Anyone here hunt the smaller Japanese Sika?

[BUTCHER45]

     I'm going after Sika in Oct and would appreciate any helpfull advice.  Thanks in advance.


                                                                                            BUTCHER45

[drdougrx]

Where???

[BUTCHER45]

     I'll be hunting at the Shiloh Ranch in Oklahoma.  Hogs, Sika, maybe Fallow and Ram.  Mostly interested in a Sika.

                                                                                       BUTCHER45

[drdougrx]

Here's a pic of one I saw at Wild Hill in VT but didn't shoot bc I was looking for a bigger set of antlers and ended up not getting one at all.

[Graybeard]

Kinda the way it's always been with me. I've yet to see one big enough that I'd pay the fee they want to shoot it. I did see one once I would have shot but wasn't hunting at the time. Now it was NICE.

[drdougrx]

They really are small....I shot a dybowski sika in TX that went 180lbs on hoof (was an SCI top 10 as well).  It was huge as compared to the Jap subspecie.  I'll keep looking though...I love that coal black color.  Here's a few more pics (n ow that you've got me started on MyHostedPics)....

[BUTCHER45]

      I have seen a lot of pictures of Sika's I definitely would not pay the fee for either.  However if there is another one like this at the Shiloh Ranch and I get a shot (and have the money!) I believe I will take it.  About as nice as I've seen on the net.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/trad_huntress/album/576460762382557379/photo/294928804138305909/73

[Graybeard]

Yupper that's a really fine one and were I to see one like that and had the bucks to pay for it I'd add him to my wall also. Trouble is that kind are not so easy to find and I can't imagine what it would cost if you did find one. I've seen them at $100 per point often which would make him $800 and for sure he is worth that but likely would go for much more.

[drdougrx]

Tell you what....if you see one like that for less than $1500, take'm.  Here are a few I saw in TX that were going for $2500 in 1995 but had 30" main beams.  Tempted.........





and mine, a dybowski.....




GB....I'm sooo sorry you got me posting pics.....

[Graybeard]

 

Nice sika Doug but wow those first two are really sumpin alright. I'd not have the funds to shoot such but sure would if I had the money.

[BUTCHER45]

X2

[T.R.]

I hunted sika deer in Maryland with a guide.  Nearly a century ago, a wealthy landowner imported and released Formosa sika deer on his island.  Over the decades, they've moved to the mainland as well. Fairly close to the coast in semi-swampy terrain is where these animals are found.  The guide had exclusive rights to access private lands.  The second day of the hunt I shot an average mature buck with 4 points on each side.  Live weight was estimated at 135 lbs.  One shot from my 44 MAG carbine at about 85 yards toppled the animal.

Maryland non-resident license is req'd.  Sika deer are extremely flavorful and tasty. The hunt was nearly worth it just for this outstanding venison!

If you time it right, you can add fishing for sea bass (stripers) to your list of activities.
TR

PS  A member of my gun club took a very large sika at this hunting lodge in Iowa:   http://www.pineridgehuntinglodge.com
      By very large, I mean to say well over 200 lbs.

[drdougrx]

Hey T

This place still in business??

[T.R.]

Doug:

Which place are you referring to? 

TR

[drdougrx]

Hi T

Never mind...forgot where I started.  I meant the Shiloh and butcher said it was.

[BUTCHER45]

     DrDoug I can honestly say that every single review I have read about Shiloh has been stellar and I have read a lot of them.  They are primarily a bowhunting ranch but do have limited firearms hunts as well.  Their hogs are all wild Oklahoma hogs (not put and take from my understanding) and there are some real bruisers out there.  Check out these hogs taken in January alone!  You can pretty much tell by looking at them they are wild from the extreme variance in type.  I want one like that LONG boar they have in the yahoo album!!  What an athletic monster!!
     Their yahoo photo page only opens for me half the time and the other half of the time says yahoo is closing all their photo sites.  Keep trying the yahoo photo page every so often and you'll see a lot more pics of exotics and hogs.  Great deals on nice exotics as well!  I will give a full report on my return after my Oct 5-8 hunt!  With tons of pictures as there will be eight of us hunting.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/trad_huntress/album/576460762382557379/photo/294928804138299425/65

http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?forum=17&threadid=332502&MESSAGES=38&FF=17#2127108

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/trad_huntress/album/576460762382557379/photo/294928804138312243/53

[drdougrx]

I soooo can't wait!!!!!