EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Just lookin for some outside opinion on whether this spike should be shot.

(http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk331/bosshogg945/spike.jpg)

(http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk331/bosshogg945/PICT0007-1.jpg)

(http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk331/bosshogg945/PICT0008.jpg)

As many times as it takes to kill him. Preferably before the rut!

haha, well just by looking at some of the deer activity i think the rut is cranking up if not already started.

I WOULD SHOOT HIM

Him and all that look like him!

That is a young buck with his first set of antlers.  If you want to shoot him then go for it but if you are trying to grow bucks then no let him go.   Late born fawns will often have verr small antlers for their first set compaired to early born fawns.

I often tell people how many old spike have you ever seen? None to one I would imagine.

take him

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT SHOOT SPIKES I HAD ONE WE RAISED IN A PEN AND WE DIDNT CULL HIM AND AT 4 1/2 HE SCORED 210 IN

My name is john i am going to colloge to come game warner and learning how to mange. deer lease, If you ever get the chance to shoot a spike and if your county lets you take them out becuase they give out bad genes. and your have more spike less big bucks. so if you want more big bucks take him out.

I WOULD SAY IF THE SPIKE ONLY HAS 1 TO 2 INCHES AND IT HIS FIRST ANTLERS I WOULD LET HIM WALK UNLESS U HAVE LOTS OF GOOD YOUNG DEER AND BEEN ON A GOOD MANAGMENT SYSTEM FOR FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS THEN YOU CAN START SHOOTING THEM

Like lionboarhunter pigsnatcher said,  it just depends on the quality of your other bucks,  this is this deer's first set of antlers and he is probably a late fawn.  I used to shoot spikes but don't anymore, I have seen quite a few grow into decent bucks.  Another reason i don't kill many deer very young is because most deer under the age of 3 1\2  arent doing any breeding anyway.  So he really isn't hurting your deer herd.   Just my 2 cents.

My name is {left out} i am going to colloge to come game warner and learning how to mange. deer lease, If you ever get the chance to shoot a spike and if your county lets you take them out becuase they give out bad genes. and your have more spike less big bucks. so if you want more big bucks take him out.  .........................................this is completely wrong and could not possibly be farther from the truth...............a young whitetail buck that has spike antlers will not always be a spike and will not add "bad genes" it is a proven fact that this is wrong...........look at the qdma website for examples........these pics are of a young probably  1-2 yr old buck give him a couple more years and you will be glad you did i promise.
 

Like looking at an infant in a diaper and saying he's going to be a criminal, lots of old timers say to shoot every spike you see.
Well, if you spend a lot of time on a place and everyone shoots every spike you see, how the heck do you expect anything to ever live long enough to be a decent buck? rolleyes

I am a expert deer hunter ;D and that deer is in his first year of life and i would say let him walk to see what he will develop into however it is your choice and the excitment is in memory you make in the field no matter what you shoot.. I heard that once somewhere ;D

I would have to disagree, ONLY if the deer is 3.5+ and a spike then i would shoot, but on the first year of antlers, the deer may have been a late bloomer and didnt recieve the protien needed to put on a decent first year set.

LOL, i figured this would get a couple people speakin their mind.

Let him walk this year see him next year and he is a spike then take him but that is a first set of horns, yes he could have been a early fawn this year but it also has to do with the doe that was breed if she was young that will not give him what it takes to grow the rack he needs for his first year: LET HIM WALK THIS YEAR.

He's young... but sure will be tender! ;D

He must not have had supper yet. ;D

Not yet! ;D

i am ready for alittle deer meat my self i was kinda eye ballin a axis doe today but got to thinkin about havin to clean it ;D

popped one earlier this week, sent it off to have some jalapeno summer sausage, slim jims and some other stuff made.   :) Need one or two more for back straps, jerky and hash.

Been putting a serious dent in my supply of gator tail these last few weeks.   >:D

Depends on what you want...If you want tender meat shoot him...If however, you want to manage deer let him walk.  that is a yearling buck and genetics are only a part of the equation.  was it a late deer, and he didn't have time to stock up on minerals to grow a decent rack?  Did he have access to plenty of good food?  You have to know those things about your area before you pull the trigger for management...

I will add that some of the management ideas I see on this board are about 20 years old...  I grew up in Northeast Louisiana along the Mississippi river.  I had to tell my Papaw for years that it was good to shoot a doe....He would argue with me till he died.  I told him that not shooting does is good managment for trying to restock the woods with deer, but once you have plenty of deer on your property, if you don't shoot some of the does it will affect the quality of bucks you can kill.  He never did agree...Wish I could show him the quality of bucks we take off of that same land today.  I have no doubt that he would be amazed..

let him walk he is young

that is a yearling and should not be shot let grow

we had some fawns born in late august so a late start is probaly just the  problem

how old is he ? how does rest of herd look ? what is you long term goal ?  meat or horns ?

I went to A&M and was in this field as well.

I can tell you this is a topic where no one will agree. Some biologists and/or managers will tell you they are all inferior and kill them all and the other half with tell you to give them a few years.

Young spikes could possibly be out of a late crop and didnt mature....so there are exceptions to the rule.

I think all long horned spikes are inferior and should be culled.

no dont shoott him let him grow if he is a spike next year wack him but as you can see he is just a baby.

My opinion,  Like many others have said you have some people on each side of the fence.

Shoot would be my first instinct but you should also take into consideration the local deer population and B to D ratio.  Most places are overpopulated with deer and proper surveys are not done to get a somewhat effective management plan.  A written lease rule is follwed from year to year and not varied at all. 

Ultimately age and nutrition are going to grow your big bucks.

Here is some good information that is fairly non bias;

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_0828.pdf