Sika

[Osprey]

I got to thinking that some may wonder what the heck the sika I keep talking about are, forget that not everybody knows we have them here in Maryland. Tiny Asian elk, originally from Yakushima Island in Japan, brought here around 1916. Five were turned loose on an island in the Chesapeake and all of our deer come from those, now 15,000-20,000 of them spread over a few counties.

Males, stags, get 3x3 (very rarely 4x4) antlers like elk, weigh up to 100 lbs live weight, does or hinds average 45lbs dressed, both sexes will still have some spots all year. They love the marshes and swamps - if it's wet and thick and nasty they are at home. Rut in October. Stags bugle a high pitched scream, and they will come to calls. Sometimes. :grin: Fun to hunt and taste great, both cases I like them better than whitetails. Here's some pics...

 

[paulvallandigham]

Thanks for the explanation and the pictures. I have seen the tracks in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, but I have not see the deer. We have week old fawns that are bigger than an adult doe sika elk! here in Illinois.

 

[PreglerD]

Hi Ospreys,

the Sikas are also common in some parts of Germany. In some cases they copulated with red deer. In your country there must be much more escaped because 5 - 10 escapers can notbuilt up such a big population as you described.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[Osprey]

Nope, started with 5 deer in 1916. Recorded fact.

The ones you have are likely one of the larger subspecies, most of the sika elsewhere are larger (up to 200lbs live weight), there are plenty of those on game farms in the U. S. and several places of escapees (I think New Zealand has a large herd of the bigger subspecies, too). We are the only place (lower Eastern Shores of Maryland and Virginia) with a truly wild, introduced herd of this subspecies of sika, they are even endangered in their home range. Funny thing is that in their native lands they are a mountain deer and here it's all salt marsh - has something to do with their liking acidic soils from the research I've seen.

 

[Osprey]

Here's a few more pics. This first one was amazing to watch, these stags went at it for everything they had for 15 minutes. Just vicious.

This is the biggest I've taken so far, pretty good sized one at that!

 

[rabjr]

How do they eat Osprey? Like regular venison?

Amazing what 5 animals can do. I think two pair of White tails were brought over to Prudence Island originally, here out in the bay and it didn't take long for them to hit 70+ per square mile there. It's not as bad now but the 70's, 80's there was a hell of a lot of deer on the Island.

 

[bigbore442001]

I have a bug now to take a sika with the muzzleloader. I have always been impressed by the little deer. They are very handsome for a lack of a better term.

 

[Osprey]

How do they eat Osprey? Like regular venison?

Much better. If you've eaten elk it's similar. Darker, richer meat than whitetails, everybody I know that has tried it likes it best.

 

[bucktales]

Never knew they were there in those amounts. Wouldn't mind taking one with a ML myself.
BTW, that racker on the other side of the room is no slouch either. Nice work! :thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

Several years ago, a lady hunter in central Illinois shot a Sika buck. The story and picture were in the newspaper.
When she shot it she thought it was "a funny looking" deer. When she got to it to tag it she wasn't sure WHAT it was. So she called the game warden.
If I remember right, they decided it was NOT a game animal, it was the property of the landowner and she didn't have to tag it. They figgered it must have escaped from somewhere.
Seems like it dressed out around 70lb, but I won't swear to it.

 

[Osprey]

BTW, that racker on the other side of the room is no slouch either. Nice work! :thumbsup:

:grin: Thanks! Bow kill, on the ground, 12 yard shot. :grin:

 

[arquebus]

The ones you have are likely one of the larger subspecies, most of the sika elsewhere are larger

Yes, I was going to say. I remember back in Australia they had Sika in the south-east part of the country, but I thought they were a much bigger animal than the ones you were describing. Very interesting, thanks for the photos & information.

 

[PreglerD]

The Sika we have in Germany are similar in their bigness to the US ones.

Thanks for the nice pics!

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[Bunyan]

Nice pics, osprey! And nice brow tines on that sika mount. They're very cool animals that I'm gonna try to spend more time chasing this season!

 

[Osprey]

Sounds like a late season flintlock get together to me Bunyan. Be forewarned, I kayak for 20-40 minutes to reach some of my best spots, can get a little chilly in Dec/Jan!

Shoulda seen me last year - in a 14' kayak had me (6'1", 220lbs), climbing treestand, bow and arrows, backpack and a stag. :shocked2: Had all the gear strapped on back, me in the seat, stag rearend shoved under the front deck, front legs curled under him, neck bent back with antlers hooked under the gunnel and his shoulders tucked in between my lap and knees. That's all coming out a tidal creek in the dark, too. :thumbsup:

 

[Stumpkiller]

And here I thought them was whitetail that cross bred with muskrats. :haha:

We have friends that live in Cambridge. My wife and I made a side trip out to bicycle Blackwater years back and we came across three sika on one of the side trails. Cute little buggers that didn't seem especially flighty. Back when Sarge was at the municipal marina - prior to Ed & his dog Chart who are history, too. We'd trailer a boat down. Good times.

Have returned a half dozen times since then and not hide nor hair was glimpsed. Guess I got lucky the first time.

From what I can tell you need to be outfitted like you were trout fishing - chest waders and a net. Sloppy territory in those Eastern Shore marshes.

 

[Bunyan]

Stumpkiller, I'm far from a sika expert, having never even shot one, but I've seen them a number of times and know guys who are in the eastern shore marshes every day who get their share of sikas every year. Waders are handy to have, as is a thermacell or bugsuit! I usually describe them as being antlered jackalopes on steroids. They're small, and apparently hold tight enough at times that you can walk within feet of them and not even know it!

Osprey, I'd love to do a late season flintlock hunt. I saw on the refuge forum that you're planning to be at the chestertown meeting on the 20th. I'm planning to be there as well. Maybe we can make some in person introductions?

 

[Osprey]

Not positive I'll be at Ctown, but definitely at Salisbury, but if I get up there I'll let you know the day of.

Yeah, there are some nasty places in sika land. Hip boots and calf high rubber boots generally suit me fine, but I have gotten muddy on blood trails a time or two. :wink:

How good can they hide? Two years ago I was with a buddy and he shot one with his crossbow. We jumped it and shot it again, he'd hit a twig, and we saw where she stopped and died in three foot high needle rush. Exactly where. And we still had our boots within 11" of her before we actually saw her burrowed under the rushes. :surrender:

Pray for snow in late season - they can't hide and leave nice, easy to follow tracks!!!

 

[Osprey]

Not going to make it up there tonight Bunyan, but I will be at Salisbury tomorrow night for that meeting. Good luck, let me know how it goes up there. Imagine there will be a big QDM push at that one??

 

[Bunyan]

That's okay. I don't know if I'll be getting up there after all, myself. I'm thinking I'll be doing some whitetail scouting down the road from me this evening instead. Besides, I can already picture all the arguments over QDM, does, poaching, check in systems, and everything else deer related. Heck, it might be pretty darn entertaining after all!