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Thread: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

  1. #61
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    My first deer was a spike blacktail that I was perfectly pleased with. My hunting partner and I vowed we wouldn’t shoot any more spikes more or less just on the basis of the challenge/let em grow idea.

    After a big bowl of tag soup last year and a lot of unrewarded effort this year I had a moment of weakness. I jumped a spike out of his bed at about twenty yards and never thought twice about pulling the trigger.

    I feel a little guilty now and have renewed the vow to not shoot spikes. We’ll see how I do.

    Brad

  2. #62
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    skeena river valley
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    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    Quote Originally Posted by limit time View Post
    Interesting..... no post from pemby or jass ....

    (yes I do)
    And a breath of fresh air!!

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
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    21

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    As a new hunter, definitely. Everything is a learning experience so if I see something I can shoot I'm all for it. That being said, two animals side by side, one a 4x4 and one a spike but everything else equal, I'll shoot the 4x4. I'm a firm believer of the "don't pass up something on the first day you'll be happy with on the last day" I bring my fishing rod if that ever were the case, usually its a couple weeks of nothing and that's my season.

    An interesting study summary I glanced over, apparently done in Texas on whitetail deer. Summaries of the study were:
    1. Antler development is genetically based, however actual antler growth is based off of nutrition deer receives. So I assume it's kind of like the size of the bucket is genetics but the amount of food is the water you put in it. If you only have a 1 gallon bucket you can't put 2 gallons of water in it.
    2. Antler development improves with age - up to a point.
    3. By removing poor genetic deer you improve the overall genetics of the herd (or leaving the good bucks around improves genetics), and the best time to do this is during nutritional stress since poor genetics are more prevalent.
    4. Genetic potential (total # of points at 4.5 years) of the deer could be approximated by the total # of points they had at 1.5 years of age. More points at 1.5 years means more points at 4.5 years AND 2-5 total points at 1.5 years never had more than 8 total points at 4.5 years.

    As mentioned earlier, it's really cool to see a general consensus for the most part on this topic.

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    NW of PG
    Posts
    723

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    I’ve always considered a yearling to a spiker regardless of number of points. I just call em dinks. If there’s two yearlings standing side by side, one has spikes and the other is a little 3x3 or 4x4, you’re probably better off shooting the spike as far as the let em grow theory goes.

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Cloverdale
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    292

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    We should only shoot spikes because if you shoot anything bigger, you're trophy hunting, and as we all know, trophy hunting is evil. It sez so in the Vancouver Sun.
    A conservationist is an environmentalist with a gun.

  6. #66
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Port Alberni
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    14,203

    Cool Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    I have - many times in my past.
    They are great grits.

    These days, i will pass any spike Blacktail, and the vast majority of two points (unless it is an older mature deuce).
    Simply gotten greedy on my TIME out there more than anything else, and find it would be far to easy to end the season too soon by taking an "easy one".

    Mulies - don't even know if you can in BC?
    Certainly never would in Alberta...

    Whitetails with the bow?
    Damn Right!!
    First one I get within range of has a rather serious problem.
    These are my Lady's Very Favorite, and of course I drag them home for her as often as I can...

    Cheers,
    Nog
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVNNhzkJ-UU&feature=related

    Egotistical, Self Centered, Son of a Bitch Killer that Doesn't Play Well With Others.

    Guess he got to Know me

  7. #67
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    6,437

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    when I had a choice between 2 WT bucks at about 75 feet, I took the smaller one for two reasons, 1) I was solo and 2) it presented a better shot....50 lbs of meat completely deboned and wrapped for freezer...maybe 10 lbs of dog trimmings too
    Last edited by wideopenthrottle; 01-11-2019 at 02:07 PM.

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,792

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    got no problem shooting a spiker, they get passes early season but become shooters during last week of season...typically i have passed them many times and spent a lot of time watching them in my stands/blind, so I have figured out which one has the biggest body, all about that extra 5 lbs of meat lol
    Unfortunately, the rifles are getting lighter because we are getting heavier and more unfit as a society. This is the key to the mainstream acceptance of the short magnums. - Nathan Foster

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Jordan River
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    3,601

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    Quote Originally Posted by limit time View Post
    Interesting..... no post from pemby or jass ....

    (yes I do)
    They are too busy getting paid to sit in on some pipeline protests, so enjoy the peace and quite
    Avatar is for all the conspiracy theory nut bars, for all the crow they have to eat when everything implodes

    I've never heard of someone who isn't vaccinated getting polio

    Trump will win big time in 2020

    Why is it that rednecks from Alberta can't get enough of men in dresses, they simply lose their shit

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    on the couch
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    1,122

    Re: To shoot a spike or not to shoot a spike

    The quality of table fare is more important that the amount of meat for me, so yeah, I'll take a spike. If I have a lot of time to hunt, I will pass and hopefully find a more mature buck, but if it is near the last day all bets are off.

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