This has probably already been posted i just couldnt find it on here, but today while i was at the Barber Shop I saw the November issue of North American whitetail and found this article in it

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/huntingtactics/NAW_nutrition_1109/index.html

My brother recently had a run in with our neighbor over the fact we refuse to shoot yearling spikes. I had done my research and came to the conclusion that it was not going to benefit us to shoot them. Now don't get me wrong if I see an older spike he will get a dirt nap no doubt. However not a yearing spike. Now we haven't been seeing as many spikes over the years since he bought his place however I also thing the number of bucks overall is lower (obviously). What intrigued me about this article was the fact our neighbor specifically said he did his management of spikes based of the Kerr Wildlife program, which Dr. Kroll specifically calls out in this article.

Any thoughts?

NOTE: Also, my brother reminded me to point out our neighbor also shoots any yearling with less than 6 points because he considers them "[censored] heads".

I don't shoot yearling spikes either.

I kill the hell out of them on one ranch and on my other I protect them as if they were endangered.

Generalizations are usually never a good policy. Too many variables to consider.

I won't argue if one philosophy is better than the other, but at the end of the day pic a program and implement it and stick to it. No matter if you choose to shoot spikes or let them live or shoot does by the hundreds you will not see the fruits of your labor for five year, one generation. Both will produce the result you want this I know......but it does take time!

Don't shoot your yearling bucks. To much research out there showing that yearling bucks may or may not exhibit their potential (mini version) rack quality with their 1st set of antlers. Factors like range condition, whether they were born later in the year, etc etc. Spikes at 2.5 or older are okay to shoot in my book.

I agree

That's my philosophy too. Unfortunately, many hunters are so woefully inept at field judging a deer's age that they'll probably confuse a spike with his first set of antlers with another that's on his second set. About the best way I've found to tell the inexperienced hunter how to judge a spike is to compare the body size to the average doe. If the spike's body size is equal to or smaller than the average doe, he's probably really young. If he's bigger than all of the does, he's probably 2.5. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.

i shoot every spike i see...well as long as i still have a tag anyway. just the way i feel. when there are other deer the same age that are 6pnt and 8pt deer, then why keep a spike??? that and the spikes are legal and good meat.

Why, because its been proven that a spike can grow up to be just as big as the small 6 and 8 point yearling. Again certain variables need to be considered for everyones situation. Plus years like this with draught its not a good idea to cull some of the "inferior" dear because it may just be due to a bad antler growth season. I know if we killed all our "culls" this year we would have no bucks.

no i just shoot em cuz i want... i dont buy into all this agin and all that. the way i see it, if it has nice horns and u like it. lay it over...but i dont hunt on some big fancy pants ranch with all kinda rules.

There is a reason for that, and I assure u it isn't money. Dont whine about others taking great bucks when u can't lay off the triigger no matter where u hunt. LMAO

how am i whinin about people taking great bucks??

ill give them an extra year see if the antlers come in or not

With out a doubt.

Banjo music, moonshine and poor ventilation in mobile homes has an effect on the brain over time.

im just sayin, my uncle hunts on the king ranch. if he shoots a deer that is too young or some other rule, it could void his lease, i go out to one of our places and shoot what i want. only rules i have to follow are the state of texas'


and i dont play a banjo, and i dont live in a mobile home lol, well maybe i do during the summer and when i go hunting.


just cuz i dont do a management program to grow these amazing racks (i really dont have enough land to make a difference since i hunt 640 acres by myself, and several other places around 300 acres each that arent connected to each other.) that and i really dont want to. so i see a spike, and i shoot em. im just not into the whole aging thing, at least not where im hunting. if i was on a ranch with a plan by all means id go by it. just not my cup of tea right now.

640 acres is plenty to manage

ur probably right, i just dont really wanto to worry about it. im not a horn hunter, but im not a meat hunter either. i just like to hunt so i dont worry about it. i do need to take some does though. went bird hunting there 2days ago and counted 34 does. and saw a fewbucks just drivin through. have seen up to 50 does just drivin through. im a lil over run, and its is a buck only county.

OMG, that is the funniest (and gayest) thing I've ever seen.

If you frequent, film and hunt your property consistantly then you have a good idea of its genetics, right? If your yearling crop has several spikes and several multi point bucks, whats wrong with culling spikes? That Kerr study did state that certain characteristics are not outgrown (i.e. lack of brow tines, low mass etc). Additionally, aren't most areas overstocked with deer anyways, so thinning out inferior stock regardless of flaws is healthier for the overall herd?

Lmao!

My uncle shot a yearling spike a few years back with his bow but the deer survived. He busted up the front shoulder with a broadhead. That next year he saw a 1 1/2 year old that drug his leg when he walked. It was the same deer and he was an 8 point with 12 inch spread. Imagine what he could have been if he had full function of his legs. Point being.... You cannot tell about genetic potential from the first year of antler growth. Many trophy class deer in game ranches have fork-horned antlers their first year.

if you shoot all the spikes, whats left to grow into bucks.

not a horn hunter or a meat hunter but that "shoot what i want" attitude is a terrible attitude to have and i own my own land that i hunt on, thus could have that attitude....but dont.

if you want to shoot "what you want" attitude, keep after the pigs & predators.