Thread: What happens to spikers in the Roar?

Just curious what happens to spikers during the roar? Do the young ones get displaced by the big fellers? Do they move to bush edges/farm land or into the interior?

Like any teenager, the spikers are trying to get some action but usually told to bugger off by the bigger fella. Will usually hang around the outside. Can be found in their own groups as well.

Excellent, would be very nice if they would hang out in the open, only interested in meat and it may turn out to be only time I can get out.

They get beaten up if they get to close to a Cycling hind
Tolerated near hinds that aren't ready
When you see a spiked alone hold hinds they have already been mated

Take a hind or two. They will be better eating than the spikers. Testosterone levels go up in them as well, can have an effect on the meat.

Skulking around the edges, to try and get a whirl on one of the girls before the big fella catches on.
Side effect of this is they play the willing idiot and bust you and give away your presence to the big fella.

If you're after meat knock over a hind, will taste better. Even the spikers get a bit rutty...
I'm heading out in the roar this year with some friends, I have no interest in antlers so I'll just head off in the opposite direction and shoot any hinds I come across. Doubt there's a shortage where we're going and good meat even that time of year.

Thanks good point

Shot this spiker in april 2021......He had both shoulders and his neck punctured, his bowel punctured and a broken leg....put him out of his misery...





Pretty sure this was the Buck that beat him up ....got him on the game camera a few weeks earlier within 50m of where I found the spiker hiding under some scrub. Gave up a shot at the Buck to do the humane thing.
Went back a couple of weeks later and took the buck....

Heck poor thing. Good on you!

Fallow are epic fighters

@Allgood thanks for putting up those photos of the beaten up spiker. That damage is seriously serious. The poor bugger must have been felling absolutely lousy! Good job to do the humane thing.

It's not unusual when bush hunting to have a spiker come and check you out if you're having a roaring stand-off with a mature stage. Sometimes they go nuts and come crashing in (and back again). All part of the fun as long as you hold your nerve.

Yes, shoot a hind. We shoot too many spikers anyway. Me included.

Originally Posted by A-Bolt

It's not unusual when bush hunting to have a spiker come and check you out if you're having a roaring stand-off with a mature stage. Sometimes they go nuts and come crashing in (and back again). All part of the fun as long as you hold your nerve.

I was roaring a stag for a friend - he had been gone 15 mins sneaking in and I was on a ridge giving the odd moan to keep stag going - had a feeling I was being watched and looked back up ridge - a spiker had snuck in silent as and was peering at me from about 20 feet away - he eventually got a whiff and stuffed of

if deer numbers are high the spikers will be banging hinds as well.last couple of roars we have had problems with low key roaring which I think is due to stags not having to work for a hind group as there are to many and they don't care they just do what ever they want and know there will be hinds to bang.last roar I saw a stag group feeding together, they were matureish.