Thought I would tell you about my first stag collected recently with the guidance of my friend M98. We travelled to a property half an hour or so from M98's place on the outskirts of Melbourne. It was late afternoon by the time we climbed the hill and got comfortable behind an old dead fallen tree. We spent half an hour or so glassing the paddock and kept a careful eye out further up the hill to the corner where the bush came right down to the fence line.

Just before dark a hind and calf slipped quietly thru the fence and started feeding on the improved pasture about 200m away. We were content to just observe them - this was my first experience with Sambar and I was keen to learn as much about them as possible. After a few minutes M98 whispered that he had spotted another deer in the shadows of the bush and that he thought it was a stag.

Just on dark he came out to join the others. I took the shot using M98's .30 06 with the Ziess screwed up to 9x. The Stag ran down hill for about 50m, slipped thru the barbed wire fence and disappeared. The shot felt good but I should have tried to get in another as he ran down the hill - you live and learn. Anyway we picked up the blood trail on the fenceline and followed it into the bush for 30m or so. The big fella was stone dead with a 200 gr Partition thru the chest. The projectile penetrated completely but could have been placed a couple of inches lower. It had missed the heart and lungs must we think it had destroyed some of the main arteries or veins at the top of the heart.

Needless to say we were both over the moon at this unexpected success and I was in a bit of a daze for a while afterwards I must admit. M98 had to go back down to see the farmer to borrow a knife - we really hadn't expected to need one so hadn't brought one with us.

We ended up having to cut him in half in order to drag him back up the hill to the hilux. Back at home we cleaned him up and hung him in the garage over night for processing the next day.

So that is how I got my first Sambar - and now I can't wait to get back to Vic to get my balaclava on and do some more Sambar hunting.

Cheers.

GG

Well done and nice stag. Thinking of moving to Victoria yet??
Cheers...
Con

Nicely done!
Congrats!!!

i think he must have just come out of a wollow, as he was just covered in mud from head to tail , anyway good shooting.....i think the sambar bug has got you!!!!!, and now its going to start eating you!!
daniel

Nice one ...Be careful Sambar hunting is very addictive

quote:

Originally posted by SamFisher2:
Nice one ...Be careful Sambar hunting is very addictive

too right it is Sam...good on you for your first one..hey GG congrats and did you get on the piss that night?

Congrats mate. But you should of used that double

So you drilled him at 200M is that right?

If sambar are going to be a regular thing for U, I suggest a 9.3

I also suggest you make some nice spiced and herbed sausage out of that meat.

well done this is a great result for you first sambar hunt he sure was covered im mud