Sika deer generally reach sexual maturity at around 16 months. Bayberry, catbrier, and poison ivy are a few of the preferred food choices. Sika deer primarily feed at dusk through dawn on marsh vegetation, grasses and agricultural crops such as corn and soybeans. Sika deer by Michael Ostendorp Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0 Diet: Hinds have also been found to move several miles for calving and then return to their home range. Sika hinds typically have home ranges of about 1 square mile while stag home ranges can be much larger, especially during the breeding season. Sika deer prefer marshes and thick forested wetlands and have established a population concentration in southern Dorchester County. Sika hind and fawn at Assateague Island by Nancy Magnusson Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0 (left). Today, the population primarily inhabits Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester counties as well as Assateague Island. They were introduced to Maryland in the early 1900s when Clement Henry released 5 or 6 deer on James Island. In the United States, sika deer have been introduced in various locations, including Texas, Virginia, and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Sika deer originate mostly from Japan, Taiwan, and East Asia. Sika stags typically weigh 90 pounds while females, aka hinds, weigh around 70 pounds. Sika antlers can reach lengths up to 15 inches. Proportionally to white-tailed deer, sika deer have shorter snouts and smaller ears.
#Non native game species in maryland Patch#
Sika deer have a white rump patch that flares outward when alarmed. Males, aka stags, also have a dark shaggy mane running down their neck. Sikas tend to keep their white spots as adults which are more prominent during summer. Sika deer are small members of the elk family that have a dark brown to black coat.