We have nice spring weather in the low 20s but this weekend had a front come through lower some temps and deliver some rain, so with that i set off to bush stalk some sambar deer hoping to find some mature stags trailing the hinds on the fringes and surrounding gulley systems.
i planned to hunt behind some private property and notified the farmer that i intended to do so , seeking permission to take a short cut through his property instead of the open state forest tracks which took around an hour from the bitumen, to only end up say 3km from said road.. permission was granted but we were invited to hunt from the property and even stay in a newly built Hut, a miniture enclosed hay shed if you will, which although under progress it sheltered us from the rain beautifully.
I took the Ruger 1 out on all hunts throughout the weather and saturday morning was rewarded after 2 and a half hour bush stalking from the fringe when i popped upon a hind which quietly snuck into some thick stuff in a gulley head and while i watched her and no further movement i snuck down toward a wild 'Cherry Tree ' , which is a signpost for any sambar in any country holding sambar, and as i did i lowered a few meters before spying a stag looking back over hes shoulder in my direction, an awesome sight-
i contemplated shooting, but for i had the 303 in hand today was this stags unlucky day..
off hand at about 80m i put just behind his shoulder and fired, i seen dust fly back and the stag lurch forward, a few crashes later and silence
i was relieved for as i have slowed down hunting shorter afternoons or mornings for weekend hunts now and then, i wear a back brace of sorts and carry light for day hunts, to walk up a sambar stag with my ruger one has been mission accomplished and a bit of a re ignite as to why i hunt and what i enjoy about hunting...
its not just the big ones, its the whole chase em up slowly , blend into the bush and take in the surroundings and everything in it.
Got to love bush stalking ey!!
cheers!
WL
country from where i shot , to about middle pic
sellor bellot 150gr factorys- very confident in this projectile for sambar stags after this hunt.
slowly but finally i have embraced this single shot for what it is, and ive found it to be exceptional for bush stalking with its small profile for in thicker bush or goin under brush etc. a joy to carry and a beaut to shoot-
middle aged Sambar stag showing sign of short inner antler tine and narrow frame, we seen 5 other stags all similar size but with nice shape antler. (property was spotlighted 1.5 week prior and we found a few dead stags of slightly bigger and who knows what the headless ones were *sigh)
i planned to hunt behind some private property and notified the farmer that i intended to do so , seeking permission to take a short cut through his property instead of the open state forest tracks which took around an hour from the bitumen, to only end up say 3km from said road.. permission was granted but we were invited to hunt from the property and even stay in a newly built Hut, a miniture enclosed hay shed if you will, which although under progress it sheltered us from the rain beautifully.
I took the Ruger 1 out on all hunts throughout the weather and saturday morning was rewarded after 2 and a half hour bush stalking from the fringe when i popped upon a hind which quietly snuck into some thick stuff in a gulley head and while i watched her and no further movement i snuck down toward a wild 'Cherry Tree ' , which is a signpost for any sambar in any country holding sambar, and as i did i lowered a few meters before spying a stag looking back over hes shoulder in my direction, an awesome sight-
i contemplated shooting, but for i had the 303 in hand today was this stags unlucky day..
off hand at about 80m i put just behind his shoulder and fired, i seen dust fly back and the stag lurch forward, a few crashes later and silence
i was relieved for as i have slowed down hunting shorter afternoons or mornings for weekend hunts now and then, i wear a back brace of sorts and carry light for day hunts, to walk up a sambar stag with my ruger one has been mission accomplished and a bit of a re ignite as to why i hunt and what i enjoy about hunting...
its not just the big ones, its the whole chase em up slowly , blend into the bush and take in the surroundings and everything in it.
Got to love bush stalking ey!!
cheers!
WL
country from where i shot , to about middle pic
sellor bellot 150gr factorys- very confident in this projectile for sambar stags after this hunt.
slowly but finally i have embraced this single shot for what it is, and ive found it to be exceptional for bush stalking with its small profile for in thicker bush or goin under brush etc. a joy to carry and a beaut to shoot-
middle aged Sambar stag showing sign of short inner antler tine and narrow frame, we seen 5 other stags all similar size but with nice shape antler. (property was spotlighted 1.5 week prior and we found a few dead stags of slightly bigger and who knows what the headless ones were *sigh)
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