Hound Hunting for Sambar in Victorian high Country

[butta9999]

Just got back from a hound hunt this weekend. We were chasing Sambar and the results were good. We ended up with 5 deer 4 stags and one doe.

The biggest stag was 28 inches, one at 25 inches, 18 inches, and a mongrel head. I only got a photo of the mongrel head as the other people went home earlier. The 28 inch was a beautiful animal.

I was able to get a shot off on a doe but i hit it too far back and another bloke finished it off about 10 minutes later on another ridge.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49026&stc=1&d=1246345803
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49027&stc=1&d=1246345826
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49028&stc=1&d=1246345854

First photo is me and the mongrel head. It was shot with a .30-06 from one of the crew.

second photo mongrel head notice the handle bar antler.

Third photo is some of the hounds used by our crew. There was approx 50 dogs used on rotation this weekend

Ill be going again in a couple of weeks.

[VaFisher]

Man that looks like fun, here in Virginia we use hounds for whitetail deer with great results. I had no idea you use hounds over in your area for hunt sambar. Would love to see that for myself some day.

[butta9999]

Yeah its pretty full on i took two days to get all the dogs back, and thats with tracker collars on.

[butta9999]

I thought i would post a couple of photos of the country we hunt in for anyone who is interested.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49052&stc=1&d=1246428892

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49053&stc=1&d=1246428933

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49054&stc=1&d=1246429038

First photo is of my mates ute coming through a creek crossing, there is plenty of them there.

Second photo is of the rock ledge where i fired my shot from. Notice the creek on the bottom of photo. The doe was coming from the pencil trees you see on the other hill side.

Third photo is another stream where a deer was shot a little further up stream.

[VaFisher]

We use tracking collars here to but with more roads to get around. Man that's some nice looking property, looks very remote and sure it makes catching dogs very interesting.

[butta9999]

it sure does mate. Its actually state forest we hunt in. Sometimes we get the dogs back in the same day other days it can take forever.

[aushunter]

yes we have great country here, nice 1!!
I have just become a game council licenced hunter & am enjoying getting out there in the N.S.W wilderness myself, minus the dogs, hope I can get near the same results. enjoy:D

[celtgun]

Was the Sambar imported from India? The antler makes the best looking knife handles and pistol grips. Said to be the toughest antler.

[butta9999]

Yes it was mate many years ago. The sambar are classed as one of the toughest if not the toughest deer species.