To not take over the spike thread... I had a talk with a client today and showed him some trail cam pics. He said take the 3 point because of bad genetics and let the 8 go. I said I thought the 3 could be a great buck in 2 more years due to his body size and it looks young, so I'd rather take the 8 now. He told me I was wrong that the 3 just has bad genetics. What say you?

If that was true we'd never have a decent buck around here. 90% of our 1 1/2 yr old bucks are spikes and 3 pts. Guarantee in a couple years that 3 PT will be a nice buck

I’d say go after the 8 and let the 1 1/2 year old reach his potential in a couple years.

Agreed! I just want more opinions to show him next time I see him! Thanks guys. Theres no one hunting around me, so if he lives 2 or more years, that 3 could be a real nice buck!

By the picture I would take the 8 point but if I saw the 3 with my own eyes and it had a gray muzzle I would take the 3 point then.

If that 3 point is 2 1/2 years old, it should be reduced to dinner asap.
The 8 point has way more potential of becoming a beast with 2-3 more years.

I would agree if it was 2 1/2 but with that little short head it definitely looks like a 1 1/2 yr old buck

You can not look at the rack on a 1 1/2 year old buck and know squat about it's genetics.

And 2 1/2 year old bucks with 8 points do not grow more mass unless they are allowed to have more birthdays. Dead deer do not grow!

That said, shoot what makes you happy!

I would shoot whichever came along first I could care less about its head gear I eat the meat not the horns


I have no beef with those that want a big rack until they begin to try and control what I shoot

Honestly, that's how I feel. This is the first time I can manage my deer. I have my own land to hunt and no one around to compete with so it would be nice to put one on the wall and in the freezer. I have time so I'm not trigger happy, I just want to improve my odds! There are a lot more spikes, 3s and forks in my area than 8s! That said, I still think the guy is wrong, that the 3 has bad genes! Like Quiet said, he's too young to know.

That's a yearling buck.
Ain't know way ANYONE can tell what he,ll be like in the future.

That aint no 3 point

Young deer, bucks and does, are far easier to kill than mature deer. If you want a challenge, hunt a mature deer based on body characteristics. Learn to age them on the hoof.

If you just want to fill the freezer and not take much time doing it, kill a young one and move on.

Kill what you want.
Very few times we can manipulate the future in a wild herd.

X 2

Neither look like very mature deer if you compair the pics. If you are holding out for a big rackin the near future the bottom buck might get there

I would take whichever one makes you happy. The 3 is only a 1 1/2 year old so his rack does not have any indications of his genes. Look at how thin his head is based on the antlers. He's just a little guy.

MI biologist told me many years a go a spike will always be a inferior deer it's never going to be the 30 pointer! Let the game begin. LOL

So genetics relating to body size, stamina, reproductive capacity, disease resistance etc. are not good traits and just antler development is the king? Now I get a better understanding why some will spend 100K on land and 20K on equipment to get a 16 inch spread instead of a 12 incher.

Bryce

I hunt on a lease in the south which is not known for large antlers. Most of our land is timber company which means it is pretty much a piney woods with hardwoods in the bottoms. We do however have good genetics. Year to year I take 3 bucks which is our limit. All of them usually have decent mass and are routinely 15" or larger. I don't mean booners but solid bucks. I let many bucks pass many of which are small bucks like the ones in the photo. Some have distinguishing marks. I see those same bucks as 2 year olds with small frame 6 and 8 pointers. By year 3 they are usually shooters. They aren't huge but most folks would mount them. A 150 plus 12 point I took 10 years ago was a 3 year old. Most of the deer I take are 8 to 10 points. The myth that a spike is inferior does not work with wild deer. There are too many factors at play. First when were they born. Our deer breed well into the spring. Did he have good nutrition. What is the stress level from predation and even deer numbers. Sometimes it takes a free range wild deer to show you what he's got. In controlled environments like farm raised or high fence where nutrition and some of the other factors are controlled a small rack deer is considered inferior unless judging by his age they will generally give him till his second year to cull him. Just my experience. We are not a big buck lease and go by state laws which allows a 10" spread and this year 1 of our 3 can be any antlered deer. I am sure that several will hit the ground this year and I say good for them. I'm proud for anyone who puts in the effort and spends the time hunting to take any legal deer.