MD. Sika, worth the effort.

jode hillman

Well-known member
I Had an amazing couple days on the Eastern shore of Maryland. I came down to a friends farm for the early muzzle loader season. . Upon arriving Wednesday the wind was howling. This set the stage for the following day. Thursday was frustrating. The wind was blowing 40 miles an hour+, the tide was super high and even though I saw several Sika, I did not harvest one.
I cleanly missed one in the morning due to the swaying tree stand , and I elected not to shoot at a stag in the meadow at last light During the afternoon.

I was So troubled by the days events I did not sleep well that evening. I awoke at 3 AM playing the days scenarios over in my mind. I quickly realized I would not fall back asleep, and decided to put into action my plan for the new day, Friday. I was dressed and out the door by 3:30 AM and in my stand deep in the pine forests of Dorchester County by 4:30 AM

It was a spot I had scouted last winter that showed good sign of both Hinds and stags. It didn?t look like it had seen much hunting other than a decomposing carcass of a deer, probably shot during early bow season.

I climbed into my perch some 30 feet up and watched numerous shooting stars burn across the sky. The wind was blowing, but not as bad as Thursday. I soon began to hear the cat like meowing call of the Sika Hind( female)
,Within seconds they were answered with a shrill roaring bugle from several stags.

In the moonlight, Silhouetted in the darkness I could see distinct shapes running all around in the meadow. Yet it was still 1-1/2 hours until shooting light. I looked through my scope and saw a wonderful 6 Point stag silhouetted perfectly against a patch of light grass. The little devil on my shoulder told me to shoot, but the angel on the other side won out. 😂

Soon shooting light arrived, and as I looked around, I had many little groups of deer feeding in the short Meadow grass. Two spikes were sparring and clacking antlers whike letting out short bellows?s , feeling the other out. Then from directly in front of me a hind let out her call and a stag answered immediately and closely .

He was inthe thick timber and staying out of sight. The hind continue to meow and made her way out into a grass opening at about 60 yards. Soon the two spikes saw her and made a beeline towards her, harassing her and trying to get her attention. After about a minute of this the stag could take it no longer and he ran charging out to run the spikes off.

I looked through the scope and I saw branching antlers. So I knew it wasn?t a spike, but it didn?t look like the big 3 x 3 I had seen in the moonlight either.

However I knew it would be the biggest Stag I had ever seen or taken. So I decided to take the shot. Upon the report of the muzzleloader the stag fell to the ground . I held the scope on him and he did not move.

I decided I would also try to harvest the hind since it was my last day hunting and I love Sika venison . I reloaded, drew a bead and fired.

The hind ran all of 40 yards and I saw her cart wheel down into the grass.

However upon the report from the second shot, the stag raised his head got up and staggered into the same patch of brush where the Hind had ran. Oh no, what did that mean, did I stun him, or worse yet wound?

I looked in vain to see movement or to see him fall, I saw neither. I decided to climb down, come home, clean the gun and get breakfast. Later I would go back with a buddy and begin the search.

After several hours past we eased our way into the marsh slipping along quietly. I was in the lead with the muzzleloader ready. It only took about five minutes to locate the dead hind, in a little bit further along the same trail there with the expired stag as well!

What is amazing turn of events. It was probably the best time hunting I had ever had in my life. From the scenery, to the animals, to the excitement, to the good friends, to the wonderful environment.

This trip had it all. Killing Two beautiful animals was just the icing on the cake. And Sika is just about as yummy and delicious as anything you could ever eat. That?s why I expend the monumental effort to chase these wonderful little marsh deer.

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What neat little funny deer. Thanks for the pics, looks like a wonderful place to hunt.
 
They are tasty little buggers. My neighbor use to bow hunt them on Assateague Isl. and I,d swap him white tail tenderloin for his Sika tenderloin. He thought he was getting better end of deal but I knew better. Sika much better. And so much easier to drag ! Congrads on a fine hunt.
 
tod osier said:
What neat little funny deer. Thanks for the pics, looks like a wonderful place to hunt.

They really are. Very much like a small elk. The females mew, stags bugle. And the hunting territory is awesome if your a marsh rat like me.
 
Huntindave McCann said:
Jode,
Enjoyed reading about your hunt. Nice ending for you, but you sure ruined that stag's day. [sly]

Thanks, and yes I did. Loose women will get you trouble!
 
roy brewington said:
They are tasty little buggers. My neighbor use to bow hunt them on Assateague Isl. and I,d swap him white tail tenderloin for his Sika tenderloin. He thought he was getting better end of deal but I knew better. Sika much better. And so much easier to drag ! Congrads on a fine hunt.

Oh you are so right. Honestly I love whitetail, but I would trade a whitetail backstrap for ANY cut of Sika. It?s allll delicious.
 

Jode -

Your story covered a lotta bases of the highs & lows of hunting, and the things in between.

The reward was all worth it. Ya brought home the "bacon".

May your family enjoy many a good meal from your determination, and love of the outdoors.


Raise a glass to the Hind, the Stag, and the Hunter. Salud!


Best regards
Vince
 
Vince Pagliaroli said:
Jode -

Your story covered a lotta bases of the highs & lows of hunting, and the things in between.

The reward was all worth it. Ya brought home the "bacon".

May your family enjoy many a good meal from your determination, and love of the outdoors.


Raise a glass to the Hind, the Stag, and the Hunter. Salud!


Best regards
Vince
Thank you Vince. You sure know those peaks and valleys. One of the highlights of my trip was befriending a senior hunter from upstate PA. I did most of the dragging and gutting for him. He never killed a Stag, and I had the drop on a few after I tagged out. I filled him in on the location and particulars. He killed his first Stag in that exact spot Friday evening. He was as thrilled as if he was a kid again. He bought me dinner Friday night. Thats living.


Dinner with the family.

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Jode
What a great hunt and location to hunt!
I love the eastern shore Va, Md or Delaware
And I?ll include the jersey shore just beautiful areas.
Pat
 
patrick mccarthy said:
Jode
What a great hunt and location to hunt!
I love the eastern shore Va, Md or Delaware
And I?ll include the jersey shore just beautiful areas.
Pat

Thanks pat, right you are. The Eastern shore region in very similar to NJ?s Delaware bayside. There?s just more of it.
 
Joseph Sarno said:
Jode , great story happy you shared it with us congrats. I was given some sika venison last season it was excellent .
Thanks, yes it?s one of the best game meats there is.
 
Nice story Jode, glad the hunt worked in your "flavor". I just watched an episode on Meat Eater in regards to sika deer, made get on line and check out licenses. They look like such a cool little deer, I imagine the marsh conditions are prime mosquito grounds too. Do you hunt with thermocells?

Congrats again!
 
Troy Fields said:
Nice story Jode, glad the hunt worked in your "flavor". I just watched an episode on Meat Eater in regards to sika deer, made get on line and check out licenses. They look like such a cool little deer, I imagine the marsh conditions are prime mosquito grounds too. Do you hunt with thermocells?

Congrats again!

Unless it?s below freezing or blowing more than 20, thermacell is a must. I was lucky this trip( somewhat. It was windy both days. It messed me up Thursday, but Friday was manageable.
 
Very Cool! Thanks for sharing!

Our long term plans are to retire to Japan, hopefully I will get to hunt Sika in their native land some day.
I've seen them in Nara, they are the sacred animal of one of the temples there and they roam all around the grounds. They gather up the bucks in late summer and cut the horns off so no one gets gored!
In the country side the decline in hunters over the last 30 years has led to them being considered a scourge in agricultural areas. I heard from a hunter over there that they are very hard to hunt, as you noted they are practically nocturnal.
 
Carl said:
Very Cool! Thanks for sharing!

Our long term plans are to retire to Japan, hopefully I will get to hunt Sika in their native land some day.
I've seen them in Nara, they are the sacred animal of one of the temples there and they roam all around the grounds. They gather up the bucks in late summer and cut the horns off so no one gets gored!
In the country side the decline in hunters over the last 30 years has led to them being considered a scourge in agricultural areas. I heard from a hunter over there that they are very hard to hunt, as you noted they are practically nocturnal.

That?s really neat Carl. Yes they are a feature of the twilight. But if conditions are right you can catch them on their way to their beds.

Tonight?s dinner. 3 racks Sika rivs. Not much better than that!

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