Q & A

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 Q:  What is the one management practice that will have the most noticeable impact on the size of the bucks on my property?

 A:  Passing on small 1 ½ year old bucks.  It's common sense really.  Bucks on your property cannot become trophies if they are not given the opportunity to “grow up”.  With very, very few exceptions, if a buck gets older, his antlers will get bigger along with body size.  Nutrition, genetics, and sex ratio are also very important factors.  But, if your age structure is heavily weighted toward the 1 ½ year old bucks, those factors mean very little.  Hunters hold the key to a successful Quality Management Plan.  So, pass on those little bucks and enjoying seeing bigger, more mature bucks in the future.

 Q:  My neighbor says “If you want to see more deer, pass on does.”  Is this true?

A:  Technically, yes.  From a Quality Management view, it is totally wrong.  Obviously, if you don’t harvest any does, there will be more deer on your property.  However, this does not do any good if you are trying to increase the quality of your bucks.  Eliminating the doe harvest causes the sex ratio to be lop-sided.  This will “run bucks ragged” during the rut trying to breed all the receptive does.  It will also allow more yearling bucks, instead of the mature bucks, to be active breeders.  It also causes some unneeded competition for food among deer and especially for the out-numbered bucks.  A good census of your buck to doe ratio will tell you how many does should be harvested.  You want the ratio as close to 1:1 as possible.  Use your doe harvest as a tool to produce a healthier herd with more bucks.

 Q:  Is a spike always a spike?

 A:  There are many theories, studies and folk tales on this subject.  It is a question that is still being argued from both sides.  From my personal experience, I believe that spikes are NOT always spikes.  I occasionally see spikes on the farms I hunt.  However, I have never seen a spike with the body characteristics of a 2 ½ yr. old, 3 ½ yr. old or older.  This tells me that they are spikes at 1 ½ years, but they develop more points as they get older.  Also, Pennsylvania has antler restriction laws, so in theory these spikes are not legally harvested and should be able to survive to the following season, unless perishing by other means.  If they did in fact remain spikes throughout life, I would then see “mature” spikes, which I don’t.  A spike is usually a spike due to poor nutrition, bad genes, or because it was a late fawn from the previous year.  No matter what the cause, they shouldn’t remain spikes for life.

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