Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Axis, Sika or Fallow?

I finally won a TPW Lottery Hunt that has all 3 of these critters on the menu...but WTails are not allowed. So the question is ... if given a choice by the Hunt God's which one should I take the most of if the chance prevails to take either of the 3...since this is a No Limit Hunt.

It seems the Exo's are eating the WT's out of anything left to eat at this SP, and Management is determined to balance the herds so everybody has something to eat. .
I've taken an Axis before and could eat it regularly the rest of my life, but never scored on or even seen either one of the other 2 animals except in a Zoo. There are a couple ranch's around me that sometime have small herds of all kinds of Exo's but at 70 mph + all I could say was "what the "H" was that one?"
Ron

I’ve eaten all three and prefer the Axis hands down. If you are looking for a trophy just take whatever catches your eye. Good luck 🍀

Axis venison has no peer, or equal IMHO. I'm sort of hooked on hunting and eating them.

^^^This^^^

Thanks All ...kinda what I thought based on the sample of one I killed at this same SP umm 30 years ago...Saw some pics of a mature Fallow Buck recently and was more impressed with his rack than I'd thought I'd be. I won't try to Jinx the hunt, but have been told to beg borrow or buy as many BIG Igloo's as I can find.
Ron

I’ve had the sika and axis. Been quite awhile so can’t say for sure which one I liked better. Both were excellent.

I will say hunting sika during the rut is cool. They sound like a mini-elk.

Which ever floats your boat but as others have said Axis venison is hard to beat

Axis is the best eating but a really big fallow makes a hell of a trophy. I'd take whatever the bush gives.

Which Wildlife Mgt Area did you draw on ?

Axis if given the choice

Axis hands down for the meat of the three. For a trophy, I like a big axis but a really BIG, palmatted, fallow is impressive.

Never hunted exotics. Of the three I have only had Axis meat. And vote for Axis as a result of that experience. It's that good.

for eating or trophy?

generally speaking i'm putting my hit list of horns in the free range side of things.

sika

fallow

axis

that's me.

Fallow if you are after antlers (worst eating, but still not bad), Axis if you are after meat. Buy a big RTIC cooler, you won't regret it.

I'm a big Axis fan but a nice Fallow would be a fine trophy as well.

I’ve had/taken axis and fallow. Axis is super good..the best venison IMO. Fallow is good, but not near axis.

A mature fallow stag in rut is just about inedible--and I'm speaking from the perspective of somebody who's primary objective in hunting is meat. Have experienced this in both Texas and Europe. But a big fallow is a great trophy mount!

I've hunted fallow more than any other deer species and MD is correct. A Fallow in rut is rank and we never took meat from them. The local wildlife didn't share our opinion though, as the carcasses were completely gone a week later on return hunts. Have a couple of fallow mounts in my home that always attract comment so yes, they to make good mounts.

I will add that a mature Sika stag in rut is also almost inedible- Tried it once, and ended donating the meat to the local raptor center. Hopefully, the hawks, eagles, and owls were able to stomach it!

I can only comment on Fallow deer. Mine was very good, I thought better than Mule deer. I think Axis deer would be a great trophy and everyone thinks they’re tasty, so go with that.