Will a spike grow to be anything more than a spike?

[jaykev]

Looking to clear up an ongoing debate with some of the boys at camp.

[Catskill Hunter]

There ya go

http://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/galleries/photo-gallery-from-buttons-to-booner

[LuckyPickle123]

Man that was an awesome read!!

[stoneam2006]

+1

[bisceglia]

+2 thanks for sharing

[BKhunter]

Great read.....Only problem is in NYS southern tier 4 1/2 year old deer are hard to come by. I could see that deer making it out of the spike stage where I hunt but once he was sporting that 2 1/2 year old rack he would be a prime target for the majority of hunters in the southern zone.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

another good read. they have provided a chart that in GENERAL gives you a peek at what a specific buck can produce for a rack. A lot of variables though.

 

http://www.qdma.com/articles/will-he-be-a-good-one-next-year

 

 

Edited October 10, 2014 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Geno C]

Thanks for the share, great read

[Catskill Hunter]

Great read.....Only problem is in NYS southern tier 4 1/2 year old deer are hard to come by. I could see that deer making it out of the spike stage where I hunt but once he was sporting that 2 1/2 year old rack he would be a prime target for the majority of hunters in the southern zone.

I feel your pain

[thphm]

I had one on my property that I watched him grow from a spike to 10 pointer in 5 years.Long story. But I did not see him after bow season last year, I guess someone out smarted him.

[Cabin Fever]

Piebald at 1 1/2.

 

Piebald at 2 1/2.

[IronBucks]

Great read...thanks!

[NFA-ADK]

100 % true all spikes will never grow any larger than a spike if SHOT!

[IronBucks]

100 % true all spikes will never grow any larger than a spike if SHOT!

 

Not true.  I am sure many people on this site have shot spikes and by the time they told the story a few times that "spike" grew to be a "6 - 8 pt!"  

[BKhunter]

I do believe cow horn bucks will not change though. My first deer I shot was a "Spike" but each horn was about over a foot in length and he had a pretty large body.  I could be wrong here though. Anyone else think this to be true as well?

[growalot]

Not me ...I have seen "cow horns" grow into very wide racked bucks...it just took them a year or two longer...and there are many older then 2 1/2 's taken in NYS these days...many more ppl have started holding off and that movement started years ago and has gain momentum with the increase in archery hunters...IMO and FWIS

[philoshop]

Very true Growalot. Genetics and nutrition. The genetics are here in nys, and nutrition can change year-to-year.

[BKhunter]

Good to know. All cow horns now get passes now.

[the blur]

I know my spike is 1-1/2 years old !

[chiefbkt]

Great article.  I have seen some pretty big spikes at 1 1/2 turn into some pretty big 3 or  4 points at 2 1/2.  This was up north though where there wasn't as much agriculture and is big woods hunting.

[hondamx32]

I love that QDMA article, I have never read that one before.