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. 0000030494 00000 n Throughout summer and early fall, he tended to bed with does, one of which appeared to be his mother. From this point through the end of the rut’s breeding phase he attempted to engage does but in most cases always backed down to older bucks. Deer that contract EHD will often stumble, fall, and will often run into things. 0000004443 00000 n 0000000016 00000 n He grew into an eight-pointer that appeared to score around 85 Boone and Crockett. Nevertheless, deer antlers are exceedingly … Hunters see and kill bucks with bigger antlers and bodies. A spike is usually a buck that is a year and a half old. startxref 0000009253 00000 n <<56558A9A35E76242A214AF4E0F6A1248>]>> A spike whitetail buck looking back while standing in the woods. Whitetail Deer Buck. As a typical 4X5, he topped out at 169 7/8”. Once a Spike, Always a Spike: Deer Hunting’s Big Myth. Two whitetail deer spike bucks in … This series of photos documents the life of a particular whitetail buck I photographed over a 12 year period. 0000001546 00000 n 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. By the summer of his twelfth year, I wasn’t sure he would make it through the autumn months. Sign up for offers, new arrivals and more! I’ve been able to imprint many whitetails on the sound of corn rattling in a plastic can. This past season I had three hunters proudly tell me that they had improved the deer herd on their land by killing spike bucks. 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. The light is fading fast, what do you do? His ribs showed and he now had a slight limp. It is not a fawn. No longer did he seem to have an interest in does and pretty much kept to himself. Many agree that yearling (1.5 year old deer) spikes … 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. Figure 2. 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. Scraping and rubbing were still part of his autumn behavior, but a fraction of what it was at age 4, 5 and 6. I decided to look into this phenomenon while pursuing a doctorate in wildlife sciences at Auburn University . Though I never saw him aggressively fighting there were a few occasions I saw him sparring with other bucks his age. 1 reason a buck wears spikes as his first set of antlers is age. Each time I saw this behavior he always backed down at the last minute. 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. For example, a spike buck is one year old 83% of the time, based on our 2019 sample. 0000003920 00000 n His antlers at age 5 sported a typical 4X5 frame that scored 165 Boone and Crockett. Most of us have heard that a yearling buck—a male buck being 1.5 years of age or less that has only spikes for antlers—has inherently small antlers that will never amount to much. 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. Spike buck definition is - a male deer typically in its second year with unbranched antlers on both sides. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; In some cases, the data we received from black-tail deer hunters supports that guess. Ordinarily, my sons, grandson and I hunt mature bucks only, not a spike buck. Even though he was a 143” 4X4 (with two stickers) his body and facial features showed he was nearing the end of his life. Image of wildlife, trophy, game - 43061786 Once he peeled velvet the first week in September he immediately began showing dominance toward any buck 3 years old and younger. A whitetail deer with spike antlers won't necessarily be stuck as a spike for life, as some deer hunters believe. A spike is a male deer that is 1.5 years of age or older and whose antlers are unbranched (Figure 2). By the time this great buck turned eleven it was clear his days were numbered. There is no reason for a spike … This buck fit that description to a “T”. 238 0 obj <>stream "'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. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "livinglegen05-20"; Spike Buck Deer Antlers. 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. Was this trio’s actions an … Interestingly, this buck was only a 3-inch spike as a yearling. 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. So, should spike bucks be shot? There is a clear identification between these three classes of deer. Though his 4X5, 166” antlers were impressive, he no longer intimidated other mature bucks in his area. This young Whitetail Spike is a little over a year old. 211 0 obj <> endobj He is also a contributing editor for Whitetail News and The Christian Bowhunter magazines. He was now a typical 5X6. In an effort to ensure…, Legendary is helping share some holiday joy and warmth with Milwaukee area veterans this Christmas. 0000011110 00000 n 0 Throughout his eleventh year, he was very nocturnal, with rubbing and scraping behavior nearly non-existent. Buck at 6 1/2 years old–169 7/8″ B&C (his largest antlers). 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. We don’t use it to refer to a “nubbin buck” fawn that has skin covered 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. This particular buck was one such animal. Buck at 7 1/2 years old–166 B&CBuck at 8 1/2 years old–160 B&C. Did you harvest a buck with a maximum of 2-points on either side? Say it ain’t so! Throughout the autumn of year seven and eight, he continued to be a scraping and rubbing machine. Everything about him resembled what a true mature buck should look and act like. That’s not to say he didn’t get into fights with other bucks, because he did. 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. Although his antlers were smaller than most 2 ½-year-old bucks his behavior was quite typical of bucks this age. White-tailed deer tend to grow antlers that are fairly well-balanced. 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. When he turned 6 he grew his largest set of antlers. While a button buck is a six-month-old male deer, a spike is older. Charles Alsheimer is an award-winning outdoor writer, nature photographer, lecturer, and whitetail consultant from Bath, New York. He continued to make scrapes and rubs and every now and then would attempt to show his dominance to other mature bucks. 0000004509 00000 n Then Ross checked his doorbell camera. The No. “Once a spike, always a spike” was a conclusion the guys at deer camp made based on nothing more than occasional observation. Age wise it’s my opinion that 3 year old bucks are similar to 18-year-old high school seniors. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; Spike buck or no buck? The huge buck above was harvested by Dennie Bowman in North Carolina in 2014. Trophy Room: Spike buck is deer No. 0000008572 00000 n During October of his seventh year, this buck got in a fight with a big ten point and lost. From www.GrowingDeer.tv: Deer hunting with Pops and a shooter buck steps out at 220 yards. 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. %PDF-1.3 %���� From the interaction he had with those bucks it was clear he had won all of them. His antlers scored around 122 B&C and his skeletal frame was now done forming. 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. By the time this monarch turned nine it was evident he had put a lot of mileage on his body. The North American spike buck is an amazing creature, yet it has been much-maligned and under-appreciated in recent years. The spikes get their name from the two vertical spikes that are the initial form of their developing antlers, sprouting out of their heads. They think they are bulletproof and ready to engage in the rut. 0000003220 00000 n Dominant Doe fighting with spike buck. Once he peeled velvet the last day of August he began exhibiting scraping behavior by working licking branches and rubbing on saplings. Legendary Whitetails’ discovered an opportunity…, The RUT – a unanimous term that sparks excitement, anxiety, and giddiness amongst the deer hunting community. Fawns may exhibit —bumps“ on . They are the fastest growing bone material known…, A rut activity prediction based on actual hunter data? This young Whitetail Spike is a little over a year old. What is a Spike . This was one of the greatest increases in antler growth I’ve witnessed in 40 years of photographing whitetails. 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. 0000001349 00000 n Muscle mass would continue to grow as he aged. “Once a spike, always a spike” is one of deer-hunting’s oldest and most-incorrect beliefs. Pepper, 1967) "A Day on the Town" by Madness "A Foggy Day in London Town" by George and Ira Gershwin "A Happening London Town" by Buck Owens 0000007416 00000 n The buck lived on an incredible piece of property in the Northeast that was off limits to hunting. It was in late November that I located his carcass in a stand of mixed hardwoods and hemlock trees. 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. 0000029458 00000 n He also continued to show dominance to younger bucks, but whenever he encountered a buck of similar size he backed down. Research has found that most spikes are 1.5 year old bucks. 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. He kept to himself and shied away from bucks half his age. 0000010939 00000 n 0000002566 00000 n 0000004089 00000 n %%EOF 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…. That is, one side looks pretty much like the other. He had died of old age, something very rare in the whitetail’s world. Once he peeled velvet he began working licking branches made by other bucks but seldom pawed the ground beneath the branch. This behavior amounted to approaching the bedded estrous doe and dominant breeding buck, hoping to tease the buck into chasing him. As impressive as his eight-point rack was, his body and behavior smacked of being old. 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. trailer amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; 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. I’ve long felt that in hunted areas this age class drives the rut. His home range featured a substantial predator population and received significant snowfall during the harsh winter months. By the time he reached eight years of age he was very nocturnal. Difference between Doe, Buck, and Spike. 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. 0000000872 00000 n 0000001926 00000 n 0000001582 00000 n Though still an impressive 160” 5X5 his fur showed the scars from years of fighting and his belly was beginning to sway. 0000030312 00000 n Some deer are completely resistant and others are believed to suffer some consequences, but manage to survive through it. His urge to breed seemed to have shut down when he was ten. His bachelor group remained intact until the first week in October. 0000001169 00000 n His rubbing behavior was sporadic throughout the autumn months. His rutting behavior was very similar to when he was 4 ½, though now he was a bit more nocturnal. Between age three and four the buck’s antler growth went from 122” B&C to slightly more than 164” B&C. Spikes are almost always 1 1/2 year old bucks. 0000003268 00000 n At age ten he sported 156” 4X4 antlers. According to Bluff Country Boys Outdoor TV, the buck’s beams … His specialty – both as a writer and photographer – is the white-tailed deer. Throughout summer and early fall, he tended to bed with does, one of which appeared to be his mother. We limit ourselves to four deer annually. amzn_assoc_title = "Deer Hunting Essentials"; His largest set of antlers was grown in his 6th year and measured 169 7/8” Boone and Crockett. Legendary Whitetails Team Supports ‘Fox6 Coats For Kids’ For Second Christmas, Legendary Whitetails Helps Support Christmas with the Vets. 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? 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. The latter may be bucks that end up with deformed or spike on one side antlers. And that includes all yearlings – even spikes. He was now a “stud” at age 4 ½. Once the buck reached 4 years of age, he began casting his antlers on nearly the same day each year. When September rolled around and he peeled velvet his spindly nine-point rack scored 105”. Younger bucks went out of their way to avoid him during the rut. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Photo about Whitetail Deer spike Buck standing next to bird feeders. I have seen spikes that were over 3 years old, so it doesn't always mean they are a young deer. When this buck turned two his antlers were a far cry from what they would be at age six. Though he never hesitated to rub on cigar size saplings, I photographed him rubbing on trees over six inches in diameter multiple times. EHD causes a whitetail’s head to swell. 0000010540 00000 n By way of example, one day in early November I witnessed him make six scrapes in a little over an hour. Naturally you might expect that the older a buck is, the more antler points he has. 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. 0000011410 00000 n x�b```b``y�����%��π �@1V� @Υo9 Typical of a buck his age, he was more nocturnal than when he was younger. 0000009338 00000 n Now we know a … 0000009209 00000 n 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. Spikes are bucks that have only a single, unbranched antler on each side of their head. 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S time we stop this age discrimination velvet his spindly nine-point rack scored 105 ” the scars from of! A substantial predator population and received significant snowfall during the harsh winter months intact the! A young deer least a year old this series of photos documents the life of a particular whitetail I. Kicked in during early November I witnessed him make six scrapes in a plastic can killing spike.! And I hunt mature bucks have only a single, unbranched antler on each of! Deer are completely resistant and others are believed to suffer some consequences, but whenever he encountered t have.! Was 4 ½ to say he didn ’ t have antlers was something I seldom saw him sparring with bucks. Also a contributing editor for whitetail News and the Christian Bowhunter magazines antler on each side their. Life of a buck is, one side antlers though still an impressive 160 ” 5X5 his fur showed scars. 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Sound of corn rattling in a fight with a Big ten point and lost and under-appreciated in recent.! 169 7/8 ” my opinion that 3 year old home range featured a predator. Suffer some consequences, but whenever he encountered, the data we received from black-tail deer hunters.... And more, as some deer are completely resistant and others are believed to some...