Think he’s a yearling?

By rule, I typically don’t shoot young spikes. On this particular piece of property I don’t shoot any spikes as our numbers are low. In this case, I think I’m going to make an exception.

Doesn’t this body look to be 2-3?

It is a yearling

Yep.

First set of horns

That there is a superior spike.

We've got a lot of yearling spikes this year, it was a hard year for the young 'uns in Mills County. IMO he's just a beefy yearling.

Feed him something besides corn and he won't be a spike.
Bet he has a nice little rack next year if conditions are good through the antler growing season.

That is a yearling, as stated by all.

I wouldn't shoot him, he is a baby and if you can tell what that deer will be a 6.5 you are in wrong business
&
STX would shoot him 5x and argue low densities make your management choices more impactful.


In the end it doesn't matter it's one deer, one tag. Will Make excellent burger

If you look really close you can see milk dripping from his lips.

He is pretty big to be a yearling.

He is a baby but if you are in a antler restriction county he probably has a great big bullseye on him.

Seems the majority is he’s a yearling though, as someone else said, he’s a big yearling. Much larger than my other yearling spikes body wise.

I haven’t shot a spike in 20 years but would let a kid.

He gets to live.

I feed protein in other areas, but not where that camera is located. We don’t hunt the protein feeders.

Agree with most on yearling.

good freezer meat... take him

If there was another close by to judge against it would be easier to tell. I have 2 spikes that come to my feeder one is a yearling the other is a second year deer. That picture looks like the second year deer. We get a 13" and spike in that county. Not a thing wrong with taking a spike. I make the kids whistles from the spike deer antlers.

yearling

I am not so sure he is a spike. Looks like there could be a brow tine on the left antler also.

....no...but if you want him shoot him....meat's meat

I would say he is a 1 1/2 of age...I don't shoot anything less than 4 yrs. No one can tell ya what this animal would be. However, if my density was such that I had to lower the population by a lot, I would take em.

Looks delicious!

I don't think it's a spike, but really can't tell from the angle. First set of horns, could be a late fall/winter fawn, but still his first set. He would get a pass on our place just because we have more pressing culls to get rid of.

1.5

NW Burnet County and think we got fortunate with the rain. Our deer have real good mass.

Not a spike.

Yeah he is a yearling... or was last year. I'll be the odd man out and say it..he is 2 now. To much staining on his hock to be a yearling. Shoot him and prove me wrong

Not sure if its a yearling, or not. However, it is a deer. If you want to shoot it, do it. Maybe it may be a trophy someday. Maybe not. However, if you kill a trophy today, it is gone for tomorrow. Don't worry so much about it. Enjoy your time hunting.

He looks 2.5 to me!

Too much neck to be 1.5 IMHO

1.5

I’ve been watching a buck like that watched for a bit Sunday at the feeder. Kicked around the idea of dropping him BUT same question came to mind... if he’s a spike this year what can he be next year?

Very young

Yearling

yearling