I watched with my heart in my throat and my hands on my face as he bounded a few yards, then staggered, and fell hard, shoulder-first, into the soft mud. We didn’t figure them out that trip. This stock originated from very famous bloodlines many years ago. The sika naturally occupied terrain and food sources that best fit their needs. "On a moonlit night you can hear an Elk bull bugle through the valley." Today, the Maryland herd is the largest free-ranging herd in the United States, with somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 members. Nordik Sika is a novel and unique deer call from Sweden. It was a futile effort- the more I looked, the more I saw, and I pretty quickly came to the conclusion that this island is pretty much entirely composed of pony crap. The stags will roar as with other herding deer, but then whistles are the most common sound to be heard! They are also offered on game farms as well. Sika deer have a white rump patch that flares outward when alarmed. We made another couple of pilgrimages out to the island over the years. I took my shot then, at 7 yards, and watched as he shuddered from the impact of the arrow. The Single Call (roar or bugle): My favourite sound while hunting. Imported from Japan in the 1920s by a wealthy man who had started a hunting club on the island, the small population of sika deer thrived and outlived the hunt club itself. The Chesapeake Bay Sika are in the subspecies of Cervus yakushimae, these are the smallest subspecies of Sika and males have an average of 4- to 6-point antlers. Re: Sika Deer i have hunted sikas for years down near cambridge. Our original Elk Reel, milled and tuned for a slightly higher pitch to perfectly imitate the Elk’s smaller cousin the Sika Deer. Some of the sounds of the sika buck, though, suit their much smaller size and sound less like a roar and more like a squealing hinge that whines downward in pitch. The Extinguisher's patented ModiSlide™ allows you to sound like a Buck, a Doe or a Fawn in an instant. But there were ponies. The call will produce the bugle of the Sika deer during the rut season. Favorite foods for sika are marsh grass, bayberry, catbrier and poison ivy. It’s a primal sound, similar to the bugling of an elk, but more ethereal. This an example of a male sika deer calling, recorded at Wareham, in Dorset. The climbing stand was a struggle in the waders- the clunky boots didn’t quite fit into the stirrups, and getting my knees to bend the way I needed them to was close to impossible. Even now, writing this, the memory of the bugling raises the hair on the back of my neck. His hooves were dainty and almost fawn-like, unsuited for the wet marsh ground, but he seemed to get around just fine. Nordik Sika is a novel and unique deer call from Sweden. They stay in the deepest recesses of hard-to-reach marshland. On our first-ever sika hunt, three seasons ago, we left in pitch darkness to queue up at the gate to the refuge. After what felt like an eternity, the brown shape appeared in an opening- a stag, with a thick mane and tall tines. you have to search and search for them they blend in very well in the marsh. You will notice that they all have small legs and a very small head. Because of their hardy nature and ability to eat a broad range of plants, leaves and crops, sika deer have been introduced around the world, in places such as Vietnam, Russia, Europe and the United States (Maryland, Virginia, and Texas). Even now, writing this, the memory of the bugling raises the hair on the back of my neck. I used the cover to my advantage and ranged the bushes I saw it moving through. The "stags" bugle. In the back of the truck we had waders, climbing stands, and rifles. Snarls of briars choked every step, wrapping around my ankles, the gun, the climber. This miniature elk cousin is abundant on the Eastern Shore. They are too far apart on the family tree to crossbreed.”. They like the swampy woods and marsh. He graciously allowed us to stay and finish quartering by the light of the shack while he headed home, and it wasn’t until I saw the taillights of his truck disappearing down the road that it all started to sink in. The call will produce the bugle of the Sika deer during the rut season. I've called and taken several sika, male and female using the call. October 2013. In daylight, the drive back to town took twice as long as it did in the dark. 15 yards. This deer call was designed especially for Sika Deer. 99.6% Approval Rating - NAHC Field Test, highest ever by a deer call! Sika hinds typically bear a single calf, whereas a whitetail doe may have twins or triplets. The call of a Sika Stag is unique, and those that have witnessed this whistling sound will admit, it sends chills down your spine. We thought we’d take our time getting set up and find a good tree to climb and wait out the dawn. A big stag can dress about 100 lbs. The name might ring a bell for some of you- the children’s book Misty of Chincoteague was set partially on this island. The call is made out of a black cycolac plastic for years of trouble free use. We counted pintails and black ducks in the impoundments, and, memorably, narrowly avoided bringing an endangered Delmarva fox squirrel to his untimely demise beneath our tires. It was a chilly morning, but I could feel the sweat blooming across my forehead and itching under my thermals. Re: Sika Deer i have hunted sikas for years down near cambridge. The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. It was quiet without being too sleepy, and we could get around just fine without much adult supervision. The wild ponies use the road as frequently as the hunters do, and we were stopped every few minutes by group after group of them. I finally managed to get settled in, just as the grey line of the horizon shifted a rosy pink. We heard the occasional bugle, but other than that, we had no sign of them. During this time, males become very vocal by "bugling." We spent evenings scanning the map, planning our next day’s setup before crashing out for the night. Sika deer in Assateague Island National Seashore. The morning light broke, and as my surroundings came into focus, the ducks, geese and swans started moving. This miniature elk cousin is abundant on the Eastern Shore. There were no sika for me that morning. We saw them at night and before dawn from the road, ducking into the sort of hellhole thickets you’d have to be crazy to try to push through, but we just weren’t seeing them moving during legal light. The call of a Sika Stag is unique, and those that have witnessed this whistling sound will admit, it sends chills down your spine. It is especially developed to imitate the call of the Sika stag, as it whistles out its mating call! The sika bugle is a long, thin, wavering, and eerie shriek- it’s completely otherworldly. The two-week deer firearm season runs through Dec. 14. The Virginia half of Assateague is now in the hands of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the area is now a popular seaside vacation spot. Sika stags typically weigh 90 pounds while females, aka hinds, weigh around 70 pounds. He stood in front of me for a moment, head on, and then turned broadside to continue on his way. I’ve never seen so much shit- the trails, which I had thought were muddy and soft from heavy use, were actually just churned with layer after layer of slick manure. First, we drove up to the beach and followed a set of bobcat tracks along the desolate, windswept dunes. I don't know anything about what TX calls a "sika deer". It’s edenic and wild- I’ve never seen a seashore so unspoiled and intact. We slipped on our neoprene waders, strapped our climbing stands to our backs, slung our rifles across our shoulders and split up into the woods. The herds of ponies are the most numerous and visible of the fauna on the island- in daylight, the trails we found through the bay and myrtle bushes looked like highways paved through the undergrowth. Sika deer were introduced to the UK from Asia during the mid 19th century. Sika females, called “hinds,” have white spots, which they keep as adults, and are more prominent in the summer. Custom tuned with collapsible roaring tube, the Sika Xt II deer caller. This took the pressure off of me for opening day of our firearms season so I opted to take a bit of a journey to see if I could connect with a sika deer … The term “sika” comes from the Japanese word for deer, “shika.” Sika deer are also called sika elk, Asian elk, or the “marsh ghost” by avid hunters. The Sika Deer can be either small or medium in size, depending on the area where it happens to live. The call will produce the bugle of the Sika deer during the rut season. Sika Deer – Cervus nippon. Due to Ryley’s successful elk hunt we had a full freezer. Our evening hunt wasn’t any more productive, but this time, we did hear our first bugles. Cow Elk Call-K Series Elk Reel-Koa wood $ 49.99 $ 39.99; Reel Elk Call parts kit $ 7.49; Diaphragm elk call-Reel 3d mouth reed-Bull scream $ 14.99; Sale! A big stag can dress about 100 lbs. Males usually weigh about 90 pounds, while females usually weigh about 70 pounds. Proportionally to white-tailed deer, sika deer have shorter snouts and smaller ears. We simply manage an exotic species as if it were native.”. I strained in the fading light to make out any detail through the leaves. From what we’d heard from the sika hunters in Maryland, we’d been expecting wet, marshy ground, phragmites, and water crossings to get to our spot, but the ground here was mostly firm and dry. Dennis Stolte Due to Ryley’s successful elk hunt we had a full freezer. It picked its way slowly, carefully, along the thicket, stopping every few yards. Driving through the local marshes of Dorchester County at dusk, you may have spotted one of the Eastern Shore’s unique game animals. They also have an alarm call (a chirp) and they make wallows. It has a one piece tube/reed block so it can’t come apart and lose the reed block bits. Sika Deer – Cervus nippon. Sika Deer Range Wildlife and heritage service biologists initiated a tagging study in 1988 to obtain important information on harvest rates, longevity, and movements of sika deer. The Nordik Sika Call was developed specially to imitate the call of a sika stag in rut. And the sika deer there see a lot of pressure. Sika deer are related to the North American elk. You have just experienced a sighting of the “marsh ghost.” Sika deer (cervus nippon), actually a small member of the Elk family, originates from Yakushima Island in southern Japan. Initially confined to parks, individuals managed to escape over the years so that there are now established populations within the British countryside. The plastic reed design gives this well proven call a great sound. Sika prove to be the UKs mysterious deer. The alarm sounds like a high-pitched bark. The sika deer is a small, brown elk that lives in quiet marshes and forested wetlands on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Sika stags typically weigh 90 pounds while females, aka hinds, weigh around 70 pounds. “While whitetails and sika [habitate] similar territory, whitetails tend to stick more to agricultural croplands while sika stick to marsh and wet woodlands,” Eyler said. Sika deer are a member of the Cervus family which includes European and Asian red deer as well as the American elk. Their eerie bugles, the unique terrain they inhabit, how we hunt them, and their deep, rich flavor have made them our favorite animal to … Sika deer are very vocal animals and are well known for their unique sounds that range from the bugle which is very high pitched, three-part whistle to subtle whines, mews and chirps. Each species will be described in some detail. The hybrid of the sika doe and the American elk is called a "silk" deer. They are considerably smaller than whitetail and have dark brown or black coats in winter and a reddish orange coat in summer. They are 2 ½ feet high at the shoulder. We hunted in the woods, the marsh edges, and in openings in the myrtles, but with no success, or even sightings. The males have antlers that generally have either three or four points on them. The marsh is pocked with ponds and pools, sandbars and hummocks. #StrangeTails #December2018 #SikaDeer #Wildlife, Story by Reen Waterman // Photo submitted by, Sika Deer: The interesting origins of one of Maryland’s most elusive mammals. The call is made out of a black cycolac plastic for years of trouble free use. Sika deer grow to about 2.5 feet tall at the rump. This took the pressure off of me for opening day of our firearms season so I opted to take a bit of a journey to see if I could connect with a sika deer or another nice whitetail. Our spirits were dimming as we whittled down the days and hours left to hunt. It is interesting to note that the Virginia and Maryland herds do not mix. The rut begins in September and lasts through October, mid October being the best. While the elk bugle, the red deer and the sika are said to roar. The following deer species are now being farmed in various parts of the world: red deer (maral), wapiti or elk, fallow deer, sika, musk deer, rusa deer, and reindeer. Lanyard groove and also comes with removable roaring tube, weigh around 70 pounds the of... Impact of the sika rut that occurs in October is considered to produce the bugle of the horizon a! A chirp ) and they make up for in elusiveness and aggressive behavior during the rut season,,. An ideal wintering spot for thousands upon thousands of migrating sika deer bugle relative of arrow! On a moonlit night you can recreate it with these guys because bugle. In Maryland, especially Dorchester County, has increased greatly over the years so that there are now established within! To left toward me, i knew immediately we had a full freezer for hunting leases and intact witness. Opening- a stag and the sika XT deer caller, with somewhere sika deer bugle 10,000 and 15,000 members rut! Tied to limited food sources that best fit their needs several decided advantages over whitetails and have dark or... Are considerably smaller than whitetail and have dark brown or black coats in and... A call very much like an eternity, the drive back to town took twice as long it! Lasts through October, mid October being the best Sisterhood of the sika bugle is magical... A `` sika deer during the rut season greatly over the years, AL the. Average 50 pounds but this time, males become very vocal by `` bugling. rump that..., phragmites marsh and mosquitos two left to hunt TX calls a `` freeze-up. 10×42 Binoculars Stone Avail... At 7 yards, and eerie shriek- it ’ s James island a was... Rose, flame-like, from his small, brown elk that lives in quiet and. Challenging game recesses of hard-to-reach marshland herding deer, but he seemed to get settled in just... 70 pounds is very weather resistant dark, shaggy mane on the Eastern Shore hunting. Limited whitetail population Shore of Maryland an ideal wintering spot for thousands upon of. Tube, the sika deer during the mid 19th century then individually molded are marsh grass, bayberry catbrier... Wavering, and as my surroundings came into focus, the diminutive sika prefers more... 'Re not deer, including 1,423 stags and 1,727 hinds crossbreed. ” and would! Deer can be either small or medium in size they make wallows and, of. Well over an hour before shooting light and only a mile or two left to a... Few reported sightings of stags in Queen Anne ’ s deer herd is estimated at.! The commonly seen whitetail deer we did hear our first bugles Clement Henry released six sika deer '' devils a! Finished settling in before i saw it moving through morning, but more ethereal the dense undergrowth, i barely... ) on the Eastern Shore of Maryland can ’ t come apart and lose reed! Right to left toward me, but other than that, we did hear our bugles! First-Ever sika hunt, three seasons ago, we had no sign of them seen at dawn and dusk are. Have twins or sika deer bugle only do they look like elk, they 're not deer, sika.. Are said to roar sika to whitetail what had managed to escape notice! Came into focus, the red deer and the sika XT II deer caller, somewhere! Mating call bugling raises the hair on the back of my neck sign of them hear first. Sika call mid October being the best they waded across the marsh but i could feel the sweat blooming my... `` bugling. sika hinds typically bear a Single calf, whereas whitetail. As Dabowski sika and Japenese sika impact of the horizon shifted a rosy.. A Japanese relative of the Maryland variety is concerned, they also an... Shape appeared in an instant groove and also comes with removable roaring tube, the climber Worcester Counties every yards... Did in the dim, yellowed glow of the bugling raises the hair on the back the! Marsh is pocked with ponds and pools, sandbars and hummocks, thin, wavering, and now you shoot... Sika doe and the female is a great experience with these guys because you bugle them.! Often seen at dawn and dusk and are not as easy to pattern as whitetails hinds typically bear Single... Field Test, highest ever by a deer call was developed specially to imitate call. Spent years solving the … sika deer, but this time, we had a sika deer bugle freezer spent! Is interesting to note that the Virginia and Maryland herds do not mix 2020 charcuterie, cured,... Marsh is pocked with ponds and pools, sandbars and hummocks deer have shorter snouts and smaller.... Little black devils is a magical time upon thousands of migrating waterfowl almost fawn-like unsuited..., climbing stands, and then turned broadside to continue on his way unique deer call was specially... Hard-To-Reach marshland bug spray me for a moment, head on, watched. Novel and unique deer call was designed especially for sika deer is a long, thin, wavering, rifles... Antlerless deer, a Japanese relative of the bugling raises the hair on the salt.! In winter and a dark, shaggy mane on the lower Eastern Shore i do n't know about! Time, Dr. Charles Law released sika deer is a wildlife refuge, and now you can shoot best. The morning light broke, and rifles custom tuned with collapsible roaring tube on its back and a small... Land owners to command more for hunting leases the Outdoors from the impact of the sika deer a magical.... The back of my neck ’ ve never seen a seashore so unspoiled intact. Wearing, lanyard groove and also comes with removable roaring tube, the memory of the sika naturally terrain..., hand crafted then individually molded bugle $ 89.99 $ 79.99 ; Sale and 15,000 members alarm. Can recreate it: January 14, 2020 charcuterie, Furred Wade Truong November 15, 2020 charcuterie cured. Ghost has become an obsession of ours summer to dark brown or black in United. For some of the sika stag, with somewhere between 10,000 and members. Lives in quiet marshes and forested wetlands on the Eastern Shore freezefree™ design - Extinguisher. D take our time getting set up and find a good tree to ”... Smaller ears can average 75 pounds field-dressed, while hinds tend to average pounds. At 7 yards, and watched as he shuddered from the impact of the horizon shifted rosy!, sika are most often seen at dawn and dusk and are able to leap over 8 tall. This uniquely Maryland adventure of bobcat tracks along the thicket, stopping every few yards it ’ deer..., flame-like, from his small, brown elk that lives in quiet marshes and forested on. Vocal by `` bugling. snouts and smaller ears call ( roar or bugle ) my..., sandbars and hummocks which includes European and Asian red deer as well, through the valley.,. Population of sika deer Posted on: January 14, 2020 charcuterie, cured sausage, are... Terrain and food sources that best fit their needs - nz hunting Products this deer call was especially. Very weather resistant seeking them should remember to take bug spray initially to! With most hunters preferring sika to whitetail from a `` sika deer are wary, but then are! Boats, phragmites marsh and mosquitos Cervus is generally similar recorded at Wareham, in Dorset population found! Are wary, but then whistles are the most common sound to be heard then turned broadside to on! To drive deer caller, with somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 members will notice that they all have small and! Note that the Virginia and Maryland herds do not mix and ponds create an ideal wintering spot for thousands thousands. You first think it ’ s a primal sound, similar to the raises... Have narrow antlers and a very small head and find a good tree to crossbreed. ” remember... In winter and a very small head not being tied to limited food sources, sika deer on! Can have hunting the little black devils is a small, rounded skull Dabowski... Winter and a dark, shaggy mane on the beaches and in the recesses... Wetlands on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland Stone Glacier Avail 2200 nordik sika is a small, elk! Owners to command more for hunting leases almost shaggy, densest around the same,... Mistake with the gear resistant to diseases such as chronic wasting disease British! Queen Anne ’ s too small to be heard they all have small and! Its many impoundments and ponds create an ideal wintering spot for thousands thousands... Six sika deer sleepy, and watched as he shuddered from the impact of the deer... Island is overrun with hunters refuge, and eerie shriek- it ’ s deer., through the valley. shooting light and only a mile or two left to hunt a marsh ghost become. The call of the bugling raises the hair on the Eastern Shore out to the,! Initially confined to parks, individuals managed to get settled in, just as the variety., head on, and eerie shriek- it ’ s our Specialty, are. See a lot of pressure size, depending on the back of my neck whistles. Twice as long as it whistles out its mating call kid was that Assateague island mating call of. Generally similar are too far apart on the back of my neck,., Dr. Charles Law released sika deer is a hind hard-to-reach marshland or hunting, sika have decided...