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AV Sambar

Sako Collectors Club Discussion Forum

wombat

Well-Known Member
Hi to all, Been a while since posted, been out hunting most weekends, taken a few Sambar this year Stalking, which is the way I Hunt.
Just thought I would post a pic of this Sambar Stag I took this morning, 07.00, approx. 120 yards shot across gully, could only see his dark mane/massive neck, went for low neck/high shoulder shot, using Winchester Silver Tip projectiles that I pulled from a couple of packets that I found and reloaded them with my preferred powder charge.
Taken with my Sako AV in .30/06, using my shooting sticks, fell on the spot and rolled down steep incline. He measured 21” the long
Gets side, massive body, and in the rut, as he was very smelly. There was a young hanging around, so I would think the Hind would have been close too, as he was doing the usual “you can’t see me” Standing behind a bush!
BTW the bolt is open on the rifle in the picture!
Hope other Hunters are having success and using their Sakos.
Jay
 

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Nice Sambar Wombat, I plan to start getting into the Sambar stalking/hunting scene now that I have the AV .270. I have taken a few Chital deer on private property with my 75 22-250 but never been properly for deer, just waiting now for the range to open up to sight her in and hopefully organise a hunt soon.
 
Hi All,
Been having some success with the Sako AV .30/06 of late after Sambar.
Been getting some meat animals, young Spikes. I thought I would for the interest of members show a Stag I took this morning with the AV, and my shooting sticks i made and have been using for over 20 years.
I used reloads, with original Winchester Silver Tip projectiles that have not been
Available for many years, they are 180 gn. I pulled the projectiles from factory rounds and reloaded them to my recipe! Using AR2209 powder (4350 equivalent. In US)
I’ve taken 13 Sambar with these projectiles over last 12-18 mths. And have all performed very well, ranges have been from 50-200 yards for the Deer.
This AV is a 1/2” - 3/4” or better consistent performer with 180 and 165 gn. Projectiles.
Stag specs. 25”-26”, heavy set and in full rut, with extensive scars from recent brawls with other Stags, shot at about 120 yards while he was rubbing/thrashing a wattle tree.
May is always a good mth. for Sambar Hunting.
Stay Safe and Good Hunting,
Jay
 

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G’day Jay, well done on the Stag !
I hope to get down over the boarder in the next month or two.
 
What does a fully grown Sambar stag weight on the hoof? 100-150 Kg?

I know that Amercian Wapiti (elk) often interbreed with Red Deer in New Zealand, but will Sambar also cross with either of these species?
 
Well done on the Sambar hunting. Sounds like you've done very well over recent times.
Interested to hear more on your shooting sticks and how you put them to use.
Like Deersako, I am watcing the easing of travel restrictions in the hope I'll be able to travel to Vic in August, for my annual hunt.
My brother lives in northern Vic and got lucky last week. He stalked up a fallow hind and then a young Sambar stag within 20 minutes of each other.
 
Hi all,
Good to hear you will be getting to this side of the River Deer Sako, good luck with your Hunting.
Stonecreek, I reckon this Stag was 300kg. On the hoof ..easy, just lifting the severed head complete I reckon was close to 20kg, they remind me of a bag of cement weight!!!! As far as I know Sambar will cross only with Rusa Deer, another Asian origin Deer, but I stand to be corrected on that!
Hi sraaw, hope you get here later on.
Your Brother had a good day! Ive got Sambar and Fallow in same bits of Bush,
But never been lucky enough for the same day!! He did well. Good luck on your trip, and make the most of it.
Stay Safe to All..
Jay
 
Hi Stone,
I spoke with a guy today who’s hunted Sambar for over 40 years, a couple more than me! Who is also an animal farmer, and he concurs with my estimate, and even said he has seen a couple that were bigger due to feed from “regrowth” country that could be up to 350kg!!
They seem thicker set and heavy boned..
Look after yourself.
Jay
 
Hi All,
Just thought I’d post a pic of a Sambar Stag that I took yesterday, again with the Sako AV in .30/06 using one of the “old Winchester Silver tip projectiles”, a 180gn.
Shot taken across a gully, hard steep brushy country, after putting him up out of his bed at about 08.30, he ran into the gully then up onto the face of the spur across from me, I had to pick him out by trying to locate where he “honked” 4-5 times, hit side on into centre of the shoulder quartering angle, he bolted down the spur, rolling and crashing, took me a 1/2 hour to track him down.
Big bodied, in full rut, his neck swollen and distended, there were Hinds in the next gully, Antlers are 26 1/2” .
I hope other locals have been able to get out, with Virus restrictions, it has been really hard for some.
This is prime time in some Sambar areas.
Stay safe and well......and get out when you can.
Jay
 

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As the Sambar is not indigenous to OZ & September is your Spring, I'm assuming that the Sambar have retained the same "rut" period they had in the northern hemisphere where September is in the Fall. Curious if that carries over through all the introduced species to OZ & NZ. Do your hunting seasons follow the "rut" pattern or do you hunt them in your Fall as well?
 
Hi Paulson,
I personally hunt Sambar 12 mths of the year.
Their breeding cycle, the consensus is they Are different to nearly all other Deer breeds, where Fallow,Red and others have a defined peak time, the Croak and the Roar, per Fallow and Red Deer in our Autumn (fall) March/April here.
Sambar , in my area here in NE Victoria, in areas that I hunt, they seem to peak
In March April May and then again in september October and even early November. I’ve hunted them over 35 years and I can only use that as a guide.
To us here that is Autaum (Fall) and Spring. But there is also opinions that there is Rutting Stags from March thru to late in the year after Hinds that may cycle out of sync..
What ever it is, we are lucky to have access to Hunting Sambar all year round, although they are under more pressure over last 2-3 years as in some areas they are considered pests and shot, with aids of any form of and the latest electronic devices.? So in a lot of areas Sambar Stags do not reach their full trophy potential.
As usual, I think, the Sambar biggest threat does not come from the above....
but from Politicians and half wit beurocrats.
I’m sure you are familiar with that.
Anyway, hope to get out again soon.
Always look forward to read Your posts.
Jay.
 
Hi Paulson,
I personally hunt Sambar 12 mths of the year.
Their breeding cycle, the consensus is they Are different to nearly all other Deer breeds, where Fallow,Red and others have a defined peak time, the Croak and the Roar, per Fallow and Red Deer in our Autumn (fall) March/April here.
Sambar , in my area here in NE Victoria, in areas that I hunt, they seem to peak
In March April May and then again in september October and even early November. I’ve hunted them over 35 years and I can only use that as a guide.
To us here that is Autaum (Fall) and Spring. But there is also opinions that there is Rutting Stags from March thru to late in the year after Hinds that may cycle out of sync..
What ever it is, we are lucky to have access to Hunting Sambar all year round, although they are under more pressure over last 2-3 years as in some areas they are considered pests and shot, with aids of any form of and the latest electronic devices.? So in a lot of areas Sambar Stags do not reach their full trophy potential.
As usual, I think, the Sambar biggest threat does not come from the above....
but from Politicians and half wit beurocrats.
I’m sure you are familiar with that.
Anyway, hope to get out again soon.
Always look forward to read Your posts.
Jay.
Year around hunting!!! A dream come true, for sure! How is the Sambar meat?? Tasty? Mismanagement of game animals seems to be universal. Curious about the "croak" & the "roar". Can you enlighten us??
 
Deer from climates which are warm year around tend to breed year around. For instance, the Axis bucks (or Chital), which is a native of India like the Sambar, can be found with antlers in all stages during the year. Typically, several males will be in a group of Axis and will be at different stages of antler development. Thus there is always a male "in rut" available when a female comes into season.

I'm much less familiar with the Sambar but assume it breeds in much the same way.

Even seasonal breeders like Whitetails tend to have more extended breeding seasons in warmer climates. Whitetails in Central Texas seem to breed over a period that can last from October to February. Whitetails in more northern climates tend to have much shorter breeding seasons so that the young can be born in that short window which is late enough that spring greenery is available and early enough that they can attain survival size by the time winter sets in.
 
Re. The “croak” and”roar”.
The former refers to when the Fallow Deer are in the Rut where the Bucks strut about their Harems and make a load croaking sounds to ward off challengers from other Bucks.
And the Roar is the same, only from Red Deer Stags.
There are some very good examples of the above on YouTube that illustrates the above.
The above species rut, usually occurs late March to mid April, here in Australia.
Jay.
 
Just quick update...addition to the Hunting of the Sambar, out n about, I took out the new/old L61R in 7mm Rem Mag loaded with 175gn Nosler Partions over 62.0 gns. of RL22.
Spotted Sambar Stag crossing some fringe country heading back into the Bush
Heading up to his daytime bed. They usually are at these spots early or even before first lite, but being in the Rut, he was covered in mud from a wallow and stink!!!!! He must have got his times mixed up and I was there at right time, had to put in a follow up shot..
I also had the scope on 14x, I forgot to wind back to 4.5 from the sighting in I did last week!!!!! Shot was approx. at 90 yards and in the end he was running towards me and went down approx. 10 yards from me.......that had me going!!
Big animal, antlers went 28”x26”x34” wide. I always use shooting sticks...
Prime time now to be out in this area,I have been hearing from others , Stags are on the move.
Hope others are getting out.
Jay
 

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Do Sambar ever interbreed with either Red Deer or American Elk (Wapiti)? I know that Red Deer and Elk often interbreed. All three species look so very much alike.
 
As far as I know, Sambar will crossbreed with Rusa Deer, I have seen some of these, in a pen set up, they are both Asian Deer and look similar, Rusa are smaller in body and their antler shape is not the same.
I believe that on coastal NSW where their range co exist there maybe some cross breeding.
Sambar have been on a Northerly migration since they were introduced in Victoria.
 
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