Have any of you hunted free-range Sambar in either Florida or California? It looks like an interesting hunt....and I would like to hear a report from someone who has done it.

Eland Slayer,

craig bodington had a show about hunting Sambar in california. You might contact him for info on the hunt. I hunted them in australia and it was a very challenging hunt.

Hawkeye

I talked to the outfitter in California a few days ago. $13,000.00 for a sambar.

They don't actually know if they are going to be able to offer hunts in the future for sambar. And if they do it will only be a 3-4 hunts a year.

They are on private property, and the ranch owner doesn't like the fact that a TV show was aired about it.

They also have Aoudad for $4500 but they may loose the whole hunting lease over this issue.

For $13,000 you could fly to Australia and shoot 4 on Water Valley, part of which is high fenced, but the fences are 30 years old and it's 300,000 acres.

There were some sambar in florida high fence, and then there are some on an island. I don't know what the high fence property was called.

Craig hunted with Don Anderson. He's a great guy, a fine taxidermist and a heck of a hunter. But as MOA mentioned it's an extremely limited situation.

Here's a link to his website: Don Anderson

I have hunted them int he wilds of Victoria and New South Wales unsuccessfully a couple of times.

They are easily the spookiest deer I have ever seen. The only other deer I know that is anywhere near as smart at those MENSA member Columbian and California Mule Deer blacktails, and the really old Rocky Mountain Mule Deer.

You can hunt them on St. Vincent's Island off the gulf coast of Florida. It is a USFWS draw hunt, muzzleloader only. I tried it about 6 years ago. Very challenging hunt. I never saw an animal in the field. Out of possibly 80 hunters, 3 were brought in by the time I gave up and left. The heat and bugs totally threw me off my game. Literally thousands of mosquito bites (prior to my knowledge of Thermocell). You must hire a boat to ferry you to the island unless you have a boat worthy of salt water. No motorized vehicles allowed, other than USFWS. All hiking is in sand.

I think the way to do this hunt is with a boat to get away from the hunting pressure. I would do it again if I had a buddy with a boat. Bring a cooler large enough for the animal, full of ice. NOTHING is available on the island except what other hunters have brought.

I tried to pull the tag for St Vincent's when I was living in FL. Never got it. They guys I did know that got it said it was a really hard hunt. And not one of them even got a shot. So, I'd say it is a "low" percentage type thing.

If you really want Sambar in a free ranging situation then Australia or New Zealand would be your best bet.