October sika deer hunting is when I start paying even closer attention to what the sika stags are doing across our properties. A few weeks ago, hearing a bugle around sunrise or sunset might have been the highlight of a sit. Now we’re hearing them more regularly, and that activity isn’t confined to the beginning and end of the day.
The stags are spending more time on their feet. That does not mean every hunter is going to have a stag walk past their stand, but it does mean we have more to work with when we make our daily hunting decisions.
As we head into October Sika Deer Hunting, our hunters have harvested two stags, and we lost one that was hit but not recovered. I never take a lost deer lightly. We put effort into the recovery, and it is part of the season that stays with me. Taken together, those three stag encounters have us right on track with the projections we made before the season.
October Sika Deer Hunting – More Bugling Gives Us More Information
A sika bugle can change the feel of a hunt in an instant. It tells you a stag is nearby, but the useful question is what he is doing and where he may go next.
When bugling happens mostly around sunrise and sunset, the window for hearing a stag can feel brief. As it becomes more regular throughout the day, we have more opportunities to learn which areas stags are using. We listen for where the sound is coming from, compare it with what our cameras show, and consider the wind before deciding where a hunter should sit.
Hearing a stag does not guarantee that he will step into range. He may stay in thick cover, move away from a stand, or pass through an area when a hunter cannot see him. That is why we use bugling as one piece of the picture.
Stags Are Moving, but Stand Choice Still Matters
Increased movement can tempt a hunter to push into every place where a stag has been heard or photographed. On the properties we hunt, that can do more harm than good.
We manage multiple stand locations so we can respond to wind and deer activity without repeatedly pressuring the same spot. Some stands give us a better approach under one wind direction; others become useful when movement shifts. We also look at recent camera activity and what our guides and hunters observed on previous sits.
I would rather put a hunter in a stand we can enter and leave cleanly than force a hunt in a promising location on the wrong wind. October gives us more chances to encounter a moving stag, but we still have to protect those chances.
What I Tell Hunters Coming Into Camp for October Sika Deer Hunting
October sika deer hunting – If you are joining us for your first sika hunt, come ready to listen, watch, and stay focused through the entire sit. A bugle may come from close by or from farther across the marsh. Either way, pay attention to what follows. You may catch movement well after the first sound.
I also want hunters to understand that our daily plan can change. We choose stands based on current activity, wind, access, and the pressure each area has received. The place that looked best several days ago may not be the best choice for your next hunt.
That flexibility is one of the reasons we spend so much time preparing stands and monitoring our properties before hunters arrive. When the deer give us new information, we want options.
October Sika Deer Hunting Is Off to a Promising Start
Two harvested stags and a third encounter resulting in a deer we could not recover put us on pace with what we projected for this point in the season. More importantly, we’re seeing and hearing signs that stag activity is building. They are on their feet more, and bugling is becoming a more regular part of the hunting day.
We’ll keep watching how that activity develops and adjust our stand choices as we go. That is one of the things I enjoy most about October Sika Deer hunting: the marsh can tell you something new every day, provided you’re willing to pay attention.
Stay focused, committed, and shoot straight.
— Capt. David Fletcher
Owner, Nanticoke Outfitters
About the Author
Capt. David Fletcher is the owner of Nanticoke Outfitters, where he guides sika deer hunters and manages private hunting properties on Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. With more than 40 years of hunting and land management experience, Dave works with his team to plan stand locations, manage hunting pressure, and help clients experience the challenges and excitement of hunting Maryland’s marsh ghost. He has completed the National Deer Association’s Deer Steward Level 1 program.