Sika deer

[Shane]

Who has experience hunting sika? We have several on our lease, but we've seen only does and fawns all summer. Haven't seen a buck in person or on camera yet. I know they're around though, as the does were all pregnant and now have fawns.

From what I'm reading, sika bucks hang out in bachelor groups away from the does during the summer (similar to elk), and then they herd up with the does when the rut gets going in the fall. What type of terrain do the bucks prefer in the summer? It's just weird we're not seeing them at all anywhere. I'm hoping the bucks come to where the does are during the rut, rather than the does leaving to go find the bucks.

[ACCURACYINC]

I know nothing about Sika deer, but when do they drop their antlers? Maybe you ARE seeing them...

[Shane]

I know nothing about Sika deer, but when do they drop their antlers? Maybe you ARE seeing them...

They're on the same schedule as everything else except axis - rut and hard antlers in the fall, in velvet right now, etc. I've seen sika bucks on previous leases. It's easy to tell the difference between bucks and does. Their behavior patterns aren't like whitetail or axis though.

[denimdeerslayer]

All I know is they taste really good!

[Dale Moser]

Haven't seen a buck in person or on camera yet. I know they're around though, as the does were all pregnant and now have fawns.

Nothing gets past this guy!

I have nothing to add, I just thought that was funny. And Sika bucks make a cool bugle/scream when they rut....it'll wake you all the way up.

[txtrophy85]

Assuming you are talking about Japanese sika.

They are very nocturnal, which is one issue when hunting them. I’ve found them to be very wary. They will start their rut here in a few weeks with the bulls roaring much like elk looking for females.

From what I’ve seen, they pattern well and I would try and intercept them early morning at a food source before they go back to their beds.

[whiteoak]

The males do a bugle like an elk. They will start rutting in September. They tend to hang in the deepest draws and only come out early and late in the evenings. Difficult as hell to pattern. They are also very aggressive and tend to break points early. I let a nice 4x4 go last year and haven't had any photos of him yet. But come sept he will be around.

[Shane]

Nothing gets past this guy!

I have nothing to add, I just thought that was funny. And Sika bucks make a cool bugle/scream when they rut....it'll wake you all the way up.

Yeah, I'm no genius. But I can figure some stuff out.

[Shane]

Assuming you are talking about Japanese sika.

They are very nocturnal, which is one issue when hunting them. I’ve found them to be very wary. They will start their rut here in a few weeks with the bulls roaring much like elk looking for females.

From what I’ve seen, they pattern well and I would try and intercept them early morning at a food source before they go back to their beds.

We see a couple different kinds of sika. Some are chocolate-colored with almost black legs, neck, face and stripe down the spine. Others are more reddish-brown with white spots. They run together.

[txtrophy85]

We see a couple different kinds of sika. Some are chocolate-colored with almost black legs, neck, face and stripe down the spine. Others are more reddish-brown with white spots. They run together.

The japs are small....90-110 lbs.

I’ve seen some that have spots depending on time of year

[The Cajun]

Shane, I believe you know Patton through the Greenscreen. You may want to hit him up. Seems like he's had a lot of luck calling them in with a cow elk call during the Rut.

[PYBUCK]

I think your best bet would be to call them in with a deer feeder going off. Other than that I got nothing.

[Shane]

Shane, I believe you know Patton through the Greenscreen. You may want to hit him up. Seems like he's had a lot of luck calling them in with a cow elk call during the Rut.

Yes sir. Patton has been very helpful. I was just wondering if anyone else knew much about them too. I've had sika on our previous leases, but very hit and miss in every seeing any. Our current lease has decent numbers of sika does on it, just no bucks yet.

[J.B.]

I think your best bet would be to call them in with a deer feeder going off. Other than that I got nothing.

^^^^this. Similar story to yours; I killed a big one a couple years ago.

[Patton]

The males do a bugle like an elk. They will start rutting in September. They tend to hang in the deepest draws and only come out early and late in the evenings. Difficult as hell to pattern. They are also very aggressive and tend to break points early. I let a nice 4x4 go last year and haven't had any photos of him yet. But come sept he will be around.

This is pretty consistent for what I have seen and learned hunting with Sika the past 10+ years. Deep and thick draws, not patternable on feeders, aggressive towards one another/often break points and they rut real hard.

From what I gather, most of the Sika in the hill country are mutts. Like you Shane, I've seen sika standing side by side that look very dissimilar from one another. Most of the sika will change from reddish-orange with spots during the summer to jet black in the fall; some stay mostly dark year round and just get spots in the summer. The thick mane on the bucks/bulls comes with the winter coat.

I think you are going to have some great hunts this year trying to call them in. Like whiteoak said, unless they are rutting around--they are usually in the steepest, narrowest and thickest canyons.