I am seeing way to many of these this year!! I know the biologist people say It Isn't a big deal being these same bucks could turn Into great bucks down the road which I'm sure has some truth to It. To be honest though I'd much rather see these spikes and fork's be 6 pointers Instead. 10 years ago In the woods I hunt (my dads woods) I hardly ever seen spike's and once In a while we'd see a few fork's through out the year but this year 90% of the bucks I've seen are spike's and fork's, I'm a little nervous about It. I've seen one decent mid 120's buck that I gave a pass on otherwise I've seen In the neighborhood of at least 10 different spike's and fork's. The land my dad owns Is about 120 acres, 70 acres Is corn or beans (depending on the year) and the other 50 acres Is woods and a small patch of swamp. What's the reason for the big Increase In the spike's and fork's?
il post what i replied here as well. regardless of if it is actually what is happening to you schultzy it may help somebody else. especially the ratio bit, as to many ppl still hate killing does. ok here is why that happens. yes it could be a change in genetics, although that is unlikely, it is possible if your state has a minimum antler requirement which could possibly let bucks with poorer genetics be safe from hunting and therefore saving the poor genetics while simultaneously reducing the good genes. the more likely answer tho is that you have a skewed buck to doe ratio. this will cause more does to get bred during the 2nd or even 3rd estrous cycle. this in turn creates fawns born later in the year. this will cause them to be slower developing but does not mean that you have bad genetics. what in your opinion, is the buck to doe ratio in your area? do you see a ton of does compared to a few bucks?
Its funny you say that because I have seen the opposite at our farm. I usually do see several spikes and forkies, but this year I've been mostly seein 6 pt yearlings. I attributed it to a good growing season for the crops and thus better nutrition, but we've been managing the farm for a few years now and have been whacking several does, and caveman has a good point. I never thought about the late deer having smaller headgear. Whether that is it or not, its a really good thought to ponder on caveman.
I totally agree with what caveman said about the fawns being born late. I would certainly think that is the case.
there have actually been studies on it. or at least thats what i was told by the state deer biologist. the later in the year the deer is born the more likely it is to have a small rack its first yr or 2. im studying wildlife conservation/biology and deer are ona my favorite animals lol so i soak up every bit of knowledge i can.
Yeah, I've actually read several articles over the past couple of years about it. When I saw the post it was the first thing I thought. I also think that was the case with a farm I use to hunt.
X2 with caveman!!! In the last 3 years hunting property in southern Illinois we have this year we noticed the same thing but we also noted the numbers does we have this year and I believe it goes with the doe to buck ratio.. We lost alot of bucks last year to blue tongue and I think we are seeing the reprcution so we tried to help out with the doe problem and took our share!!Walt
I wish I could help the doe problem out and take some out. Tough to do when I only get one fricking tag for the year. Mn DNR sucks!!! Head up there ass's!!:evil:
So, you are saying that our MN deer are runts? lol. Schultzy, At least you are seeing deer. As far as tomorrow (hunting), If its a doe, its going down. If its got bone, Its probably going down, depending on size. Yearlings always get a pass from me. I just can't do that. I can't get away for too many weekends any more. and seriously, its just too dman cold for this now.
If these spike's and fork's were late born fawns the previous year being the doe's got bred late then aren't they already behind the 8 ball In growing compared to the other 2.5's the following year? What makes you think they will catch up?
he didn't really go into the whole reasoning for it, but sounds a lot like what our local DNR guy was tellin us... our ratio is skewed big time, he claimed we were in the 18-20 does for every buck, he also said they like to keep that ratio down around 10ish... he told us off the record that if we wanted we could take 2 does per day to try to thin the heard a little...
my thought is that they are running behind as far as body development. for argument sake lets say a early fawns body matures completly at 3.5. a late born fawn born that same year may not completely mature in body until 4 or 4.5. after their body gets fully developed there is nothing to keep them from growing a monster rack as they can funnel as much protein mineral nutrients etc into horn growth as an early born fawn. it just may take them an extra year. ages only determinaation in horn growth is how long it takes a deer to mature. after maturity that deers antler growth may double or triple in inches the following year, just because it can now divert more energy into growing horns than it previously could
I've got two tags, as far as I can tell, it's just not going to happen this year. I went another day, sunrise to sunset, without seeing crap. When we left, there is a field about a mile away that had 15 - 20 does in it. I think it's time for a change in location.
It sounds far fetched, but studies have shown that in years with ideal conditions regarding habitat and high deer populations, does will drop more males than females. The same holds true for years with poor conditions, more females are birthed than males. I know that 2007 produced lots of forage and cover for deer in Oklahoma. We had a lot of moisture early on and the vegetation flourished providing a great "whitetail world" and I too have seen LOTS of year and a half old bucks. Just a thought...
