Warwick's Corner

Another Sambar season is nearly here and the talk is changing from "the last roar" or "the trip to Stewart Island" to this year's Sambar hunt. Some are still talking about last year's season. The lucky ones are still skiting about the awesome trophy and the hunt that resulted in them getting it. The not-so-lucky are still dwelling on the things that went wrong for them and what they're going to do this season.

Unfortunately success doesn't come naturally to most of us. A fair amount of effort is required and I've stressed before that research is necessary. Sadly I have noticed that too much research is limited to studying maps and reading magazine articles and hunting books. Very little has been written on how to hunt Sambar so this form of research has very limited use. After over 30 years of being a "Sambar nut" I am still learning. The best research is done in the field checking out Sambar territory. By following the deer tracks to establish their movements to and from feeding areas and places they hole-up in during the day. That is not to say they won't be feeding during the day because just like any other species of deer they will mooch about at any time of day, bedding down in a warm spot to rest and chew their cud, after which they mooch about having a few nibbles and finding a fresh spot to bed down again. They repeat this activity all day long, putting to rest the theory that Sambar are nocturnal and only come out to feed at night. This is true in areas where there is a large amount of human activity or they are living in close proximity to human habitation, which their secretive nature allows them to do.

On these research forays you will also learn more about their habitat and habits. You will also find preaching trees marking stags' territories and learn the coming and going of the local population. The use of a good vantage point with an overall view of the area helps. Many hours, if not days, spent watching the area with a good pair of binoculars should teach you more about Sambar than all the books. The only good book on Sambar hunting is an Australian publication called "Walking Them Up". It is a must for Australian Sambar hunters and is quite relevant for Kiwi hunters.

As I say, the sit, watch and learn technique has it's advantages as I am still finding out. Recently I was shown some fantastic video footage which I hope one day, will be available to the public. It was taken while in the sit and watch situation. A large stag was seen with the aid of a spotting scope and the video camera was aimed at the spot. The resulting footage was magnificent. This stag was doing something I had not observed before. He was dining out on gorse. Not just a taste test but a full-on feed. With the magic of the modern video camera, high magnification and superb quality, it was clear to see how the stag used his tongue and lips to nip out the tender new growth on the end of the branches, much like a kid nibbling the icing off a piece of cake.

So get out there and do some pre-season homework. I'm sure it will pay off. You may even be able to tell me something new.

Here I am telling you to get off your backsides and do a bit of homework but I must confess to having a very quiet twelve months. No roar and no serious photography trips, but I did catch up on a few jobs around the "ranch". Some of them had been waiting a while. Some were urgent, like when "Duncan" {our hand reared stag} took to the pump shed. It {the pump shed} must have been challenging his manhood. Fixing the shed and getting the water back on was the easy bit. Getting Duncan out of the pump shed paddock and away from his girls was the hard part. I have a lot of respect for the sharp bits on the end of a roaring stag's antlers.

We now have 3 hand reared stags so I have my hands full, - but I will be busy over the next few months checking out the ballot blocks so up to date information can be given to ballot hunters. To make the job more enjoyable Ian and I pack our shotguns and a pair of eager dogs and combine the Sambar survey with pheasant "hunting". By the time the pheasant season is over we have a fair idea of where the Sambar are and a idea of numbers. We're no threat to the pheasant population. Haven't shot one for years.

You could say Sambar deer get into your blood. I've been involved since the formation of the Sambar Deer Management Foundation. I have seen it grow from some grand ideas to what it is today - a group of like-minded people interested in Sambar deer who wanted to protect and manage the herd in a sustainable manner and to promote public awareness and improve the trophy potential. To do this, we became an advisory group to the Department of Conservation. The next step was a contract with DOC to run the ballot and hunting season, produce the annual newsletter and season report. The workload has increased ten fold, the number of people doing it hasn't. Attendance at meetings has dwindled leaving a small group of faithfuls to do all of the work. HELP! HELP! Yes we need volunteers from our membership to lighten the work load. Maybe surveying ballot blocks or even becoming a monitor during the season. These jobs are not hard work and are quite rewarding. I have made a lot of friends from all over N.Z. and from all walks of life.

So little is to be found written about Sambar that I find it hard to believe so many hunters seem to have the idea that the meat is total crap and only fit for dog tucker. How wrong they are !!! A growing number of hunters are telling me how much they enjoyed the venison from the Sambar they shot. One guy rang me to say how much he had loved his and that it had all been eaten in three months. Another hunter I met on a ballot block desperately wanted to shoot one because he had been given some Sambar the year before and reckoned it was the best venison he has ever tasted. Personally, I eat a lot of venison and consider Sambar the best. Hang it for a week as you would a cattle beast and it will melt in your mouth. So if you shoot a Sambar this coming season and are not going to eat it, please don't waste it or leave it to rot. Ring a monitor who will find it a good home where it will be appreciated.

To all of you successful in the ballot or lucky enough to hunt on private land I wish you a safe and enjoyable season.