#Spike buck full

The most common reason a male deer becomes a spike buck starts at birth – specifically when the male fawn is born plays a big role. It also includes a short description of whitetail spike bucks specifically. The following article offers a detailed explanation of what causes a spike buck and the shooting and hunting restrictions which apply to these unique male deer. This keeps the population of the local deer herd steady.This is typically due to the buck being so young, his antlers haven’t fully developed yet, though there are a few other reasons male deer become spike bucks as well.

#Spike buck full

Since they are so young, they are protected until they reach full maturity. The majority of states with deer hunting laws state that it is illegal to shoot a spike buck while hunting. Is It Bad or Illegal To Shoot a Spike Deer? The buck may remain a spike until he reaches maturity at four and a half years old, but this is unlikely. Their antlers are too small and slender to do anything a fully grown male buck can do, such as fight off competition during mating s eason. However, they are not yet mature enough to be considered full bucks. At this age, the buck’s antlers have already pushed through the fuzzy nubs. The average age of a spike buck is about two years old. But, as is the case with spike bucks, they may take more time to develop. But the antler material inside the pedicle is still not fully developed, and thus the fuzzy nubs don’t shed.īutton bucks can still develop into fully grown bucks.

Once a male fawn is born, the pedicles in their skull grow significantly during the fawn’s first few months. But they have to be about three to four years old for that to happen. This is generally due to the buck not being old enough.Īll bucks are born with pedicles in their skulls that will eventually grow into antlers. The nubs are formed because the bony antlers have not pushed through yet. A button buck doesn’t have any antlers at all.Ī button buck, more commonly referred to as a nub buck, is a young male fawn that has fuzzy nubs on its head rather than bony antlers. A spike buck has slender antlers without branches. The main difference between a spike buck and a button buck is the look of their antlers. They just need a little more time to grow and develop. It is not uncommon for spikes to eventually grow into fully mature bucks with impressive antlers. Spike bucks have a bit more growing to do.įurthermore, their antlers haven’t developed into full buck antlers yet. The average age for a fully grown buck deer is about four and a half years. This is because they haven’t reached the typical age range to be considered a true adult male. Spikes themselves are not considered bucks by many hunters. A lack of food, and more energy being consumed to keep the buck warm (instead of sending that energy to antler development) can play a role. Lastly, harsh weather conditions can cause a buck’s antlers to develop slower. The stress hormones interfere with the hormones in the growing buck. Stress from overpopulation could also affect buck antler growth. If a male deer is malnourished, then his antlers might develop slower. Nutrition is especially important to buck antler growth, especially in the first year of their life. Bucks that were born later usually have a slower development with their antlers, and thus they only have a set with one point.Ī few other common causes of a spike buck include: If it was born later than the usual spring and summer birthing season, then it might develop into a spike buck the following year. This is typically due to the buck being so young, his antlers haven’t fully developed yet, though there are a few other reasons male deer become spike bucks as well.