Thread: Uruwera Sika

Originally Posted by Mooseman

Back in the 70's through to now we new about the Hautapu Sika population ( Whirinaki), I have shot several and one that was a definite hybrid ( sika face, body size, light spots but lacked the white arse more like a red).
In recent years the population has taken heavy hits from 1080 as they are more susceptible to it than reds. Seen a nice sika stag with half grown velvet about 3-4 years back so there would be the odd one still about.

When I made the statement that they would still be there and not shot out, left 1080 out of the equation, which was a bad decision.

Through the 80's we used to regularly see them close to Plateau hut, maybe 8 or 10 some days, they weren't the target species so we left them alone except for a spiker that collided with a .223 bullet and temporarily filled some vacant freezer space one day. One spring morning late 80's coming down from Whites clearing heading for the Waiau River we saw a young Sika stag standing on the river flat just below the confluence of the Wairoa and Parahaki streams, he probably crossed over from the Hautapu/Plateau Hut mob and took a wander down the Moerangi Stream. The Sika that are on the East Coast were all liberated in the 90's DOC have had a few aerial shooting campaigns to try and sort things out. It's a bit like a zoo down there.

Awesome to hear....

I know a guy who shot an 8 pt stag not far from Maungataniwha last year. Not unreasonable to think they could be in there in pockets.

This a cool thread, great to have a vast array of experienced hunters to contribute

@Danny, be an influx of hunters Plateau- Hautapu area from next week.

Good luck to them. Whole place was bombed at the end of last year.

Yep good luck to them, they’ll get twice as much as I will which will be three fifths of f all... looking forward to some peace and sleeping in my tent...

This is a very interesting thread. Spoke to a guy who reckons he saw a fallow but that was down the south end

Originally Posted by superdiver

This is a very interesting thread. Spoke to a guy who reckons he saw a fallow but that was down the south end

South end, do you mean Waipunga Valley.

Originally Posted by superdiver

This is a very interesting thread. Spoke to a guy who reckons he saw a fallow but that was down the south end

... what made him think that mate? Colour/size or antlers? Interesting stuff... how’d your mate get on before lockdown up that prescribed location?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okataina 1989.

Originally Posted by Danny

... what made him think that mate? Colour/size or antlers? Interesting stuff... how’d your mate get on before lockdown up that prescribed location?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Didn't push the subject, he just said he saw a fallow (has shot them elsewhere before so can ID them). Was down waikaremoana ways. Was surprised but could be the locals releasing animals seeing they think they are above law in that part of NZ. Old mate never got away thanks to lockdown

Saw an article in the paper (Herald I think) about 10 years ago, where DOC were going in to eradicate some Sika from the Motu area, pretty close to one of the spots I go to. I thought I heard a squeal once, but could not confirm. Could have been a bush pig

Originally Posted by Lentil

Saw an article in the paper (Herald I think) about 10 years ago, where DOC were going in to eradicate some Sika from the Motu area, pretty close to one of the spots I go to. I thought I heard a squeal once, but could not confirm. Could have been a bush pig

Plenty of weka around Motu parts. I must admit to having been caught out by a sika once not terribly far from there as the crow flies, squeeled at me and crashed off through bush, in a spot I would never think there was sika. About 2yrs later, I was in same spot, and it happened again, this time I saw it, and yep, it was a weka. In my defence I've no experience of hunting sika in NZ. I've spotlighted them overseas while camping, but was only armed with a 9mm Sig, and shooting deer was verboten.