Spread of Sika in the West Country

[Tony]

This may be of interest to you lads that shoot reds in the West Country. I have it on good authority that a Sika stag was shot on Dartmoor last week, a bit worrying as the population of reds is not massive so certainly dont want any hybridisation.
Any one else seen or heard of them this far west.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Nope, and i really hope your friend has got it wrong, but its possible, the furthest west that i know of is Sidmouth, and a stalker i know quickly sorted it out.
I have permissions around Moretonhampstead and i never seen one yet in alost 20 years in that area.
Cheers
Richard

 

[mattc]

Seen and heard of them down as far as Honiton. They are nearly all I shoot in my part of Dorset, on the the main permission there must be between 100 to 150 of them this year.

Matt

 

[Tony]

I know they have been heard and seen around Holden Forest but only the odd animal , you would have thought someone would have seen or heard them between there and the moors.

 

[Orion]

I know they have been heard and seen around Holden Forest but only the odd animal , you would have thought someone would have seen or heard them between there and the moors.

It's not a big step from Honiton to Haldon Hill, or from Haldon to the northeastern Dartmoor fringes via the Teign Valley - virtually continous cover as well - a wandering singleton could possibly have made it without being spotted elsewhere.