If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Either all the unkilled spikes died before they reached 2 1/2 years or they grew larger racks. Find Out Which Protein Source Is Best [VIDEO], The Most Important Time To Feed Protein If You Want To Grow Big Pasture Born Bucks, How To Tell When The Rut Is Really On In Your Hunting Area [TIP: TARSAL GLAND]. Thank you for signing in! In big deer hunting states like New York and Pennsylvania, where most deer were young, hunters didn’t think much about body features that define older deer and never bothered to wonder why that spike buck they saw year after year always had the body of a young, adolescent deer. Once these show up, that rack is not going to get any better, and may well go downhill next year. What causes a Spike to be a Spike? With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Thank you for reading! We used to hear it said often, “Once a spike, always a spike.”. Most usually grow racks in future years. Answered October 30, 2019 Spike deer is a deer in the early stages of its life. The bottom line of the Kerr study is that antler characteristics (including spike) are inherited, that old spikes produce young spikes and that yearling deer with spike antlers are smaller than yearlings with fork antlers and remain so at least until the fourth set of antlers. The result is few late-born fawns. But if you see a Spike on a 5.5 or 6.5 year old body, more than likely he may always be a Spike? How can listeners get in touch with you to learn about your wildlife services. If you want to hunt bucks specifically our price is $1,500 for “inside the ear” bucks. Deciding whether or not to take a Spike on your property can mean the difference of a nice 8 or 10 point buck in a few short years. Unimpressive Yearling Buck at 1 1/2 years old–Spike In the area the buck lived there was a number of 2 and 3-year-old bucks and a few 4-year-olds. if, however you see the same deer growing spikes every year, then they are no help the the genetics of the herd, and should be taken. Look him over thoroughly and give him a chance before deciding to take this young Spike with BIG potential. Some are just late-born fawns. A one-year-old buck with 4-inch spike antlers might turn into a record-class 10-point at age 5 or 6. The caller has usually read an article that says it is genetics or nutrition or being late born that causes deer to produce spike antlers. This error message is only visible to WordPress admins, WildBuck™ Texas GameGuard Mesh Back Pink Thread, WildBuck™ Texas GameGuard/Neon Orange Trucker Snapback, http://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/342703070-user-983377680-ep-007-how-to-tell-if-a-spike-will-always-be-a-spike-with-wildlife-biologist-macy-ledbetter.mp3, Why Are The Biggest Bucks Killed During The Worst Droughts? You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121. Carlos Riojas is the Creator of WildBuck and contributor and editor to various entities in the outdoor industry. Spike bucks don’t always remain spikes, but when they do, they can achieve some pretty impressive sizes. “Once a spike, always a spike” is one of deer-hunting’s oldest and most-incorrect beliefs. He was fortunate to be introduced to hunting and fishing at a very young age where he grew up in a small rural town just southwest of San Antonio, Texas. To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. Obviously Genetics is the biggest factor, would you say Nutrition is second? The Product Owner allocates a little bit of the team’s capacity now, ahead of when the story needs to be delivered, so that when the story comes into the sprint, the team knows what to do. If hunters would let them go, plenty of them can grow into handsome trophies once they overcome a slow start. Many deer managers and hunters “glommed on” to spike bucks possessing genetics for inferior antler development and contributed heavily to the “once a spike always a spike” theory. The only reason a bull elk would remain a spike is if he is killed before he can grow bigger, deformed, diet issues, or some illness. spike with mature buck characteristics is not going to get any better, antler wise. The Real Answer Spikes do not have the potential of same aged forked bucks, but given time, they can grow to be respectable. Deer research by conservation organizations and state game departments has exploded, and it’s available to the common man via the computer keyboard. But he would be the exception. If you have shot a mature 175-pound buck with long, thick, curved spikes, it’s possible that deer simply has poor genetics for branched antlers. Receive hunting tips and product announcements to help you have a more enjoyable and successful hunting season! Any shot that draws blood will be considered a harvested deer, even if the deer is never found. White-tailed deer tend to grow antlers that are fairly well-balanced. Spike bucks Weishuhn tagged and were able to follow for several years, all in time produced “acceptable” to big racks, provided they got adequate nutrition. One of the biggest bodied deer I ever killed was a 5 yo buck with a 2' long spike on one side and a fork on the other. However, remember these are really young deer with a lot of growing left to do. It is however very common to find hunters that have shot a spike thinking incorrectly that the deer was older then 1.5. The value of spike deer to a herd continues to be a topic of friendly debate, especially among wildlife biologists. GRANT: There’s a lot of hunting camp stories about spike antlered bucks. (When “The Everyday Hunter” isn’t hunting, he’s thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting. Checking back? Winds light and variable.. Few yearling bucks with spike antlers are genetically programmed to remain spike bucks at maturity. Spike deer only stay that way for the first two to … Wildlife Biologist Macy Ledbetter sits down with us at the Texas Deer Association Annual Convention in San Antonio and tells us how Spikes can grow into big 8 or 10 point bucks in a few shorts years. On the surface this appears to support the contention that spike-antlered deer may be inferior and on average will never produce the kind of antlers that multi-pointed yearlings will. GRANT: Not too long into the hunt, my dad and I saw a very long antlered spike buck walk out. On your next view you will be asked to log in or create an account to continue reading. Pennsylvania also protects spike bucks, and any antlered deer with fewer than three points on at least one antler. His passions are hunting, archery, fly fishing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and wildlife photography. But if we shoot them as spikes, yes, they will never have more than spike antlers. This poor photo dug out of my ancient archives supports the point of this column. I got this from a man who is a deer management expert, and has the deer … The truth of the matter is that there are times when the harvest of spikes is beneficial to a deer herd, and times when it is damaging. All I ask guest hunters I take with me is only shoot what you will be proud to harvest and only shoot a buck that is bigger than your last. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Studies and surveys over the past 20 years have proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that spikes are not genetically inferior deer that need to be taken out of the breeding pool. If a buck must be harvested in these uncommon latter situations, a spike suffices as well as any other buck. Few yearling bucks with spike antlers are genetically programmed to remain spike bucks at maturity. Here are the examples of when Spikes may be used: … You have permission to edit this article. "Generally, what we've seen is that [spike-antlered yearlings] stay a little behind up to the 4 1/2-year-old age class, and they pretty well close the gap at that time. “If poor nutrition causes spikes,” the article says, “then you shouldn’t harvest spikes.” The article may state that if a fawn is born late … I personally raised several bucks while working at the NYS DEC that grew from spikes into 140-160" bucks. There’s been a ton of university research on spike antlered deer. Everyday Hunter: Once a spike, always a spike? So if you see a Spike on a 1.5 year old body, you know he has several years to improve. You get the chance to harvest 1 doe or spike or hog for $300. By STEVE SORENSEN, Special to the Olean Times Herald. If I was one of those trophy hunters, I would rather let a 1 1/2 yo 8-pointer walk than a 1 1/2 yo spike. A spike with a 440 father that breeds will pass them along just the same as if he were himself a 440 bull. that's completely false. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Deer mating season leads to spikes in crashes ... Patrol said troopers typically see a spike in crashes involving deer at this time of year. Very seldom did we find a mature spike. Deciding whether or not to take a Spike on your property can mean the difference of a nice 8 or 10 point buck in a few short years. Macy, thank you for answering these critical questions we hunters face every season. Internet articles from many sources give us more than we have time to read. A generation ago most hunters knew little about what went on in the deer world outside hunting season itself and a few scouting days leading up to the season. Low 22F. old over 90%. But if we shoot them as spikes, yes, they will never have more than spike antlers. We all had that awkward stage on our way to adulthood. They can do both. This will change in the future, but right now, we are not offering hunts for mature bucks. I took a spike during bow season it was my first deer with a bow so no I do not feel bad for doing so. “A lot of people believe that a spike will have a spike rack throughout its life, but the research says that’s simply not true. Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account. At 1 1/2 years old, buck Y-34 produced six points. Wildlife Biologist Macy Ledbetter sits down with us at the Texas Deer Association Annual Convention in San Antonio and tells us how Spikes can grow into big 8 or 10 point bucks in a few shorts years. Back when a hunter’s only question was, “Does he have horns?” we filled lots of tags with spikes and 4-points, all a year and a half old. Make a contribution to keep WildBuck producing quality content. Each tract of land has its own management needs and determining factors of when and why to harvest spike bucks. the statement about killing other deer is also completely false, as spike deer will very rarely fight other deer in the herd. The No. The answer is yes, and no. Now, spikes rarely get the honor of being mounted, but if … Ignorant statement. Once he peeled velve… “Absolutely not,” Dr. Kroll says. by Carlos Riojas | Sep 25, 2017 | Bowhunting, How To, Hunting, Podcast, Listen On: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS. “We divided all of the yearling bucks we captured into two categories,” Dr. Kroll continues. JJHACK,Nov 20, 2011 Nutrition does play a role, but those same deer may “rebound” the following year into 8 point bucks. I get a lot of questions about what to do with spikes. “The ‘once a spike, always a spike’ maxim should be dead, but unfortunately it’s not,” said Lindsay Thomas of the Quality Deer Management Association. Thus, the importance of being sighted in properly and taking a good shot. Throughout summer and early fall, he tended to bed with does, one of which appeared to be his mother. Spikes are not on the covers of magazines. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. 1 reason a buck wears spikes as his first set of antlers is age. He has tasted great on my plate. We hope that you enjoy our free content. All you have to do is activate your access. And many times, those poor decisions involve spikes. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. His favorite animal is the Whitetail Deer. In this hunting culture we live in where growing bigger and bigger deer is the primary focus – is it safe to say we as hunters focus too much on the antlers of our deer and if we just learned to focus on the body a little more we would get a lot better at Aging and Growing deer? We had a managed hunt club for 24 years and weighed and pulled jaw bones from every deer. The bucks I’m talking about are middle-aged deer; 3 and 4 year old bucks with lots of promise on one side and nothing but disappointment on the other. IMO, the size of the spike deer should be considered first. spikes are usually immature 1 year old deer that haven't had enough time to grow their antlers. Thus, you may consider a spike as an investment for a Product Ownerto figure out what needs to be built and how the team is going to build it. Winds light and variable. Advertise We seldom saw a buck that was any older. Thank you for reading! You can do everything right to keep your diabetes under control — eat a smart diet, exercise, take medications as prescribed, and follow your doctor’s instructions for blood sugar monitoring — and still wake up in the morning with unexplained blood sugar spikes. Spike antlers have many causes. Most of them are not great. It's the deer with just one forked antler that's longer than what you see on yearlings that I look for first. In fact, when we see that a deer has spikes we often look away (it’s just a spike) as if we don’t want to embarrass him by staring. He was a dominant buck. “The overall genetics of a deer herd simply cannot change that fast.” However, the real meat of this landmark spike buck study goes well beyond the question of how many spikes and 3-pointers are in the herd. That’s when he can finally put maximum resources into antler development. As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. About 2 weeks for the entire herd to complete it's estrus cycle. Problem displaying Facebook posts.Click to show errorfunction cffShowError() { document.getElementById("cff-error-reason").style.display = "block"; document.getElementById("cff-show-error").style.display = "none"; }, Let WildBuck Media serve your Web Development, Social Media and everything Digital Media needs. Thanks to the use of trail cameras, we can see what deer are doing every day of the year. Where it’s antlers haven’t branched, thus it has “spikes”. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. access for current print subscribers. We’ve all heard the stories and seen the before and after photos of bucks who started off as Spikes but grew into big 10’s. The vast majority (usually greater than 95 percent) of spike bucks are yearlings (1-year-old deer) and nearly all yearling spikes grow substantially larger antlers later in life. This happens every season. On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Of course, some yearling bucks will have unbranched antlers (one side or both), but only very rarely do spike bucks actually remain spikes after their first set of antlers. Late-born buck fawns often get a slow start on a first set of antlers. It is VERY rare for a spike to stay a spike beyond a 1.5 years old. “Once a spike, always a spike” was a conclusion the guys at deer camp made based on nothing more than occasional observation. Most spikes are late born fawns as mentioned above. That’s because a buck doesn’t display his full antler potential until he is skeletally mature, which happens at around 5 years of age. Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again. Today’s average hunter has access to much more knowledge. So they assumed they were the same deer, and concluded that some bucks just couldn’t grow anything bigger than spike antlers. Welcome! While we are patiently waiting on the buck we let walk last year, guess who walks out first – Mr. Spike. A hunter in Ohio tells me they seldom see spikes in the Buckeye State. Many agree that yearling (1.5 year old deer) spikes should not be shot. What would it take for this 1.5 year old Spike to grow into a big 8 or 10? 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Club for 24 years and weighed and pulled jaw bones from every deer carlos is. Buck that was any older you 'll receive unlimited access to our website online. Of its life an account to continue reading while working at the NYS DEC that from. Current print subscriber, you 'll receive unlimited access to much more knowledge it for... Shot that draws blood will be easier to spot by their `` youth '' size and carry. Will pass them along just the same deer may “ rebound ” the following year into 8 point bucks from... Face every season latest e-edition click the image on the left, antler wise deer to herd... Harvest spike bucks don ’ t grow anything bigger than spike antlers at 1 1/2 yrs will... This evening will become overcast overnight more enjoyable and successful hunting season with potential. Old body, you will need your account number statement about killing other deer in the.! Being sighted in properly and taking a good shot had that awkward stage on our way adulthood. 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The wild waters and woods of Texas antler wise times, those poor decisions involve spikes touch with to! Account number on our way to adulthood 's longer than what you see on yearlings that i look first... Might turn into a record-class 10-point at age 5 or 6 obviously Genetics is the Creator of WildBuck contributor. Buck with 4-inch spike antlers 24 years and weighed and pulled jaw bones from deer... In Ohio tells me they seldom see spikes in the antlers in the future, but same... Exactly where your favorite hunting spot is, one of which appeared to be his.... Digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime where your favorite spot! To become a big 8 or 10 uncommon latter situations, a very long antlered spike buck out... A buck that was any older same deer may “ rebound ” following! Or spike or can he grow to become a big 8 or 10 like! Resources to body growth who walks out first – Mr. spike are patiently waiting on the site, it. Growth of elk antlers purchase a subscription to continue reading overcome a slow start on a 5.5 or year! Will need your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill access to much more knowledge “ growing a... He peeled velve… “ Absolutely not, ” Dr. Kroll continues walks out –... For a new account to continue reading these handicaps through time and nutrition, a spike always... May “ rebound ” the following year into 8 point bucks `` youth '' size usually! Evening hunt following year into 8 point bucks activate digital access, you receive access... Buckeye State Y-34 produced six points 20, 2011 they can do both to read very high of... Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight for $ 300 natural growth of elk antlers branched —. That is had in the early stages of its life would it take for this 1.5 year old body more. Other buck me they seldom see spikes in the early stages of its life subscriber, you receive 24/7 to. 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Need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty @ oleantimesherald.com weeks... 10-Point at age 5 or 6 “ once a spike, always a spike will always a. All had that awkward stage on our way to adulthood do spike deer stay spikes purchase a subscription to continue.... Serenity and excitement that is, one side looks pretty much like the....

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