NOTE I plan to cover this in an up and coming Issue of NZ HUNTER

Heres a few pics of our first Sambar hunt in Australia (Victoria). Close hunting companion Andre Alipate came across from the North Island (NZ) to beat the feet with me, and a couple of local aussie boys took us into one of their backpacking spots.

It was awesome country - loved the open bushstalking!! We found hunting the sambar quite similar to sika back home (in NZ). Rather than writing up a full story, I would prefer to keep it brief as I intend on covering the great experience in an up and coming issue of NZ Hunter

We were in the bush for a full week (7 days), weather was drizzle and snow down to 700m. For the roundtrip we covered about 85km, and between us all we saw 17 mature stags, and well over 30 odd hinds, yearlings and spikers.

Leaving the vehicle on day 1 - climbing up and over a snow covered saddle and into the hunting area.

Heres the first deer of the trip - a young spiker feeding in a gully thicket, early morning at about 850m asl. I snuck in pretty close on the group and watched them for about 40mins before getting a bit cold..

While I was sidling high in the catchment, Andre and the locals stalked the lower flats and Dre shot the first stag. He was about 12years old and going backwards in terms of head quality. Took 3 shots to the chest to bring him down from the 300WSM. Bloody tough animals.

I didnt hear Andres shot as I was high on the slopes on the true right of the cathcment, and they were at the bottom of the gully, but we chatted over the two way sorting out the days plans. Andre was going to cut back down valley towards camp, and the Aussie boys were to cut up onto the true left faces and stalk further into the valley.

I had been on good deer sign all day, and missed two stags by this point... dont ask.. I was having a mare in terms of making the last 1% count.

Look how open and lush the bush was - it was awesome country to sidle. You can see remnants of the 2003 forest fires which stripped back the undergrowth. No wonder everything was so fertile and lush!!

Long story short, on the first day I saw 19 sambar, and shot at 5 different stags hahaaaa. Infact, when I missed the 3rd stag - twice - (at about 10am) Andre called up over the two way asking WTF was going on. Dre had heard the shots ring out across the valley as he was packing his gear back to camp. After listening to my ranting babble of rubbish over the two way, Andre decided to drop his gear and come up and join me.

The saga didnt finish there. We continued on, picked up on more fresh sign in the next gully head and I missed another two more sambar stags :'( I returned to camp that night feeling dejected and hopeless. I felt good with bush stalking in on the animals, but jesus when it came to pulling the trigger, particularly if the target was crashing through the timber, I was hopeless!! Too much weights not enough speed work perhaps haha

Andre shot this mongrel dog about 2km away from camp right on last light! He was one of two that we shot.

Anyway, the next day I managed to bring this one down after a long and tiring day stalking solo. It took 3 shots from the 300WSM (only 2 connected) to put him down. As you can imagine, I was elated - and relieved!!

He measured 28.5 (shortest side) x 30 (longest side) x 34 wide.

Back at camp before the big walk out - my head on the left, Andres on the right

On the last day, walking out, Stefano and Brad brought this stag down as he was charging up the hill. He measured 25inches x 25inches (roughly). We couldnt get over the body size of these animals! They were huge!!

Happy chappys as you can imagine

Back at the farm house

This stag was taken by one of Brads mates who took this stag on an afternoon/evening stalk near the farm house - he was huge! 32inches long x 33inches wide, and beams like ankles! It was impressive!!

Here was another ripper that was taken in the same catchment in the same week by another one of Brads mates - measuring 33inches long x 33inches wide, with tops to burn, and scoring about 220DS. It too was a ripper!

A more thorough account of the trip will be covered in the NZ HUNTER