one year...or my luck REALLY runs out and I can't get a deer with anything, I may very well shoot a spike or yearling or something. Meat is meat.

But I'll do it because I was hunting, a legal animal walked by, and I decided I wanted to make him die and give him a new home in my freezer. Not because I was "culling" anything.

 

[DownDeep]

If you want to shoot spikes and it’s legal and makes you happy, by all means do it. But this abuse of the term “culling bucks” is just that…abuse of a buzzword. You ain’t changing the genetics of a free ranging deer heard by killing spikes. All you’re doing is preventing young bucks from reaching maturity. You don’t know what kind of antlers a mature buck will have until he is mature.

If your goal is more nice bucks, shoot the hell out of does and let the little bucks walk. “Killing-wise” that’s the best we can do in Oklahoma. Our buck to doe ratio ain’t exactly balanced, and killing yearling bucks is just making it worse. Every dead yearling is a racked buck you ain’t gonna see in a couple years.

+1....Let them walk and grow up! Great Spill RidgeHunter

 

[ignerntbend]

It's presumptuos of us to imagine that we can "manage" nature. Manage it for what? We make the aesthetic judgement that large antlers are superior to small antlers.
Eat when your hungry, drink when you're dry.
The rest is bull ****.

 

[AllOut]

Awww where is your sence of affection ridgehunter?
I just say it cause im secure in manhood
Ok enough with the deep feelings and back to the manly stuff. From what i have gathered there are 3 arguments in this world u will never win... Religion, Politics and KILLING YOUNG BUCKS. There will always be people who refuse to get on board with proper deer management and will remain selfish enough to shoot everything that walks by... Dont worry i have my flame suit on.
Now im not saying everyone should only kill trophy bucks and doe. I understand that if u only get a few days a year to hunt u sometimes have to just take what u can get. But there are still people who have the time and means to put in the effort but wont. To me it seems like lazyness, but those people still want the pride and glory of killing a buck as they pull up to the check station with a 1.5 year old deer....
Sorry i will get off my soap box now

 

[RidgeHunter]

It's presumptuos of us to imagine that we can "manage" nature. Manage it for what?
The rest is bull ****.

Well, we managed to kill pert near all the deer about 100 years ago. Then we managed to kill too many bucks and not enough does after we managed to let them repopulate.

But I agree on the culling bucks thing. If you want to shoot a nice buck, give him some time to grow antlers and shoot some does. If you want to shot a little buck, BANG! Make your decision and don't be ashamed at all. A deer is a deer, so long as it's legal.

I think it's great people want more nice bucks. With the heard as out of balance as it is in many areas, we need that. But you don't get lots of nice bucks by shooting lots of little bucks. That doesn't make any sense. If you're interested in improving your odds at seeing racked bucks, shoot does and let young bucks walk. It's basic stuff. Every young buck killed will never have the chance to be big.

If you don't care about that, and it's legal, shoot all the yearlings and spikes you're allowed if you enjoy it! But it ain't making your buck hunting any better, it's probably making it worse.

 

[ignerntbend]

Ackcherly, I do let the little bucks walk, but its only because I'm old and tired. It's also because I'm an ******* who is both fat and happy.
I'm a part of nature myself.