Big spike

[Lundy]

So a spike will always have a shitty rack?

No, that used to be a widely held belief. It has been proven wrong with many studies. He may never be the cock of the walk but he could support very good antlers later in life.

Big study on the King ranch in Texas also showed that removing "cull" bucks had no effect on antler growth (genetics) in the deer herd.

 

[Hedgelj]

Lundy you mind sharing that study?

 

[Ohiosam]

No, that used to be a widely held belief. It has been proven wrong with many studies. He may never be the cock of the walk but he could support very good antlers later in life.

Big study on the King ranch in Texas also showed that removing "cull" bucks had no effect on antler growth (genetics) in the deer herd.

I agree that spikes aren't necessarily spikes because of poor genetics. We noticed when our buck:doe ratio got out of whack that the quality of the racks on young bucks went down. I think part of the problem was late born buck fawns still were physically behind as they were growing their first racks.

There is some thought that the PA antler restrictions are allowing the 1.5s with 6-8 points to be killed while allowing the spikes and fork horns to survive. Some think it's hurting the genetics of the herd.

 

[Lundy]

Lundy you mind sharing that study?

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2010/09/22/deermanagement_naw_cull_1206/

 

[finelyshedded]

Very nice spike! There must be some genes still being passed around your area but I think every area I've hunted has had at least one spike running around which i find interesting.

One of the largest spikes Ron and I saw was up at the D&T expo a few years back that actually scored 96"!

Just wanted to add that I remember seeing the big spike there but vaguely(which I can't believe!) but Ron was talking about it at deer camp last week and said it was the most impressive deer up there that year and it was even hanging next to some B&C deer.lol

I remember NAW had an article about spikes and forkys and if they would ever become anything. I believe it was a study or research done by Dr. James Kroll and they had several that became quite impressive B&C deer when they reached maturity, 4-6 years I believe.

 

[whack]

Some think that once a spike always a spike.... But I think it's not always the case....

Your right. The vast majority of the time it's not the case. A spike can grow into a great buck. Like any other great buck just takes time.

 

[xbowguy]

No, that used to be a widely held belief. It has been proven wrong with many studies. He may never be the cock of the walk but he could support very good antlers later in life.

Big study on the King ranch in Texas also showed that removing "cull" bucks had no effect on antler growth (genetics) in the deer herd.

I read that article about the spike study. I believe the deer can grow into a good buck.

 

[Jackalope]

I read that article about the spike study. I believe the deer can grow into a good buck.

I believe so too if given the time. The trouble is the average harvest age of a buck in ohio is like 1.8 years. For example. A two year old fork horn and a two year old 8 point. Does the fork horn have to potential to make 130 someday. Sure. Does he have the luxury of time. Doubtful. Age and genetics play a role in book deer. It's not only can they. It's will they. A deer that is a year or two behind on antler development for his age will likely never see his potential. In that regard a spike will never be anything.

 

[jagermeister]

The picture doesn't reflect the gray on the muzzle he had, and he also had a lot of wearing of his teeth.... Not the greatest at aging hem but after seeing him up close I'd say 3.5 more so than 1.5, he had good body mass as well.... I'd put him at 160 lbs or maybe a little better.....

I'm not saying that deer can't be older than 1.5, but I'd say it's a very slim chance. The wear you saw on the teeth was most likely that deer's "baby teeth." On a 1.5 yr old deer, 95% of the time that 3rd premolar (3rd tooth from the front) will be a tricuspid and worn way the hell down. That's because it hasn't yet been replaced by the new adult premolar, which will have only 2 cusps instead of 3.

It's a wicked spike and definitely a cool deer, but nothing out of the ordinary IMO. I've seen quite a few slunger spikes like that over the years.

 

[whack]

I believe so too if given the time. The trouble is the average harvest age of a buck in ohio is like 1.8 years. For example. A two year old fork horn and a two year old 8 point. Does the fork horn have to potential to make 130 someday. Sure. Does he have the luxury of time. Doubtful. Age and genetics play a role in book deer. It's not only can they. It's will they. A deer that is a year or two behind on antler development for his age will likely never see his potential. In that regard a spike will never be anything.

I find that hard to believe that the average Ohio buck taken only has it's first set of horns. In wv over 80% of bucks die at 1.5,years old but I could see 2.5 in Ohio. There's a reason bucks are bigger in Ohio vs wv. Age.

 

[Jackalope]

I find that hard to believe that the average Ohio buck taken only has it's first set of horns. In wv over 80% of bucks die at 1.5,years old but I could see 2.5 in Ohio. There's a reason bucks are bigger in Ohio vs wv. Age.

We're also a 1 buck state with better whitetail genetics and nutritional opportunities through crops. We also only have a 7 day gun season that's shotgun only. Our deer have the potential to put on age but the average harvest age is 1.8 years. It takes a crap load of 3-4 year olds to make a dent in the tens of thousands of 1.5 year olds that get shot. So many young deer are shot compared to older deer that the older deer can't bring up the average much.

 

[Milo]

All an ohio spike has to do is swim across the ohio river to WV and he magically becomes an 11 point

 

[5Cent]

All an ohio spike has to do is swim across the ohio river to WV and he magically becomes an 11 point

ickle::smiley_clap:

 

[whack]

All an ohio spike has to do is swim across the ohio river to WV and he magically becomes an 11 point

Lol yup.

 

[whack]

We're also a 1 buck state with better whitetail genetics and nutritional opportunities through crops. We also only have a 7 day gun season that's shotgun only. Our deer have the potential to put on age but the average harvest age is 1.8 years. It takes a crap load of 3-4 year olds to make a dent in the tens of thousands of 1.5 year olds that get shot. So many young deer are shot compared to older deer that the older deer can't bring up the average much.

Do that's a harvest age ok. Yeah in wv over 80% of bucks die at 1.5 years old. Oh well people still flock here by the 1000's to kill dinks so they musta found a system that works.

 

[Buckslayer]

 

[Jackalope]

4.5 years old and barely a 130 ten.

This deer was 4.5

This one is is a nice 2.5 yo


So while a spike may someday be something he doesn't have the luxury of time. Being a year or two behind on development is huge when we consider how long most of them survive.