The lease that I am on has Sika's on it and I am wondring if the meat is good tasting?

I like it better than Axis.The meat is a rich dark red.I think it is part of the elk family.

Excellent! Thanks - Do they bugle like an elk? I heard something like that a couple of weekends ago while in my stand. Spooked the heck out of the deer at the feeder..

To me it looks, tastes, and smells, like elk. I really like it, if you like elk you will like Sika.

Sika are closely related to Elk.

Yes, they will bugle like an elk. Higher pitch to it though. You can google and listen on Youtube.

Thanks all! I think I will take one next time they show up....

Elk, Sika and Red Deer are all related. Elk will cross-breed with Red Deer and Red Deer will (rarely) cross-breed with Sika (making something called a Silk). I've never heard of Elk cross-breeding with Sika, though.

They'll all cross as long as it's the sika male on a red or elk female.

They do eat well. Would suggest keeping a close eye on the #'s and taking a few does. Once you start seeing them regularly, it generally means that you have quite a few.

Their 'bugle' varies a bit depending on what species of sika (more of the larger dybowski/manchurian blood is showing up in Tx). It can be as high as a 2 tone whistle in the japs, or sound awefully like a raspy version of the first escalation notes of a bugle in the manchurians.