When November settles across the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, something electric happens in the woods. Food sources are thinning, temps drop, daylight wanes, and bucks that once moved only under moonlight begin marching in daylight with reckless confidence. It’s been thought about since last year… Maryland’s Whitetail rut is here — and it’s arguably […]
Phragmites & Sika Deer Hunting in Maryland: A Local Look at an Invasive Grass
If you spend time in the marshes of Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore—particularly in the heart of sika deer country—you’ve seen the tall, dense, reed-like walls dominating our wetlands. That plant is Phragmites (Phragmites australis), a highly invasive grass that has dramatically changed the landscape sika deer call home. While it may look like just another […]
How to Select a Sika Deer Outfitter
(And Why Nanticoke Outfitters Stands Above the Rest) Sika deer are one of the most unique and exciting big-game animals in North America. Their elusive behavior, marsh-country habitat, and exotic origins make them a bucket-list species for bowhunters and gun hunters alike. But unlike western elk or Midwest whitetail, sika deer opportunities are highly limited […]
Can Sika Deer Get Chronic Wasting Disease?
Can Sika Deer get chronic Wasting Disease like whitetail deer do? This is another one of those questions that I get asked quite a bit by our hunters so I thought I would share what I have learned in doing my own personal research and from what I have learned from the National Deer Association. […]
How Sika Deer Ended Up in Maryland
When most hunters in the U.S. think of deer, they picture the familiar whitetail with its tall, wide antlers and white-tipped tail flashing through the woods. But here on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore, we have something truly unique — the Sika deer, a smaller, darker, and far more elusive species that feels like it belongs […]
Sika Deer Defense System: Eyes, Nose, and Ears — How They Use It and How We Beat It
As I sit here this morning waiting for our hunters to get ready to head out for today’s sit, I was listening to some of the chatter in the kitchen. The chatter around the coffee pot has been lively—mostly about what makes these little deer so tough to hunt. The sika rut is on, and […]
Why You Should Sit All Day During The Rut
By Captain David Fletcher – Owner, Nanticoke Outfitters, Maryland’s Eastern Shore As I’m sitting here this morning watching the rain pour down, our hunters are poised and ready to head out to the blinds in anticipation of things clearing up this afternoon. The sound of rain on the roof and the smell of coffee in […]