Do you shoot spikes?

[Dorkus]

In past years, I shot two Coues deer spikes after learning/deciding it was that or nothing (no doe harvest in AZ). The OK rifle hunt will be my first time hunting full-sized Whitetail. A "normal" young spike will get a pass unless it is the last day. Since traffic on my single feeder camera has been really slow, I plan to harvest the first full-sized doe I see!

Good luck and welcome to hunting in the great state of Oklahoma.

 

[TeamTomlyn]

For growing racks spikes under 3 years old get a pass, after that they are a cull buck.

Now for meat…mmm, the only thing better than a young spike…still has spots on it and milk on its breath.

 

[C_Hallbert]

My wife has always preferred does and antlerless deer for eating and she does the cooking: therefore, I’ve declined to drop the hammer on bucks when antlerless deer are in season. No one cooks deer better than my wife! Note (1) I consider spike bucks to be in the antlerless category. Note (2) I haven’t killed more than five deer in my life. My friends have always given me all I wanted (sometimes last year’s meat from the freezer), and I’m not too proud to take it.

 

[KurtM]

And here I thought you ment this!

 

[sklfco]

Curious how the lead slug made a spark on the steel spike.
As for the deer, if it is needed on the table it goes there.

 

[KurtM]

What you all are thinking is a spark is really molten metal, I. E. Red hot. There is mucho heat generated when you stop a bullet, and probably a little spalling of the soft iron.

 

[diggler1833]

I had three spikes last year that hung out all season at one of my stands (well, until Christmas when I stopped feeding).

They were all back (I'm assuming it is them) this season early, and all were forks that are about 10" wide and 8" tall. Hoping that a couple make it until 2024.

Now a cull buck with a spike on one side when there are 4 points or whatever on the other side; I will burn a tag on every time.

 

[JEVapa]

Now a cull buck with a spike on one side when there are 4 points or whatever on the other side; I will burn a tag on every time.

I did that a couple years ago, and a buddy of mine who raises deer (out west), said that's usually not an issue or a reason to cull because it's almost never ever a genetic issue. He said that 99 of a 100, it's from an injury to the pedicle and that they will usually overcome it... he said on average it'll take about 3-4 years, but even if they don't recover, that doesn't mean bad genes.
I followed up with dept of wildlife and they said the same thing.

 

[dennishoddy]

Don't shoot spikes. They are just young of the year fawns that lost their spots typically and were part of the early breeding season from the previous year. They will likely be fork horns or maybe a small 6 or 8 when 18 months old.
The does that get bred during late season breeding season will drop some buck fawns that will likely be button bucks or spikes during the following rifle season as the does kick the male fawns out of the family unit prior to the rut.
QDMA has some great pics of deer during their aging process that shows how a spike can turn into a 12 point trophy buck when it's allowed to age.
Keep in mind.....a mature buck produces almost twice as much meat as a young buck for you so called meat hunters.
What kind of disturbs me is that the Feds are not following the science.
The Salt Plains NWR controlled hunts specify that you can shoot a spike or doe for the first animal (considered antlerless) and then a buck for the second.
That contradicts all the science to date.

 

[PiedmontGuy]

Photo Gallery: From Buttons to Booner

Once a spike, always a spike? Not hardly. This one turned into a record-class deer.

www.realtree.com