Spike Culling: Effective Deer Management or Myth? | The Ranch
Will harvesting “spike” white-tailed deer help grow bigger bucks? The foundation of many wildlife management plans are often built on one side of the other of the argument with solid reasoning either way. This age-old question among white-tailed deer hunters, ranchers, and managers, is actually a question of two parts– 1. are spike white-tailed bucks genetically inferior and, if so, 2. will culling spike bucks improve the antler size among the white-tailed deer herd. To thoroughly but briefly deconstruct the sides, we must clearly define some terminology, clarify some misnomers on the topic, and breakdown when and how the reasons ‘to cull or not to cull’ situationally apply.
Using the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department definition, a spike in the case of this writing is a white-tailed deer buck with at least one unbranched antler.1 Our definition of an unbranched antler is a single beam or tine and does not include “cactus”, perruque, or broken antlers. We are excluding these from our criteria because cactus or perruque antlered bucks are often associated with testicular and/or testosterone related issues and broken antlers are often environmentally related (fighting, hit by a car, etc.). Deer with antlers that have not broke through the skin of the scalp are often called “nubbin” or “button” bucks are considered antlerless, not spike bucks. Culling is the act of selectively removing an animal from the population as a means of controlling or removing undesirable characteristics (bad genetics, diseases, etc.). And lastly, just so we’re clear, bigger bucks is not indicative of body size or mass… Although good body condition can be an indication of good health, our definition of bigger bucks is white tailed deer with larger, better scoring bone (antlers) on their heads.
Myths
Now to dispel a couple of myths. One common misconception about white-tailed deer spikes is this idea that “once a spike, always a spike”. This is simply not true; not that a spike couldn’t be a spike it’s whole life, but most in fact are only a spike for their first set of antlers and progressively get larger, better scoring antlers each year with age and nutrition.2 A study in south Texas conducted by Stephen F. Austin State University researchers found that the average spike with 3 legal points or less at 1.5 years old will be at or above the herd average number of points and Boone and Crocket score by 3.5–5.5 years old.2 Another major misconception is that all (or most) spikes are caused by poor antler genetics. The genetic aspect certainly plays a role, but in actuality, there are numerous reasons that can cause spike antlers among white-tailed deer at any stage of life. This may include injuries or infections at the antler pedicle (the base of the skull where antlers regenerate from each antler growing season) from fighting, motor vehicle collisions, or casting previous year’s antlers, opposite hind limb injuries, nutritional deficiencies, antler breakage, testicular injuries or infections, testosterone issues, harsh weather conditions during buck fawn gestation, or simply age.1,3,4 In fact, a large portion of single spike-antlered bucks (one antler has branches and one is a spike) are caused by good ol’ nature and nurture (environmental and/or health) rather than genetics.
One study conducted in Alabama found that 62% of single spike-antlered bucks were caused by external factors like those described above.3 Furthermore, 92% of white-tailed bucks with two spike antlers are a yearling (about 1.5 years old) with their first set of antlers.1 But, just because most double-sided spike bucks are yearlings does not mean most yearlings are spikes; only about 25%–33% of yearlings are spikes.1
Does that mean that spikes are genetically inferior?
An argument can be made that there is a genetic aspect in both the size of antlers and susceptibility to injury, infection, or disease that may otherwise cause spike antlers. But the same argument can be made that a gene that is associated with large antlers could also be associated with more breakable antlers, or some other double-edged genetic sword. Under the assumption that the genetic influence on external reasons for spike antlers is obsolete by canceling itself out, the size of antlers are based on antler genetics, nutrition, and age. When available forage and nutrition are sparse, the percentage of yearling spikes will increase. But, if observing three visibly healthy same-aged bucks on a ranch that are likely to have received similar nutrition, and one of the three bucks is a spike while the other two are 6-point or 8-point bucks, the spike buck likely has comparatively inferior antler genetics.
Does that mean culling spikes will improve the antler quality among the deer herd? The short answer, it depends. There is evidence that culling will not influence antler size of the average low fenced ranch white-tailed deer herd, regardless of culling criteria.2,5 The reasoning boils down to too little control; over the deer movement, over neighbors culling criteria (or lack thereof), the genes present in the herd, etc. But there is much more control over management goals and strategies when discussing deer herd management of a closed herd like that behind a game-proof fence or in a geographic area with limited migration (islands, steep surrounding mountains, etc.). In these more controllable situations, the use of selective culling to improve antler characteristics is more likely to prove effective.5
Ultimately, my philosophy is, if the buck white-tailed deer population is high and numbers need to be thinned, you can’t go wrong shooting spikes, especially from age classes older than 1.5 years. If the buck white-tailed deer population is low, let the spikes go and grow, because there is plenty of evidence that a spike can explode into a respectable buck with age and good nutrition.2
Bibliography:
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 2006. Antler Restrictions. Accessed September 1, 2024.
- Koerth BH, Kroll JC. 2008. Juvenile-to-adult antler development in white-tailed deer in south Texas. Journal of Wildlife Management 72(5):1109–1113.
- Karns GR, Ditchkoff SS. 2013. Trauma-induced malformed antler development in male white-tailed deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin 37(4):832–837.
- Mississippi State University Deer Ecology and Management Lab. 2019. Antler Abnormalities. . Accessed September 1, 2024.
- Webb SL, Demarais S, Strickland BK, DeYoung RW, Kinghorn BP, Gee KL. 2012. Effects of selective harvest on antler size in white-tailed deer: a modeling approach. Journal of Wildlife Management 76(1):48–56.
