![]() ![]() The bucks I’m talking about are middle-aged deer 3 and 4 year old bucks with lots of promise on one side and nothing but disappointment on the other. Of course, some yearling bucks will have unbranched antlers (one side or both), but only very rarely do spike bucks actually remain spikes after their first set of antlers. And I’m not just talking about 1 1/2 year old (yearling) bucks. Most of these deer have been bucks with a normal antler on one side and then an unbranched antler (spike) on the other. Whether you are actively managing the white-tailed deer living on your own property or considering culling some select deer off your hunting lease, it pays to know a little bit about deer antlers and their growth before you pull the trigger.įor whatever reason, this year I have seen more bucks with asymmetrical antlers than ever before. Some of the more popular campfire discussions usually involve talking about antlers, which bucks to shoot or not shoot, and whether or not odd antler configurations on specific deer were caused by poor genetics or by an injury during antler development. Some research, however, has suggested that the increasing number and expanding range of sika deer may be of growing concern for the success of native white-tailed deer populations.There are many factors to consider when it comes to management of white-tailed bucks during the deer hunting season. Previous studies have suggested that although they are an exotic species, sika deer are not considered invasive because they do not directly compete with native wildlife for food and habitat.They were first introduced in the Chesapeake Bay watershed on James Island in Dorchester County, Maryland, in 1916.Males are called “stags” and females are called “hinds” or “cows.".They are also called sika elk or Asian elk. Although they are called deer, sika deer are actually a member of the elk family. ![]() However, some have been known to live up to 25 years in captivity. On average, sika deer live 15 to 18 years in the wild. Most sika deer breed in their second year, but about one-quarter breed in their first year. The mother nurses her newborn calf for up to 10 months on increasingly fatty milk. Females may associate with several males in order to gain access to a variety of feeding grounds.Īfter about seven months, the female gives birth to a single calf, typically in forested areas or open field. During mating season, males rapidly deplete their fat stores and may lose up to 30% of their body weight. A male sika deer will mate with multiple females over a breeding season, gathering as many as 12 females on his territory each year. Download the audio file to listen.īreeding occurs in autumn, beginning in late September. Your browser does not support the audio element. During breeding, males emit a long, multi-pitched wail. ![]() When alarmed, adult males emit a distinctive, high-pitched “bark" to alert others to danger.Īdult females use soft bleats and whistles to communicate with their young and other females, while young deer emit a soft, horse-like neigh when communicating with their mother. Sika deer are very vocal and communicate with one another using at least 10 different sounds. However, their antlers and sharp hooves can also be used in defense. Sika deer primarily use vigilance to protect themselves from predators, often fleeing when threatened. Its native predators include tigers and wolves. The sika deer has no natural predators in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, but humans will often hunt them for their meat. A sika deer's diet can include marsh grasses, fallen leaves, trees, brushy vegetation, herbs, fungi, myrtle bushes, ground ferns, poison ivy, soybeans and corn. Sike deer have a varied diet, which they adapt to their environment. ![]() Males usually weigh about 90 pounds, while females usually weigh about 70 pounds. Sika deer grow to about 2.5 feet tall at the rump. Males have narrow antlers and a dark, shaggy mane on the neck. It has white spots on its back and a white rump. The sika deer varies in color from reddish-brown in the summer to dark brown or black in the winter. ![]()
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