I spent the week-end on Sunday Island with my 15 year-old son Tom who had won a junior hunt He was guided by Jim Lay who makes the Hunters Guide to Sambar Deer videos. Due to plenty of feed from summer rain the hoggies were very scarce as they were nocturnal. Jim had never seen them this scarce, only one was taken by all the hunters on the island for the weekend.
Tom had a really exciting stalk Saturday night just before dark but did the ethical thing by not shooting when he could'nt get a clear shot at the hinds chest.
The good news is Jim thinks we are heading towards some excellent years with the sambar. The summer rain has produced a lot of feed and the regrowth in the areas burned 2 years ago. I was up at Omeo over easter and the grass in the bush was knee high.
Mark

Good on your young fella Mark!

Do all my hunting across from Sunday Island at Gelliondales run (on the mainland)
Have often seen Hoggies swimming across chanel from Sunday Island, not chasing Hoggies this year, got a bloody broken hand!
Last April it was a Gall bladder drama, cant win.

Anyway good to see.

Choppa

Sunday Island is a top spot. What we hunters have to worry about is all the greenie Melbournites moving in and jackin' up on the deer culling. If you think Sunday Isle is good wait 'till you have the chance to see Snake Island!!!!!! I was there many years ago, unofficially, not actually invited, and I was to say the least, "worried", about my stay on the island. I still have not secured a Hoggie but they are a magnificent little trophy.
Malcolm56

Malcom,

Do A lot of camping on Snake Island, and you are right it has an excellent Hoggie population, the thing is the Deer can walk onto Snake at low tide and can cross from the Prom onto Snake, staying at the huts over there the Hoggies come out and feed at dusk like they are tame, it is an unreal sight.
The mainland has a good population of hoggies, I have even seen the odd hoogie up in the hills.
Unreal where they get to.

Choppa

Hog deer season over for another year. Managed to get my 2 but it took a while.
Seen less this year than in the past 10 years, unsure if it is to do with the good summer or increased poacher pressure.

They sure are a nice animal, look good and eat even better.