Been noticing some things here lately ( I’ve been hunting since the last week of September so this isn’t a one day observation )

Been seeing a good number of older (4+ year old ) bucks. Much better so far than the previous three seasons. Don’t have a reason for that as nothing has changed.

Not seeing a lot of adolescent bucks (2-3 year olds) Gaps in age classes are showing…poor fawn crops the last few years are noticeable.

Great fawn crop this year. Lots of nubbin bucks as well.

Every yearling I’ve seen has been a spike. Will not bode well for the “we shoot spikes” management plan as they will be putting a hunting on the yearling age class.

Lots of does being seen. As of right now, our normally tight ratio is showing to be out of whack . Going to thin some does out later in the season.

Bucks are already chasing does. Had a 4 year old work a feeder all afternoon. A 3 year old came in and worked the does he couldn’t get to. Saw this last week as well, and son saw the same thing. Usually we don’t see the heavy rut action ramp up for another few weeks.

Two bucks we shot were both nice and fat. Very good shape. I’m not noticing many live oak acorns but there are some on the shin oaks. Fed protein all year but the bucks were not hitting feeders hard this year, mainly just does and fawns. Whatever they are eating on is treating them right.


That’s my report so far.

global warming?

Probably not in the hill country but we have had good rain I. South texas at our place. Younger bucks are looking older because of above normal antler development and exceptional body condition.

Not surprised to hear this. Drought was hard on mommas, and then hard on the spikes as they switched over to browse.

We have had good rain through the year (at the ranch, home is dry as a bone). I have seen several spikes. The world isn’t as simple as we hope or think, conclusions drawn from one perspective are often wrong.

My fawn crop last year was about 15%. This year it's at least 100%, being as lots of Does had twins. Killed 18 coyotes off last year and I know that had to help a bunch. Bucks are still in bachelor groups and paying no attention to Does here. I have 3 spikes on the ranch, two get a pass, the 3rd is a bigger body with 4" very thin spikes. Probably going to take him off. I have a few 4yr old bucks that are 9 and 10 points this year. They all get a pass till 2026 now that I'm HF'ed. Probably only taking 3 Does and 1 spike off the ranch this year.

Im not in the Hill Country but we always have a few spikes but not the majority. We dont monitor this but my guts says the percentage of spikes will vary but im not sure its always a direct proportion to the perceived range conditions as some think it should. To paraphrase redChevys great comment above, “its complicated.”

Deer on our place near Amarillo have pretty much avoided our feeders since around the first of October. Not sure why, but guess there’s plenty to eat for them. No hunting pressure from us, but we did shoot 9 coyotes opening weekend.

There are many factors that go into the spike. I'm sure there are more:

1)Range conditions from the moment he is conceived to the time you see him as a spike.
2)Genetics A-is he inferior, always going to be smaller-antlered compared to his peers?
3)Genetics B-is he small-antlered now, because he builds his body at the detriment to his non-mature year antlers? Does he blossom at 5, 6, 7?
4)Available minerals
5)Quality of his momma. You've seen cows, some milk better than others
6) Did he have to share mom's milk with a twin?
7)Age. Big difference born in May or August or even later
8)Overall health between zero and today - did he catch a virus, worms, injury that healed but set him back? What's his daily stress-level of living? Did he have a good spot in the womb?
9)Habitat? Did the rain come at the right times to grow the most deer-desirable plants, and do you have those?

OUTSTANDING POST. Not a surprise considering the source. Im pretty much aware, and agree, with all that but Ive never seen it all spelled out like that. As you said, there are probably more, but it’s a good start. I think hunters should think hard about your post before they kill an animal before its had time to express its potential.

Thanks, Free! I've done a complete 180 in the last 5 or so years after finally realizing and contemplating a lot of that. Many of the high points of the Kerr study were so drilled into all of us in my age range that we didn't really want to consider just how many factors there are for ALL deer and what it means as to how they express their genes.

The yearlings on my place will be anywhere from 1/3-1/2 spikes. And yes, in harder years, just like ALL bucks, there will be more with small antlers. But you can look at the spikes and see huge differences. Some will be 45lb weaklings that were obviously afflicted in some way (illness, lost mother, weak twin, late born, etc), others will be 70-75lb studs that just have little to no antler. And many will be somewhere in between. Some of each group will be genetic losers, some will be studs. Maybe that really big-bodied spike is only 14-15 mos old but had a hell of a momma. His antlers are small due to his age and testosterone level. Maybe one of those smaller ones had a really rough start, shared with a twin, mom got killed in October, but in three-four years time you won't know him from your herd sire.

All good points made. My place in Callahan County had 4 spikes this year....all very large bodies and pencil thin racks. Kids dispatched all the last 2 weeks. I feed a ton of protein a month, have great natural browse and a decent amount of quality bucks we let get old. Different strokes for different folks, but I subscribe to the "kill all spikes" philosophy and it has served me well.

With a program like yours, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If they are similar to their peers except for their antlers, and you have enough yearlings with 4-6-8 pts or more, then I would agree that your approach is the right one if you need to remove mouths from your range. I have done and will occasionally still do that, especially if I need another buck deer for the freezer. There's no reason to keep feeding them if you don't have to.

We are near you. Best crop of mature bucks I've seen in a long time. Buddy killed a 160 on our place (ridiculous deer for that area), and we shot a mature 10 that went 145 (he was already chasing a doe). Can't wait to see what else is seen throughout the season. Weekend of Thanksgiving (late this year) into early December oughta be interesting.

With all the rain we had through the summer, this will likely be the best year in the life of any buck that's 5 years old or more (heck maybe 4), unless we have another summer like this one, but realistically that's an aberration.

Good year for shooting mature bucks. Danger is making sure you don't catch 3-4 year olds in the crossfire because they look so good, too.

Didn’t realize there was that much summer rain in that area.

TPWD had predictions for bumper crop of 3.5-5yo bucks throughout most of TX due to great fawn crops 3-5 years ago and good Spring rains and forage.

It was wet and green all summer. Extremely rare around here.

^^It certainly spoiled me. 'Made it harder to take this latest dryness.

Bucks started chasing does around the house about last Monday here in Menard. I had a few reports of rutting a couple of weeks ago but very isolated.
I just saw a really nice 10 point this morning. I am guessing in the 165-170 range as he was standing in some thick agarita and I could not get a real good look at him. I could not see his body, so I have no idea how old he was. This is on a ranch with excellent genetics but no supplemental feed this year. I was surprised to see such a beautiful, symmetrical, heavy horned buck and to top if off, he had the classic chocolate colored antlers I love.
Adios,
Gary

I drove from Brady to Sonora in early August and was surprised how green some of that country was for that time of year.

First year of heifers on lease; built pens in Oct. but deer not there, and deer left are not showing any interest. Thoughts?

Another food source

I'm hunting in Northeast Texas within the county of Rusk. Opening weekend was good and all bucks were trolling for does or chasing them. One question I have is based on the knowledge posted about spikes, what are your thoughts on a 3pt (young) that was a spike on one side and a fork on the other. Just curious if you have followed a deer like this in the past over the years and how its antlers developed?

It would be very difficult to recognize most deer like that the next year.

Freerange...I agree, was just asking out of curiosity or other vast knowledge.