[Guide Girl]

This is a younger bull. I love the coats as rugs. Much thicker than an whitetail deer. The meat is deep red, almost purple in appearance.They are part of the Elk family of animals, and vocalize like Elk. This deer is one that cannot be fenced in or out. They seem to be like a mouse flattening the head when going through or under a fence. Amazing thing to witness. They are a free ranging exotic in Texas.
There are different classes of Sika deer. This is locally called the Japanese Sika. Males are chocolate in color, while the females are buff to red in color which makes it hard to distinguish from whitetail does for the untrained eye. The notable difference in the two species are a shorter nose, and tail with the buttocks having the elk looking white circle with a black rim. When they are excited, they puff the hair out on the hinds as shown in a few photos here.
Enjoy!

 

[Big-Bird-VA]

We don't get them that big here but we have a small population in VA.. They have a public hunt for them each fall. One of my favorite game animals. If they were all over or I could hunt there all season I would never chase whitetail again.

I've been hunting them for 15 yrs or so up there and have a hell of a natural funnel area located. I get one or two each year. They let in 150 people for 6 days total and usually take 25 or so with bow for the year. One year 4 of us in my group took 25% of the total taken. They put our picture in the indoc slide show. I get pumped just thinking about hunting up there.

We hunt mostly from the ground. This guy was at 20 yds. My closest ground encounter was less than one yard. I had fur blow back onto me from the shot. Was a very close encounter.

 

[Guide Girl]

Awesome! Here, they're fairly nocturnal too. How about there? Here, since they are exotic, you can shoot them all day or night, any weapon, everyday of the year.

 

[Big-Bird-VA]

Well here they're on Chincoteague NWF a Federal refuge. 10,000 rules and a very limited season. Two 3 day hunts for bow. Gun is longer. Both a lottery system. Yes they are pretty much nocturnal but they do move some in the day if you go far out away from the crowds. I've got it figured out and use the nimrods as drivers to herd them into safety areas. I do best midway to end of the hunt when the Sika exit to the marsh areas for safety. They don't use the woods that much there as the food is salt marsh grass. They go to these remote bunches of Myrtle in the day and then exit right at dark and move back to the feeding areas at a pretty high rate of speed. Know the bedding and travel routes and when the other hunters push them out there they are sure to go by you on the way back.

You know there is a guy in MD that sells a killer Sika call? Sika Seducer. I called in one and it was in a dead run. It bugled and I responded and it was on me before I could pick up the xbow. Went 150 yds in less than 15 seconds! I had scope mount issues and blew the shot. But it came in like it was on a wire. I still see that Sika in my nightmares. He was a nice one for there.

Call does all Sika calls both male & female and comes with a audio training CD. Worth every penny. $35 for the package.

http://crowmart.secure-mall.com/shop/

 

[conductorguy]

Man that sounds like alot of fun! Does the meat taste like elk? I wonder if they would interbreed with wild Elk? They are a very pretty animal and you are lucky to have them!

 

[Big-Bird-VA]

Well I'm off for the 3 day archery hunt at Chincoteague. Scout Sunday and hit 'em Monday bright and early. The cool front hit so they should be worked up pretty good. Maybe they'll be bugling a little, or a lot!

I'm trying to take the video camera and get a hunt on film.

 

[Guide Girl]

Man that sounds like alot of fun! Does the meat taste like elk? I wonder if they would interbreed with wild Elk? They are a very pretty animal and you are lucky to have them!

Yes they breed with Elk. They call the product of that mating Silks. It is a member of the Elk family, so yes, it tastes like Elk.

 

[Big-Bird-VA]

While I was out trying to shoot a Sika my little one was riding with my SO around the refuge with my camera. She had my other Sika call too. Saw a stag and blew it and got him worked up. He started making a wallow the Sika equivalent of a scrape I guess.

He comes out and starts digging the hole. you can see the dirt hitting the water. Lays down and wallows in it. Gets up and finished it off and then leaves. Check out the pinned back ears. He's a little upset.

 

[razorback5]

Neat pictures

What subspecies of Sika deer are found in Virginia and Maryland?

Thanks

 

[woodmaster]

Very neat post you all. Its amazing the difference in the size between bigbirds and GG . Your blessed to have them to hunt