BeezVT Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 I have killed 2 spikes this year, both are mature deer (3-4 year). I have heard that, but I was just wondering if it is true. Anyone have any idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andrea Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Never heard that before. Welcome to RT!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southerngirl Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 I have heard that before but I don't know if there is any truth to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Welcome to the forums! To my knowledge, that was what the bioligists thought a couple decades back(at least from what my dad has told me). That theory has since been proved wrong. Many 1 1/2 year old deer will be spikes that just didnt develop brows or forks. A lot of times this will be deer that were born later than they should've been the year before. Hope this is accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Welcome to the forums! To my knowledge, that was what the bioligists thought a couple decades back(at least from what my dad has told me). That theory has since been proved wrong. Many 1 1/2 year old deer will be spikes that just didnt develop brows or forks. A lot of times this will be deer that were born later than they should've been the year before. Hope this is accurate. I agree Welcome to the RealTree Forums. "Once a spike, always a spike", is an old wives tale. On extremely rare occasions, you will find a mature deer sporting a real nice set of spikes, and genetically flawed that way, but that is very rare. I shot one once that was probably 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 years old, but that is the only spike I have seen in all my 54 years of hunting, that was older than 1 1/2 years of age. I think that old saying "once a spike, always a spike" came from Europe, and pertained only to Roe Deer, but somehow got carried to North America, by those who didn't know better. I sure wish it would disappear off the lips of all North American Hunters...LOL I hunt Blacktail Deer, and at 1 1/2 years old, most(90%) of all young bucks sport a spike rack. It's not until they are 2 1/2 years old that you can start to see their true potential. The odd time, you will see an early born fawn-buck, sporting a very small, barely showing set of spikes. I can guarantee you, that every one of those spikes you shot, were no more than 1 1/2 years old. If you don't believe me, then listen to these Biologists ...please PAGE #1 http://www.huntingmag.com/big_game/spike_090607/ PAGE #2 http://www.huntingmag.com/big_game/spike_090607/index1.html Again, welcome to the forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Welcome to the forums! To my knowledge, that was what the bioligists thought a couple decades back(at least from what my dad has told me). That theory has since been proved wrong. Many 1 1/2 year old deer will be spikes that just didnt develop brows or forks. A lot of times this will be deer that were born later than they should've been the year before. Hope this is accurate. Read an article a few years ago that said the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NS whitetail Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 welcome to the forums don't believe that for a minute, all the spikes I have ever seen or shot were young deer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Welcome to the forums. Dr Kroll did a segment on this topic a few years back that was pretty interesting. The idea that once a spike always a spike has been proven to not be the case despite some folks claiming it so. Kroll actually showed trophy caliber racks from deer that had once been spikes in the segment I saw. Spikes here are usually small or younger 1.5 year olds, and they are kind of scarce, might see one a year between time in the field and trail cam pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 We've had deer in my part of the country that have just one antler, the other, nothing has grown or anything. Me and several others are trying to cull them out but some of them get to be pretty old lik 7 or 8 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 We've had deer in my part of the country that have just one antler, the other, nothing has grown or anything. Me and several others are trying to cull them out but some of them get to be pretty old lik 7 or 8 or so. Have you ever thought, that maybe, just maybe, they lost the other side of their antlers in a fight, or while still in velvet ??? You shouldn't be culling them bucks for that reason ...sorry, but, that's just plain silly:rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 there is hair where the other antler should be. No place where an antler has been or tried to grow at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 there is hair where the other antler should be. No place where an antler has been or tried to grow at all. Well that very well could happen to a buck that is 7,8, 9 years old. Or at least i would think that is possible. Do yall find a lot of younger bucks like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinch314 Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 yes like three or four of them so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted November 26, 2007 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Well if they havent tried to grow an antler, it would make me think it is related to genetics. Might need to talk to a biologist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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