I went hunting free ranging Sika Deer on Maryland's Eastern Shore yesterday. I'm not 100% familiar with the property, so on the advice of a friend (Yohon on here), I went to a secluded frag (tall grass) patch way out on the marsh. Walking in was smooth and I got to a point I thought would be good but heard a stag chasing a cow a bit further out, so I headed in their direction.

Got to a place where the trees were small and cover was non-existant...so what the heck, up a tree I went! With the full moon, high tide, south wind, the marsh was nice and flooded forcing the deer to higher ground! If nothing else, they surely couldn't sneak up on you!!    

The stag kept chasing the cow all around me as I set up! Adds a lot to the anticipation! By first light they had drifted further out on the flooded marsh. Just as I was able to see clearly, I heard a slight splash behind me, turning, I saw a monster stag headed my way! I got the bow ready and followed him as he passed thinking he would stop as soon as he got down wind and I could take the 5 yard shot! He stopped alright...just not where I could squeeze an arrow to him! He looked up and bolted back the way he came! Dang!

He had no sooner left the scene, when I heard another bunch of splashing in front of me! I turned, and saw a decent stag working his way to me! I swung around and readied for a possible shot! He was zig-zagging along as he went. When he got to a point close to me, he turned to listen to the stag still chasing a cow out on the marsh! I looked over the shot, felt is was doable, drew the Silvertip, and took a starvation bead on his off side shoulder! I released smoothly and watch the arrow close the gap and nail the stag just where I was aiming!

The arrow went deep but didn't pass through...I just knew it hit the off side leg! I don't think he heard the shot because he turned toward me, running by the stand about 10 yards out! Anyone who has hunted sika will know, they are always in the water making blood trailing tough! I watched him disappear on a big island and marked trees he passed as he went!

I text Yohon that I hit one. He said he would be there soon but had to deal with a trespasser first      I told him to wait an hour just in case the hit wasn't what I thought it was!  

I followed the blood trail and met Yohon where it entered the big Island. Yohon gave me a quick lesson on trailing these little buggers through the water...the boy is something when it comes to killing sikas...specially BIG sikas!! He said to just follow the bubbles in the water. Worked like a charm!! Doing so, Yohon pointed where the stag had turned to the right after getting in the big woods. We went a bit further and could see the Stag laying stone dead just up a head! The VPA 250, 1 1/4" broad head had performed flawlessly! I hit him just behind the rib cage quaterering into the off leg knuckle bone! Couldn't have placed it any better if I had walked up and pushed it in by hand! And get this, in the hour I waited to trail, I looked over the shot distance and kept thinking it looks a little further than I usually would take...turned out it was 29 yards      Glad I didn't know that at the time      

 

Awesome!!

Congrats!

Congrats!  Hope to hunt sikas one day soon!  Thanks for sharing your story.  What kind of recurve are you shooting?

Schafer Silvertip...my favorite one!!

Those deer are very cool.  Way to make good on a special opportunity Bob!

Good job Bob..!! Great story!

Great job. I've always wanted to hunt them.

Those VPA's are an impressive head and they worked like a charm yesterday    

I put a few more pixs of the day on the Highlight's forum...."Maryland 2 step"

Very cool deer and a great story.  Sums deer  might have to go on the bucket list

Congrats very nice stag,I never knew those deers were free ranging in the US!The Silvertip is a hunter for sure,great shot!

Really cool. "starvation bead" Hahaha I like it. Do you mind if I use that one?

Nice!  

TJ, I "borrowed" starvation bead myself...so feel free  

Nice stag, congrats! Must be a nice property if you have a smooth walk in. I was holding onto to my stand with two hands flapping in the 30 mile an hour wind.

Been several years now, but a buddy near here took me the opening day down to his lease... I shot a small "cow" that first AM.

Tasty!!!

Next year, we opened the season on Blackwater Refuge... He went one way and pointed me off the other...ran into a hunter in a tree before daylight so I backtracked HARD and got distance.

Found a tiny house size island witha big scrape...crawled a tiny pine and hung on... big ole spike came by...shot him. He ran one direction, then back the other...then back to me and run dead away and piled up.

Amazing tough animals.

Same trip, my buddy shoots a big ole 5pt! We walked out, got our street clothes on and hippers back, bugged up and went back in the dark... I was trailing on drops of blood on floating long pine needles... in the dark!

I wish I knew about the bubbles thing, but perhaps we were a bit too late for that?  It was a couple hours...

He was one lunged... and gave a merry chase.

Amazing animals and habitat.  Went back couple years ago to BW and it was bone dry! Never saw a thing...stuff growed up all over where we were!

Ole Yohon knows his critters!

Oh, BP, you like the Primos vids too, huh?  

Congratulations to you for an excellent outing, good shooting (30yrds!   :eek:  ) and a sweet recovery!!

Congrats.    

  very cool... Thanks for sharing