With the timeframe set, my learning, training and preparation for the trip took on a whole new intensity on top of looking after a family and full time work.

Your books helped me to learn about sambar, including applying the overlays, and your principles along with studying the topography, significantly narrowed down possible hunting areas within my region of interest.

Once I arrived in the general location, I approached the hunt by glassing with the Vixen 10x42s and bino harness (thanks Lynne for assisting with this purchase), along with some low impact stalking to find the best and most likely areas based on the weather, hierarchy of needs and overlays.

During my trip, I stalked in to about 25 metres on a sambar that was as big as a horse.  The deer knew that there was something unusual going on and it left the area quickly, but didn’t seem to be spooked. It was a magnificent creature.

I also spooked a hind from her bed in an area where there was quite a lot of sign, plus evidence of creek crossings.

One evening, I had to stop my vehicle to avoid hitting two big stags tussling on the road right in front of my headlights. It was an absolutely spectacular sublime moment.

After deciding on what I thought was the best evening vantage point, I set myself up in position to glass a lush grassy hub. I noticed that a kangaroo was observing something approaching the hub and followed it’s gaze. To my absolute joy, a big sambar stag entered the edge of the clearing and gradually grazed his way in my direction.

I harvested the stag at about 110 metres, open sights, lung shot.

The antlers were a good size, the freezer is full of fresh free range meat, and I had an adventure of a lifetime, which was exhilarating beyond words.

Ange