Chesapeake Bay Sika deer

[Pfeiffer97]

Anyone ever hunt out that way? Sounds like a cool hunt. Does anyone have any info on places or anything?

 

[elkstabber]

Apparently the Meateater has spurred a lot of interest. Honestly, guys around here don't get too excited about them.

They've been hunted in four counties in MD (Dorchester, Worchester, Wicomico, Somerset) for 40 years or more. Those counties have also produced some of MD's bigger whitetails. So the lease rates are fairly high. The lease rates are undoubtedly driven by the whitetails, and not the sika deer.

Your best public land options are the Blackwater NWR in MD, or the Chincoteague NWR in VA. You'll need to draw a permit, but they aren't hard to draw. The hunts are marginal. I've only bowhunted them but you're hoping for them to move in the first 30 minutes and last 30 minutes of each day. This is true even during the rut (mid-late October). They simply don't move at any other time of the day. Gun hunters often try to flush them and shoot them as they run away, at least at Chincoteague.

I shot a 1-1/2 year old doe and she weighed 18# field dressed. My buddy shot one of the largest bucks taken that year. It weighed 54# field dressed. At Chincoteague they weighed every one and the weights ranged from 8 to 54 the last time I checked, which was about 2014.

The mosquitoes, at least in October, are "next level". Wait, no, they're not "next level", they are simply not of this world. Honestly, if you think you've seen mosquitoes before, you haven't. They are simply amazing in the swamps. You will breathe them in. You will need two thermacells, at least, per person, and you'll still get a lot of bites. The FWS collects and studies the mosquitoes. I don't have any idea why.

 

[SWOHTR]

Apparently the Meateater has spurred a lot of interest. Honestly, guys around here don't get too excited about them.

That’s the way this works. Meat eater/Randy/other hunting podcast says something, and within 2 weeks there’s at least a half dozen threads with some content pulled directly from it. You’ll also notice some words and phrases being used that you wouldn’t really expect either...”nuance” comes to mind.

Regarding Sikas, I have no input.

 

[16Bore]

Don’t forget your ‘nocs

 

[7Bartman]

I grew up in Dorchester County (ground zero for sika since 1916). We have some public land, but it gets hit hard. The deer mostly live in the wetter marshier areas, but the upland areas can hold some too. I've killed them both on public and private.I gotta disagree with the one poster above, sikas have defintely changed the prices of land/leases. Worthless marshland (good for growing mosquitoes and that's about it) is at $1.5-2k/acre. I'm talking stuff that won't perc and will be underwater in 25 years or so.
Below is a video from a decent stag and hind that I shot last year.

 

[Jsunkler]

I live north of Sikaville and it is some tough tough hunting. Have been successful during the late muzzleloader hunts once the majority of the mosquitoes have died off.

As others have said, its not a high success rate and the public land is typically quite full for all the muzzleloader and firearms seasons. Additionally, just navigating in that terrain is extremely tough and you can get turned around very easily.

One positive, Sika meat is by far the best wildgame I have ever eaten.

 

[Pfeiffer97]

From everything I have read it seems like a really hard hunt but definitely something I would like to do at least once.

 

[Devonian]

I live in Maryland. Hunted sika the first time 2 weeks ago. Sat for 2 hours and had a stag come into 15 yards at 11 and stuck him. Mosquitos weren’t bad and I was 500yards from the truck on public land. Sometimes you get lucky I guess. I’ve been out west on six elk hunts and never even drawn my bow on one.

 

[bradlamar1994]

Been thinking of doing a sika hunt as well. Not too far from PA and I believe the Nonresident tags and permits are fairly cheap compared to most states.

 

[163bc]

Bow hunted them once years ago. Worst mosquitos I’ve ever seen including Alaska and Africa. Won’t be doin it again unless it was a late season hunt.

 

[hutty]

Live in Maryland and have hunted them for quite sometime, on public land, private land, the federal refuge and been a mentor for new adult hunters for Sika.
Fun hunt and challenging.
They call the Marsh Ghosts for a reason
Early season there is a lot pf pressure, especially now with TV programs showing hunts. First one was Jim Shockey and more recently Steve Rinella.
Sika rut is Mid Sept to Mid Oct
Prepare to get wet and play in the mud. Sika like the marsh.
Early to mid season the mosquitoes are crazy as someone said next level We call them the Dorchester County Air Force. I've had them insane crazy on a warm day in mid dec.
Its flat, and I mean really flat. Most of the county is below sea level so tides and storms effect where you are hunting
Hip boots at a minimum, a GPS and great light. Everything looks the same, especially at night.
Kayak or canoe isn't bad either
Great eating animal and hearing them bugle and splash through the marsh is wild.
Lease rates for Sika ground have gone way up.
Good luck and stay dry.

 

[bowenginerd]

these sound very fun to hunt!