I decided to hunt for Sambar deer after having
read an article about deer-hunting
in Australia in Harold Wolf´s magazine Hatari Times.
So I emailed some outfitters in Australia,
and after an interesting correspondence with Errol Mason
I booked a Shikar for July / August 2003 to hunt for Sambar, Rusa and
Fallow.
Errol seemed to be a very
good Shikari and I felt he knew what he told about, and has a lot of experience especially with the Sambar
deer.
Also his prices were very fair.
So I started from Frankfurt at the end of
July together with a friend for a 14
days Shikar. As a result of the catastrophic bush fires
in some Victorian areas,
it was impossible to hunt for Rusa and Fallow deer free
range, so we decided to
hunt for these species on Watervalley Game Ranch.
Well, I was real surprised
about the number of deer of several species we saw on
Watervalley. I started with the wish to take a Rusa
and a Sambar stag, and maybe a Fallow and a Water Buffalo.
I enjoyed
it very much to watch the deer, see their behaviour,
hunt for them and discuss with Errol.
It was like Serengeti. Every day we saw hundreds
of Red deer and Fallow, and
also a lot of Rusa, Sambar and Axis deer. So after 10 days
hunt on Watervalley I had taken 6 good trophies:
2 Rusa ( one very good typical one with 73 cm length and
a non-typical )
1 Sambar with massive 60 cm length )The Sambar is one of
the most beautiful,
noble and elegant deer species I´ve ever seen.
1 nice typical Axis deer with 57 cm
1 very good Ninga- deer ( Sambar / Rusa cross ) with a very
massive rack and a
royal crown on both sides, a dream of a trophy for a deer
hunter, and 1 old, non typical fallow buck
with a split palmation and a very nice menil
colour.
My friend took a Water buffalo, a good
Sambar Stag and also a very good Rusa
Stag.
I can say it was a lot of fun to hunt together
with Errol. He is a very good
guide and one of the best deer specialists I know, and a
very honest man.
Errols organisation of the Shikar was perfect, also his equipment
including the rifles.
I enjoyed every day
of this Shikar. I´ve
hunted together with a lot of guides on
former hunts, but Errol is one of the best: he does all what´s
possible for him
to do to guarantee his guest a good and successful hunt and
days, he will remember
for ever. If I would like to come to Australia again to hunt
with Errol ? Yes, of course, for I want to have a Hog deer
for my collection, and also I think it would be a great experience
to hunt on Watervalley during the rut of the Red Stags. And
also I will try it for the mystic free range Sambar...
Ralf Kober
Germany
September 2003.
Email: RalfKober@t-online.de
|
