Spike buck or no buck? Some deer are completely resistant and others are believed to suffer some consequences, but manage to survive through it. When the rut kicked in during early November he turned into a rutting machine, harassing every doe he encountered. %PDF-1.3
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Nevertheless, “spike-on-one-side” bucks are hotly debated, with many hunters insisting this characteristic is gene-based and advocating the shooting of these bucks for gene-pool improvement. Antlers from a spike whitetail deer isolated on white. His antlers at age 5 sported a typical 4X5 frame that scored 165 Boone and Crockett. Consequently, I was able to follow him and document his comings and goings throughout the twelve years he lived. We don’t use it to refer to a “nubbin buck” fawn that has skin covered The spikes get their name from the two vertical spikes that are the initial form of their developing antlers, sprouting out of their heads. Research has found conflicting results and many experts suggest that even the research may have to be thrown out the window when talking about specific properties. Also, chasing does in November was something I seldom saw him do. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual";
They’re the biggest, most aggressive and most difficult to hunt of bucks living within a square mile or two. Fawns may exhibit —bumps“ on . Most of his rubbing behavior occurred on brush and saplings less than an inch in size. By the summer of his twelfth year, I wasn’t sure he would make it through the autumn months. 0000001582 00000 n
Spike Buck Deer Antlers. Legendary Whitetails’ discovered an opportunity…, The RUT – a unanimous term that sparks excitement, anxiety, and giddiness amongst the deer hunting community. Age wise it’s my opinion that 3 year old bucks are similar to 18-year-old high school seniors. 0
“I came home…in the dark…and thought ‘wow…the wife put down a lot of salt’…then I thought someone tried to break in,” he wrote on Facebook under a photo of his smashed-up screen door. When I encountered the group in feeding areas at the end of the day it was not uncommon to see this buck and the dominant 4-year-old grooming. He exhibited typical yearling buck behavior when he grew his first set of antlers, in that he shied away from older bucks when encounters took place in prime feeding areas. There is no reason for a spike … While a button buck is a six-month-old male deer, a spike is older. Trophy Room: Spike buck is deer No. By way of example, one day in early November I witnessed him make six scrapes in a little over an hour. trailer
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His bachelor group remained intact until the first week in October. Say it ain’t so! His specialty – both as a writer and photographer – is the white-tailed deer. 0000030494 00000 n
We limit ourselves to four deer annually. Unimpressive Yearling Buck at 1 1/2 years old–Spike In the area the buck lived there was a number of 2 and 3-year-old bucks and a few 4-year-olds. Dominant Doe fighting with spike buck. Throughout the autumn of year seven and eight, he continued to be a scraping and rubbing machine. No longer did he back down to any 3 and 4-year-old buck who crossed his path. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; By the time he reached age five he had become king of the woods. His antlers scored around 122 B&C and his skeletal frame was now done forming. By the time this monarch turned nine it was evident he had put a lot of mileage on his body. He also took part in breeding parties with other immature bucks. It was in late November that I located his carcass in a stand of mixed hardwoods and hemlock trees. He also continued to show dominance to younger bucks, but whenever he encountered a buck of similar size he backed down. When this buck turned two his antlers were a far cry from what they would be at age six. When November’s rut rolled around he often challenged the does he encountered. When September rolled around and he peeled velvet his spindly nine-point rack scored 105”. He was now a “stud” at age 4 ½. “Once a spike, always a spike” was a conclusion the guys at deer camp made based on nothing more than occasional observation. A spike is usually a buck that is a year and a half old. He is also a contributing editor for Whitetail News and The Christian Bowhunter magazines. This past season I had three hunters proudly tell me that they had improved the deer herd on their land by killing spike bucks. “Once a spike, always a spike” is one of deer-hunting’s oldest and most-incorrect beliefs. It depends. spike whitetail buck in flowers still in velvet Spring portrait of a yearling (spike) buck whitetail deer standing over a doe, in a lush green meadow. 0000001926 00000 n
1 reason a buck wears spikes as his first set of antlers is age. 0000003220 00000 n
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They think they are bulletproof and ready to engage in the rut. This particular buck was one such animal. Two whitetail deer spike bucks in … This was one of the greatest increases in antler growth I’ve witnessed in 40 years of photographing whitetails. It is not a fawn. From the interaction he had with those bucks it was clear he had won all of them. Sign up for offers, new arrivals and more! As a typical 4X5, he topped out at 169 7/8”. 0000004089 00000 n
This series of photos documents the life of a particular whitetail buck I photographed over a 12 year period. During these two years, he intimidated every buck he encountered. Nevertheless, deer antlers are exceedingly … What is a Spike . Once he peeled velvet the first week in September he immediately began showing dominance toward any buck 3 years old and younger. Though I never saw him aggressively fighting there were a few occasions I saw him sparring with other bucks his age. 0000008572 00000 n
As impressive as his eight-point rack was, his body and behavior smacked of being old. amzn_assoc_linkid = "ae7c57fdf6064a88ed3611cb5c96359a"; Muscle mass would continue to grow as he aged. So, should spike bucks be shot? %%EOF
He continued to make scrapes and rubs and every now and then would attempt to show his dominance to other mature bucks. I’ve been able to imprint many whitetails on the sound of corn rattling in a plastic can. 211 0 obj
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Research has found that most spikes are 1.5 year old bucks. Once the buck reached 4 years of age, he began casting his antlers on nearly the same day each year. Between age three and four the buck’s antler growth went from 122” B&C to slightly more than 164” B&C. Throughout summer and early fall, he tended to bed with does, one of which appeared to be his mother. Studies and surveys over the past 20 years have proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that spikes are not genetically inferior deer that need to be taken out of the breeding pool. The huge buck above was harvested by Dennie Bowman in North Carolina in 2014. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "livinglegen05-20"; When he turned 6 he grew his largest set of antlers. 0000004509 00000 n
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Though he shied away from engaging the two bucks in his range that appeared to be 5-year-old’s, I saw him breed three different does, each time driving off younger bucks. By the time this buck hit two years of age it seldom bedded with does, preferring to be a part of a bachelor group made up of two yearling bucks and one 4-year-old buck. Once a Spike, Always a Spike: Deer Hunting’s Big Myth. startxref
Many deer managers and hunters “glommed on” to spike bucks possessing genetics for inferior antler development and contributed heavily to the “once a spike always a spike” theory. Though still an impressive 160” 5X5 his fur showed the scars from years of fighting and his belly was beginning to sway. Keep in mind, however, that no two antlers are ever exactly alike, although their similarities from side to side, or even from one buck to the next, are sometimes striking. Although his antlers were smaller than most 2 ½-year-old bucks his behavior was quite typical of bucks this age. amzn_assoc_asins = "B000G78P5E,B0761QGCDQ,B01NAGLAMJ,B000051ZOA"; In the area the buck lived there was a number of 2 and 3-year-old bucks and a few 4-year-olds. This buck fit that description to a “T”. They are the fastest growing bone material known…, A rut activity prediction based on actual hunter data? 0000007416 00000 n
Was this trio’s actions an … Spike is a buck that’s between one to two years old or even three years sometimes. Naturally you might expect that the older a buck is, the more antler points he has. The latter may be bucks that end up with deformed or spike on one side antlers. Ordinarily, my sons, grandson and I hunt mature bucks only, not a spike buck. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Aside from protection from hunters, he had a normal life, complete with challenges from Mother Nature. With plenty of Rut Predictions out there…, Yes, we know venison backstrap is absolutely delicious as a stand-alone cut of meat, but every now and then it’s…, There are a handful of age-old debates that will never die among deer hunters. For example, a spike buck is one year old 83% of the time, based on our 2019 sample. Now we know a … 0000001546 00000 n
Photo about Whitetail Deer spike Buck standing next to bird feeders. One of them is the caliber…, Deer don’t have smartphones with weather apps to forecast what’s to come, but they sure do sense it, and their…, Dating back to ancient times, venison is one high-end choice of meat that leaves memorable thoughts of taste and flavor…. His scraping and rubbing behavior were significantly more than when he was 2 ½ years old. Buck at 6 1/2 years old–169 7/8″ B&C (his largest antlers). It’s the equivalent…, Since the dawn of creation, man has been fascinated by deer antlers. That is, one side looks pretty much like the other. 0000009338 00000 n
Dr. James C. Kroll and Ben H. Koerth of the Institute for White-tailed Deer Management and Research at Stephen F. Austin State University set out to determine if yearling (1.5 years old) spike and three point bucks are actually are inferior to other bucks with four or more antler points. 0000002566 00000 n
amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; At age ten he sported 156” 4X4 antlers. <<56558A9A35E76242A214AF4E0F6A1248>]>>
He kept to himself and shied away from bucks half his age. The buck has antlers, but the spike is a particular category of a buck with antlers featuring one point on at least one side or both. amzn_assoc_title = "Deer Hunting Essentials"; 0000001169 00000 n
"'A' Bomb in Wardour Street" by The Jam "A Child of the Jago" by Kaiser Chiefs (named after the novel) "A Cockney Christmas" by Dick Emery "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles ("now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall" from Sgt. He was now a typical 5X6. 0000010540 00000 n
But Cornwall has seen a spike in new cases with 69 confirmed in the week ending September 17 - a rate of 12.1 per 100,000 people - compared to 28 … During October of his seventh year, this buck got in a fight with a big ten point and lost. Figure 2. His rubbing behavior was sporadic throughout the autumn months. 238 0 obj
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The buck lived on an incredible piece of property in the Northeast that was off limits to hunting. I was right. White-tailed deer tend to grow antlers that are fairly well-balanced. Arriving back home from work on November 13, Rhode Island man John Ross wasn’t quite sure what to make of all the glass strewn across his front porch. Then Ross checked his doorbell camera. And that includes all yearlings – even spikes. Dominant doe fighting a spike whitetail buck. Will Shooting Spike Bucks Improve Deer Hunting? 0000011110 00000 n
Charles Alsheimer is an award-winning outdoor writer, nature photographer, lecturer, and whitetail consultant from Bath, New York. Hunters see and kill bucks with bigger antlers and bodies. He is the senior contributing editor for Deer and Deer Hunting magazine and contributing host of their national television show, Deer & Deer Hunting TV, which airs on NBC-Sports network. Once he peeled velvet the last day of August he began exhibiting scraping behavior by working licking branches and rubbing on saplings. By the time he reached eight years of age he was very nocturnal. That’s a wrap! Typical of a buck his age, he was more nocturnal than when he was younger. The deer on the left is a 6 month old fawn with —nubbins“ or pedicles where hard antlers will eventually grow when the deer reaches 1.5 years of age. Once he peeled velvet he began working licking branches made by other bucks but seldom pawed the ground beneath the branch. From www.GrowingDeer.tv: Deer hunting with Pops and a shooter buck steps out at 220 yards. Buck at 7 1/2 years old–166 B&CBuck at 8 1/2 years old–160 B&C. Everything about him resembled what a true mature buck should look and act like. 84 for 81-year-old hunter Grand Forks Herald| 29d Dick Myers, 81, Warroad, Minn., shot this spike buck – his 84th career deer – Saturday morning, Nov. 14, in Potamo Township south of Williams, Minn. Do you have a hunting photo you’d like to share with Herald readers? According to Bluff Country Boys Outdoor TV, the buck’s beams … No longer did he seem to have an interest in does and pretty much kept to himself. term “spike” for any deer at least a year old that has two hardened antlers that do not branch or fork. That’s not to say he didn’t get into fights with other bucks, because he did. Spikes are bucks that have only a single, unbranched antler on each side of their head. The No. Usually, no more than one is a dominant breeding buck. 0000009209 00000 n
amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; We as a society have become more sensitive to biases and discrimination, yet no one seems to be concerned about the rampant age discrimination being perpetrated upon this country’s white-tailed deer population. Many agree that yearling (1.5 year old deer) spikes … Legendary Whitetails Team Supports ‘Fox6 Coats For Kids’ For Second Christmas, Legendary Whitetails Helps Support Christmas with the Vets. His largest set of antlers was grown in his 6th year and measured 169 7/8” Boone and Crockett. Even though he was a 143” 4X4 (with two stickers) his body and facial features showed he was nearing the end of his life. 0000000016 00000 n
I have hunted a few places where the genetics were not great and found spikes at older ages, but they were obviously older deer – long spikes that often curved like the main beam normally would. Though his 4X5, 166” antlers were impressive, he no longer intimidated other mature bucks in his area. A whitetail deer with spike antlers won't necessarily be stuck as a spike for life, as some deer hunters believe. 0000030312 00000 n
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In some cases, the data we received from black-tail deer hunters supports that guess. 0000004443 00000 n
There is a clear identification between these three classes of deer. Though he never hesitated to rub on cigar size saplings, I photographed him rubbing on trees over six inches in diameter multiple times. Spike bucks Weishuhn tagged and were able to follow for several years, all in time produced “acceptable” to big racks, provided they got adequate nutrition. The North American spike buck is an amazing creature, yet it has been much-maligned and under-appreciated in recent years. Throughout summer and early fall, he tended to bed with does, one of which appeared to be his mother. Throughout his eleventh year, he was very nocturnal, with rubbing and scraping behavior nearly non-existent. Still a member of a bachelor group, he was the dominant buck in the group. He exhibited typical yearling buck behavior when he grew his first set of antlers, in that he shied away from older bucks when encounters took place in prime feeding areas. I’ve long felt that in hunted areas this age class drives the rut. This young Whitetail Spike is a little over a year old. Alsheimer was born and raised on a farm and has devoted his life to photography, writing and lecturing about the wonders of God’s creation. Interestingly, this buck was only a 3-inch spike as a yearling. 0000003268 00000 n
Spike buck definition is - a male deer typically in its second year with unbranched antlers on both sides. I never once saw him do any breeding. x�b```b``y�����%��π �@1V�
@Υo9 Spikes are almost always 1 1/2 year old bucks. This young Whitetail Spike is a little over a year old. 0000003430 00000 n
2018 is over and what better way to start 2019 than looking back on some of the…, December is in full swing and that means the temperature isn’t going anywhere but down. A spike whitetail buck looking back while standing in the woods. Unlike many of the deer on this particular property, the buck had a gentle disposition and never exhibited any aggressiveness toward me, even during the full-blown rut. �
�&00t�hS@(c�)TT��h��7�}**Y��I. His rutting behavior was very similar to when he was 4 ½, though now he was a bit more nocturnal. He grew into an eight-pointer that appeared to score around 85 Boone and Crockett. Once he peeled velve… 0000009253 00000 n
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