There was a post about a spike one year and the next year it was a really good deer. I need to show it to my girlfriend. she thinks once a spike always a spike

Once a spike always a spike

There is this article which I always liked except the fact he couldn't be harvested and died from old age

http://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/galleries/photo-gallery-from-buttons-to-booner

I saw that too. There was someone on either here or a Facebook page that owns a ranch a posted a pic of a spike one year and a monster 8 the next

I'm always skeptical of that bc how do they know it's the same deer unless it has some sort of absolutely identifiable markings?

I see what your saying Sapper and thought about that too. I just don't buy the once a spike always a spike theory. Guess it could be true, like you say it's hard to know a deer from one year to the next without identifiable marking

Even if it stays a spike, it can still be a monster spike!

I remember that, might have been Stx

I would of shot that one !!

The are so many factors that go into antler development, and genetics is only one part. There is environmental factors, feed, nutrition, minerals, etc.

The idea of "once a spike, always a spike" is complete fiction. Used by folks to justify shooting a deer.

While I'm sure there are some deer that remain spikes after the first year, the number/percentage is really, really low. More common - and more correct - to say they may always inferior deer - but even that is not always true.

For example, a late buck fawn may only grow spike within his first year, due to short season/development- but may blow up to a nice 8pt the very next year, and continue to add points and mass after that.

Even inferior genetic deer, with poor nutrition, that are initially spikes are more likely to be a fork the following year, rather than continue to be spike.

True spikes - a 3 or 4 year old - are, IME, actually pretty rare.

I have witnessed with my eyes a spike (with a torn up ear - easy to recognize) turn into a wimpy basket 8 inside the ears in his 3.5 year.

There was a small 3pt years ago at the Mississippi State deer research facility that at I think it was 6.5 scored in the 230's IRRC. Easy to keep up with ear tagged deer in that place.

That's a TRUE Trophy! And I'll be he was THE dominate buck!