Thread: What's your pet Sika load?

Just was wondering what people are shooting Sika with?

Short range or long range Dangerous Dan

I would recommend the Sako .222 softpoint 50 gr factory load. This combination has a history and a track record that prove its effectiveness.

Out of a sako vixen that the New Zealand Forest Service supplied at cost... $66... per unit.... they were deadly against sika.

Many thousands fell to this combination wielded by the cullers in the Kaweka Kaimanawa blocks.

When it comes to putting a bullet through the head of a sika at 50 metres looking at you over the top of a Mingimini bush ready to jump, nothing is quicker at getting that accurate shot away from the shoulder except maybe the 12g with buckshot.

I have used buckshot on sika but you end up shooting at movement and one day you will end up rolling up some armed tramper or another hunter.

I have used a Sako .222, but now prefer Sako .308 with 125gn Seirra Prohunters..

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dan

Just was wondering what people are shooting Sika with?

I prefer a rifle


smart arse undies on today

Originally Posted by Scribe

I would recommend the Sako .222 softpoint 50 gr factory load. This combination has a history and a track record that prove its effectiveness.

Out of a sako vixen that the New Zealand Forest Service supplied at cost... $66... per unit.... they were deadly against sika.

Many thousands fell to this combination wielded by the cullers in the Kaweka Kaimanawa blocks.

When it comes to putting a bullet through the head of a sika at 50 metres looking at you over the top of a Mingimini bush ready to jump, nothing is quicker at getting that accurate shot away from the shoulder except maybe the 12g with buckshot.

I have used buckshot on sika but you end up shooting at movement and one day you will end up rolling up some armed tramper or another hunter.

Couldn't what you have just described be achieved just as effectively with any medium calibre? From 223 up to, say, 30.06? The fact that the NZFS used or supplied 222/223 really means nothing in todays context. To me, its just nostalgia.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Couldn't what you have just described be achieved just as effectively with any medium calibre? From 223 up to, say, 30.06? The fact that the NZFS used or supplied 222/223 really means nothing in todays context. To me, its just nostalgia.

The NZFS also supplied a 270 and ammo but I personally did not know anyone that was using one.

I guess its a bit like the NZFS cookbook in the Library Resources section, it was a recipe that worked

.270 or 6.5/284 here, specially if they on the run a decent thump in the big area brings em down. Shot a few with my .223 which killed them just as dead, but have seen deer neck shot with .223's get up and piss off (hunter had knife in hand ready to gut - up jumps deer and gone!)

Originally Posted by SIKAHUNTER

.270 or 6.5/284 here, specially if they on the run a decent thump in the big area brings em down. Shot a few with my .223 which killed them just as dead, but have seen deer neck shot with .223's get up and piss off (hunter had knife in hand ready to gut - up jumps deer and gone!)

A guy working on the chopper had cut the hock and clipped a carabiener into ones leg when it stood up between his legs and shot through. All he could think of to say was "hey you are not supposed to doing this"

I try to avoid neck shots with whatever calibre. There is a massive sinew and muscle mass above the bone on the top of the neck. Hit that and they will go down like they are done for but they will be up and away in 30 seconds. The Indians and American settlers used to capture mustangs and brumbies by shooting them in this spot. It was a method they called creaseing.
I tried a couple times during the live capture day to crease deer, unsuccessfully, one dropped and then got clean away cause the dog wouldnt grab it.
The dog was to clever for that, it had had several hidings for chasing deer.

The other one developed a bad case of rheineck.
I have shot several deer over the years that have been hit in the neck by a bullet and healed but they had all got a case of rheineck out of it. The deer's neck developes a permanent twist, so when they run they appear to be looking back over their shoulder. This might not be the completely correct term for this state but it was what we called it at the time.

There is also a far bit of non fatal material on the lower neck, muscle, trachea, and brisket.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

A good basic recipe for sika or any deer in NZ?
A 150grain 30 calibre. Poke one of them through the boiler room from any angle on a sika, at any practical speed and it will do the job.

The same formula exactly I use with the trebbly's, except I like to keep the speed up a bit. You cant make them any more dead than dead.

Originally Posted by Scribe

A guy working on the chopper had cut the hock and clipped a carabiener into ones leg when it stood up between his legs and shot through. All he could think of to say was "hey you are not supposed to doing this"

I try to avoid neck shots with whatever calibre. There is a massive sinew and muscle mass above the bone on the top of the neck. Hit that and they will go down like they are done for but they will be up and away in 30 seconds. The Indians and American settlers used to capture mustangs and brumbies by shooting them in this spot. It was a method they called creaseing.
I tried a couple times during the live capture day to crease deer, unsuccessfully, one dropped and then got clean away cause the dog wouldnt grab it.
The dog was to clever for that, it had had several hidings for chasing deer.

The other one developed a bad case of rheineck.
I have shot several deer over the years that have been hit in the neck by a bullet and healed but they had all got a case of rheineck out of it. The deer's neck developes a permanent twist, so when they run they appear to be looking back over their shoulder. This might not be the completely correct term for this state but it was what we called it at the time.

There is also a far bit of non fatal material on the lower neck, muscle, trachea, and brisket.

Yes. My experience with the 222/223 meat hunting was that the neck shot ones were mostly still flapping their heads around or still alive when I got to them and needed finishing with a knife. I soon got sick of that. It takes a hit right in the neck bone to really flatten them. So I stepped up to a 308 and that fixed the problem, marginal neck shots included.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Yes. My experience with the 222/223 meat hunting was that the neck shot ones were mostly still flapping their heads around or still alive when I got to them and needed finishing with a knife. I soon got sick of that. It takes a hit right in the neck bone to really flatten them. So I stepped up to a 308 and that fixed the problem, marginal neck shots included.

My experience with all calibres tells me if you dont hit that neckbone the animal has a fair chance of getting away. I have spent more hours on my hands and knees blood trailing 308, 270, 30 06 than I care to remember as well.

Its going to be many years before any single other rifle calibre kills more sika than the 222/223 222mag. The 303 is possibly the nearest contender at the moment.

Iv only had one fail with a neck shot with the 308. Two yearling reds standing side by side I briefly entertained trying to shoot both with one shot butt decided it would likely be a cock up and shot the rear one in the neck high just below the head. It dropped like a sack of spuds while its mate buggered off round the ridge.
I ran round to try and catch it before it made the nxt ridge just in time to see it head over the top. Oh well Iv got one I thought and headed back to gut it,BIG pool of blood and no deer. Tracked a substantial blood trail about 50y uphill there it was.Side on I had taken out the jugulars and trakia .
Odd that it went uphill.
Frangible projectiles for neck shots are the answer,in a decent cal it dosent matter if you hit the spine or not.

A decent cal still has to hit a vital piece of equipment or destroy sufficient tissue the same as any other cal. A flesh wound just doesnt do it.

Originally Posted by Scribe

A decent cal still has to hit a vital piece of equipment the same as any other cal. A flesh wound just doesnt do it.

No argument there Scribe.
Was just noting that a frangible projectile on a neck shot gives that little bit more margin.