Looking for a Sika deer hunting experience in Texas? Join 303 Ranch Outfitters on a remarkable one-of-a-kind hunting adventure for sika deer in beautiful Texas. Our ranch extends to over 2,000 acres of land that provides a variety of terrain, from rocky rolling hills to cedar thickets and wide-open plains. We promise you top-notch archery and gun hunts for sika deer – one of the most elusive and smartest creatures you will ever hunt.
What are Sika Deer?
The sika deer, also known as spotted or Japanese deer, is a species of deer native to East Asia and introduced to various parts of the world. China used to have the most abundant native Sika population, but thousands of years of hunting and habitat loss have reduced the population to less than a thousand. The velvet antlers of Sika deer are used in traditional Chinese medicine, which led to domestication for the antler trade long ago.
Sika are more closely related to elk than to white-tailed deer. Its color ranges from reddish-brown in summer to dark brown or black in winter. It has white spots on its back and has a white rump. Males usually weigh about 90 pounds, while females typically weigh about 70 pounds.
The sika deer is a very vocal species of deer, with at least five distinct calls. Stags are often observed to exhibit multi-pitched, extended wails called bugling during the fall and early winter breeding season. Hinds use soft bleats and whistles to communicate with other females and their offspring and emit short, high-pitched barks when alarmed. Young deer use a soft, horse-like neigh when talking with their mothers.
Only Sika deer males have antlers and are distinctly narrower and more erect than those of whitetails. Young stags start out with 3 points per antler, spikes into 3 or 4 points at two years old, and peak at 6 points per antler when they reach three years. Trophy-quality antlers are usually 13-15 inches long and shed between February and April of each year.
Breeding typically occurs in autumn, beginning in late September. A male Sika deer will mate with multiple females, gathering as many as twelve females on his territory each year. Females, on the other hand, may associate with several males to gain access to a variety of feeding grounds.
After about seven months, the female gives birth to a single calf, typically in forested areas or open field, and will nurse her newborn calf for up to 10 months on increasingly fatty milk. Most breed during their second year, and may have a life expectancy of between 15 and 18 years in the wild.
Sika deer primarily feed from dusk through dawn on marsh vegetation, grasses, and crops such as corn and soybeans. Bayberry, catbrier, and poison ivy are a few of the preferred food choices.
What Makes Them Different?
As was mentioned before, the Sika deer is one of the most elusive creatures to hunt. They are in their element in their terrain full of bayberry thickets. The crisscrossing branches are nearly impenetrable, and the phragmite patches are so large and dense that a deer could live its life in there and never be seen.
Most hunters, however, agree on one thing. Despite the hard work, bug bites, and waterlogged waders, hunting sika deer is an excellent adventure that is definitely worth all the effort. The tasty venison is indeed a welcome and delicious bonus!
An Unbeatable Sika Deer Hunting Experience
Attracting hunters and enthusiasts from Texas and beyond, a Sika Deer Hunting Trip at 303 Ranch Outfitters is your ultimate destination for a sika deer hunting experience.
We offer you a 100% opportunity, all-inclusive hunt – no hidden fees, three days and two nights lodging, a personal one-on-one expert guide, field dressing, cold storage, first-class processing with every hunt, and caping for taxidermy.
You’ll get to travel in comfort with one of our all-terrain vehicles. You have access to any one of our superbly-maintained stands and blinds.
Your Sika Deer Hunting Trip will be the adventure of a lifetime when you come to 303 Ranch Outfitters. We make your dream hunt a reality.