old spike

[giff]

sunday morning I had a good sized spike about 15 yards away. unfortunately could not get a shot. I didn't think anything of it but when I replayed it in my mind I realized he had a gray muzzle. was it just my imagination? how old when they get a gray muzzle? anyone else ever seen this?

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

It happens sometimes.  I have seen two different spikes over the years that were obviously older deer.  They had quite a bit of mass as well.  I've also saw a large and obviously older fork horn as well.  He had probably  an 18" spread with 4"-5" mass on his beems.  You can tell an older deer by their body.  You can't guess their exact age but you can tell a 3-4 year old from an 18 month old

[BigCountryOK]

I've seen older spikes.  Keep in mind to that coloring is not always an indicator of age.  Body structure is a better indicator IMO.  I've seen a 3.5yr old deer that was very gray.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I saw a big Spike last Saturday.  He was making scrapes and grunting. I think it was a 1 1/2 year old but he was a bit far from me to have a better guess.  it is possible for older deer have poor genetics and only spike horns.  I have also seen deer that appear to be spikes that have busted antlers.  

The body itself would be  a better indication for the age of the deer.

[Hoyt]

Here's an older one.
 

[kybowman]

Dang Hoyt,
          looks like jerky on the hoof!!

[dragonheart]

Wow!  What a spike

[Wannabe1]

Dangdest thang I ever did see!  

[woodchucker]

I saw a spike that looked like he had 2 hatchet handles sticking out of his head.

He must have been an old bugger... He didn't have any teeth!!!

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
I saw a spike that looked like he had 2 hatchet handles sticking out of his head.

He must have been an old bugger... He didn't have any teeth!!!

Probably something to that. No teeth = different diet= less nutrients to form antlers. that would be my guess.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
I saw a spike that looked like he had 2 hatchet handles sticking out of his head.

He must have been an old bugger... He didn't have any teeth!!!

Chuck, That's from eating rocks and not brushing his teeth      

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Good Gosh Hoyt! I'm guessing that's a real spike, but it's so odd looking that it almost seem photoshopped? I know it must not be or you wouldn't have posted it, but I have never in my life seen anything as strange as that dude!
Unbelievable.

A short blocky nose, thick head and jaw structure, and grey around the muzzle and face are all good indicators of an older deer. The short blocky snout is a dead give away of a mature buck, only examination of the teeth will reveal his true age.

[Bent Rig]

I guess I've never seen a real spike till yours Hoyt ! Lol !! the others were just babies to that one !!!  :eek:

[Dean Lintz]

Hoyt that loos like a Texas Longhorn. LOL

[Yellow Dog]

The heaviest bow kill I ever took in Michigan dressed out at 171#. He had a tiny little forkhorn rack. I took him to the DNR check station and they aged him at 3 1/2 years. The butcher that does my deer for me told me he was the second heaviest deer he took in for the early bow season, and he'd done about 250 deer so far.

[Don Stokes]

My ex shot a full-grown deer for a doe, and found that it had buttons. The club biologist aged it at 1 1/2 years. The buttons were exactly like a regular button buck fawn's.