BT spike - shoot or don't shoot?

[SteelheadTed]

I'm a relative newb.  I have less then a day to hunt the late season MF season in SW Washington (hunted general season for 4 days).  I know where a spike is hanging out and I feel like I have a decent shot of finding him again.  I haven't seen anything else but there is lots of sign. 

Does anyone hesitate to shoot the spike if you are in my shoes?  At this point in my hunting life I care more about the meat than the antlers, but since I'd like to hunt this area in the future I don't want to take a short term gain if it hurts the long term.  Part of me says that is WDFW's job.  The other part of me says, "manage the deer yourself".  This particular area doesn't appear to get much hunting pressure only saw one guy around during the general season.

[kirkl]

My tag would be filled if I saw him for the late hunt.

[h20hunter]

Kill it.

I like eating deer meat. If you have a tag, room in the freezer, and are looking to fill some of that room...shoot it.

Take a look at Bknilvr's little blacktail spike in his thread. I helped dress it out, good amount of meat, and darn is it good eating.

[bobcat]

That's a great question and really you're the only one who can answer it.

[Woodchuck]

Click the safety off, settle the cross hairs, let breath out slowly, squeeze...

[lamrith]

Having passed on a spike opening day, never to see another legal deer the rest of my hunt in AZ.  If it is legal, it is going down unless I know for a fact (have seen) there is better right there in the area, or it is a known big buck producing area.    Once guns start going off, legal deer have a knack for knowing they are the target and vanishing until the end of the season.

Young deer tend to be more tender and less gamey anyway!

[X-Force]

That's a great question and really you're the only one who can answer it.

[superdown]

I also like the meat better than antlers.I shot my smallest buck this year just a 3-4 inch spike on both sides and am very happy with the fact that i have some meat in the freezer a nice neck shot and no meat wasted.It is a great memory i got to share with my fiance' and a tag filled.

[pianoman9701]

If spikes are allowed in that unit, that means the biologists have determined that killing spikes, and any other deer legal for that unit, will contribute to the overall health of the herd, sexual mix, and sustain the habitat. Boom!

[elkboy]

Hey Ted-  My first deer was a blacktail spike near Toledo, Washington.  I was incredibly grateful for that deer- his body actually was not that small, and the meat was incredibly good.  His rumen was full of apples from old homestead orchards, and I swear you could detect that delicate flavor in his venison.  So, given that you appreciate meat as much or more than antlers, I think that I would go ahead and fill your freezer.  And if the unit is designated "any buck", then the WDFW has determined that young buck survival isn't really a big constraint on the herd.  GOOD LUCK!

[2labs]

Deer veal

[WAnoob]

Like others said this all depends on you.  I would probably take it being late season.  The more experience you get you realize you can run a risk of not seeing another on a long hunt, regarding if you pass on an animal or not.

My first deer was a spike, I am not the lucky one who shoots a bruiser my first time.  My deer tend to get bigger each year I put the work in 

[Firedogg]

 Early in a season with late hunts to go a spike gets to walk, late season with limited days to hunt I'm bringing home any venison I can harvest.

[SteelheadTed]

Thanks guys.  I was leaning towards shooting the first legal deer I see, given the short, late season and the fact I didn't get one in the general. 

h20hunter: the spike I saw looks pretty much like the one in your buddies thread, glad to hear it could be a good eater (might also be the spike feeding on my in-laws apples, which would be cool).

In terms of Elk, a friend mentioned he wouldn't shoot anything less than a 5 pointer just to make sure there are always young bulls replacing the old ones.  His thought is to sort of micro manage the heard if you are hunting in a low pressure area, leave yourself bulls for the future.  I didn't think it held true for deer in quite the same way but thought I'd ask.

[steen]

The one time i passed on a spike I did not fill my tag that year. I had my young daughter with me, and in hindsight I would have taken the shot just to share the experience with her. I was also okay with letting him go.
I like my venison, this year I took the first buck I saw. Not to shabby, 75 lbs. of meat in the freezer. I'm just glad he was a good sized mulie.