Sika Deer

New Zealand Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon)

New Zealand Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon)Introduced from Asia, the Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon), is sometimes referred to as the ‘Ghost Deer’ because of its elusiveness and its seemingly supernatural ability to move quickly and silently through dense bush and undergrowth.
Found only in certain areas of the North Island, the Sika population is a healthy one, due in a large part to the difficulty a Sika hunt can present to even the most experienced of hunters.

A typical trophy animal bears a 4x4 (8-point) rack. The Sika is smaller than a Red Deer but larger than the Whitetail or Fallow and it offers one of the most exciting and challenging hunting opportunities available anywhere in the world. The screech of an alarmed Sika is a sound guaranteed to startle anyone, and it will definitely stand the hairs on your neck to attention.

During their April/May ‘Rut’ the Sika stags are extremely vocal and aggressive. Their antlers remain hard from February through until September.