How old this spike?

First time ever seeing him. Stays away from feeders / game cams:

They way his hair is puffed up might be slightly deceptive on age. But he's definitely old enough to get the pump station.

Looks young, very healthy 2 year old

I'm going back and forth between a 1.5 and a 2.5. And I don't really know why I'm arguing with myself b/c I'm pretty sure he'll be nothing more than a cull next year anyway...

We have shot several spikes over the years. Every deer we shoot we get live/dressed weights take a peek at their teeth and record their stats and our best guess of age. Ive shot 3 spikes that were significantly bigger than their spike buddies and 30-50 lbs heavier.

I'm not a proponent of shooting all spikes, but if you can identify ones that are older than their first set of antlers I typically do shoot them. The three I have shot has been over a 13 year period.

Tuff call on him without something to compare him too. He does look bigger than what I would think your run of the mil first year spike would look like, but he is all fluffed up and has a very pointy nose. From those pics I wouldn't be convinced enough he was older to shoot him.

Looks old enough to me, Heavy in the front & hind end, might have bigger deer than where I hunt though

If it was my place he would have been a cull this year. and some dang good

1.5

1.5 or 2 year old, splitting hairs?

1.5 is 18 months ago, it is mid Feb so that would mean it was born in Sept, my 2 years would have him born in February 2018.

So I revise my statement to more accurately reflect that I believe that Spike was born in the Spring of 2018

That's why for spikes I go with first or later set of horns.

Small straight antlered spikes I give a pass. Cow horned ones like that get shot.

2

Landowner agreed with a lot of the above and gave the green light of death at noon on Friday. It was cleaned and hanging in the cooler by 6 pm Friday. Time to start trapping coons and swapping out my camo for turkey season.

That chubby little booger looks like he will be some fine eating

So what was his age?

I'd guess his third tooth had three cusps.

Stub was right on the money. Likely one of the first born in the spring 2018. We have several around that age class with nice typical branched antlers.