Thread: Winter Sika

Originally Posted by Hunty1

So I'm a complete Sika newbie.... Plenty of experience with Reds, Fallow, Tahr etc but keen to get on the board with a sika stag. Having moved to the NI a year ago i've been getting the odd hunt in and bagged a few Reds and Rusa over the dog in the thick stuff. However I have been missing the open country style of hunting I'm familiar with from down sth... Have been wondering if Sika stags behave like reds down sth and can be found around the bushline/sub alpine scrub this time of year? Or does their small body size make them hangout in the warmer bush over winter?

Being pretty time poor with a young family so was thinking a quick trip up to the Thunderbolt tops or such for a poke about (I enjoy a good slog ). Being Rotorua based this looks to be the most accessible "tops" area? Unless folks can recommend anywhere else?

look forward to the forum knowledge!

Cheers

If the tops dont work out there are plenty of animals along Clements road especially if you hunting with a dog. Good luck either way, ive hunted Umukarikari like 9 years ago and had an awesome roar trip but lacking knowledge of sika and winter habits but there's a great hut in Waipakihi hut and some good open ground around the hut to investigate. We had reds roaring in one gully and the next one over the sika were going for it was an epic place and trip.