Heard Something interesting and want some opinions.

Not going to say who I heard it from, no one on here, but i was told that a spike buck has poor genetics. Any truth to this or was the person i heard this from blowing smoke out their hind end?

 

Smoke blower ! !

 

That makes no sense. Blowing major smoke!

 

They do. Kill and burger him.

 

can't say i heard that before

good idea

 

Total balogna.

 

sounds like BS to me. however, it really depends on the age. My dad has never been a trophy hunter, even though he has shot more big bucks than i have, but quite a few years ago he shot a fork buck that field dressed over 200lbs. my best guess on age after looking at the teeth was that it was a 5 year old. I'm not a big believer in cull bucks but i was glad to have that one out of the herd.

 

Yea i have heard that too. Some one told me once a spike they will always be a spike never get bigger which i think is wrong

 

We would see a ton more "mature" spikes if this was the case.

 

If that were the case I would have tons of old deer with spikes. Lol. I see spiked deer every year and they are always real young. Never have I seen a spike at 2 years old. Wait I mean 2.5 years old.

 

I think it would be kinda cool to see a 6 year old buck with spikes haha

 

Deer and Deer hunting magazine did a study on this subject. They tracked deer through life, at 1 year old they broken them into deer with less than 8 points and deer with 8 point or more. By the time they reached 4 the score average between the two categories was minimal if any. A spike can be a spike for many reasons in the first year of life, late fawn the year prior, mother killed early in season and bullied out of feeding areas, harsh winter, ect. Any buck needs time to show it's potential, once its 3 and is a spike without showing injury, then it's a genetic problem.

 

I've heard the same thing not too long ago. I didn't put much weight in the statement even though I have total respect for the person that said it.

 

Blowing smoke if we are talking about a young deer.

 

Check out this article, it may help you make up your mind.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_lf_w7000_0247.pdf

 

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_lf_w7000_0247.pdf[/QUOTE]

This is a very Good article I will have to think on this.

 

Not true. Many factors affect antler growth. Genetics is just one factor. Studies debunk this old wise tail.


Semper Fi !

 

Yup I've heard this before and the article says it all.

 

This article is from 1984! Do you realize how much scientific research of deer has improved since 1984? Read some of Charlie Alschiemer's research. He is one of the counties most respected deer researchers. In 1984 deer management as recomended by state agencies also included not killing does and look at our buck to doe ratios in most states now. Good deer managers now understand the importance of removing an appropriate number of does out of the heard in order to balance the herd and produce better quality bucks.


Semper Fi !

 

I've heard it but don't know what I believe. I am really not a firm believer of this yet and don't know that I will be until I get a lot more data. Nutrition (mast/crops/amount of siblings born with), birthing date, local genetics, and so much more are components that can effect this. If the deer is 2 1/2 and is a spike then yes it must go. You continually hear about having minerals and crops around for deer to reach max scoring potential. You have to understand that this is inversely true as well.