What percentage of your bucks are spikes in a given year? In a LF pasture? In a HF pasture?

I wish I was getting some of the rain at my house and lease. Have had good natural forbs at the lease and the deer are healthy though, so not complaining.

I still can't believe so many people think this buck was born last year...I have bucks with half his size with branched antlers, and fawns with spots on them still. This guy is as big as a pregnant doe.

And what percentage of the spikes turn into beasts of typical 12's at 3.5 YO?

It is noted that stx is reduced to arguing feed names and avoiding the fact that does are production units that add more value than they eat over time.

I calculate total feed costs (including protein, corn, mineral,etc) against income each year, and even not culling does yet, I'm still in the black. It doesn't matter if it's nutrena, purina, or generic.

Is there a connection between hating spikes and lost logic??

Point is your $1000 per head number doesn't figure in the overall cost of the deer just the individual feed bill of one buck (if that is correct on your place). Land payments, water, corn, blinds/feeders etc also figured in? etc to get that $6500 ? I would also say a low % of bucks unless small low fence heavily introduced genetics make 180" at 5 and that $6500 range. Most high fence intensively managed ranches selling hunts trophies are now 6-7 year olds.

I don't think getting a buck to 5 years of age on year round protein is anywhere close to $1,000. Way higher if fed year round (like most high fences have to do) and all incurred expenses are figured.

I think your leaving out a lot of inputs but if it makes you feel good and your in the black have at it.

No. You're wrong. The point was feed to reach maturity. I would own the ranch whether I produced deer or not so cost of ownership is moot.

My mature bucks killed last year averaged 181+". But. Even at 140" that spike making it to maturity is a net positive.

Stx got off into the "cost of does" which is ridiculous. If they produce 2 bucks in their lifetime they're a net positive and they produce much more than 2 bucks.

Wonder if that spike and johnny football have anything in common

They both have a stubborn fan that just won't see them for what they truly are and they will both let the fan down 9 times out of ten

The state of Texas says to kill all spikes.

I will start shooting spikes when obama says to.

Cost of total herd would still have to be figured if you were trying to find a cost of that buck when you sold it to determine a margin of profit related to that deer.

I always took you for a staunch Democrat, Don.

Some day y'all might hurt my feeling if you keep ganging up like that...

Some day y'all might hurt my feeling if you keep ganging up like that...

Ha! I thought you'd like that.

Btw all you spike haters, I have at least a couple of spikes each year here. And so far I've never had a mature buck that hasnt beaten 145". So in fact, spikes have never let me down. Now, that knucklehead manziel... well, I cannot say the same for his ignorant azz.