Stalking Sambar Stags Oct 2017, Backpacking into Vic Highcountry, MountainManHuntingFilms

Four hunters (Jamie Carle, Andre Alipate, Dan Curley and Milo) traveled from New Zealand and Perth to spend five days backpacking into Australia's Victorian alpine national park in pursuit of a representative sambar trophy.
We hunted in early October 2017 where we experienced variable weather conditions. A total of 35 animals were sighted (only a few caught on camera, sorry), with four mature stags shot.
Dan and Milo took their first sambar stags (26" and 27" respectively) while Jamie Carle secured his best trophy to date (28.5" which scored just over 200 DS including deductions for overspread).
More information related to my previous hunting adventures are available at www.mountainman.co.nz.
This is my first attempt at documenting a full backpack hunt; and there are certainly lots of things I'd do differently on the next one! Make sure you select HD quality and suggest wearing headphones
This hunting film is intended for personal use only
Contains music credited to:
- Braveheart movie 1995 "The Legend Spreads" by James Horner
- Piano movie soundtrack 1993 by Michael Nyman

[@MountainMan_NZ]

This was my first ever hunting film so there are several things I can improve on; particularly the audio. For more recent hunting films (of higher quality) I suggest you check out my Playlist for May 2018 BackPack Hunting for Sambar with Dirk Branford, Vic Alpine National Park: kzbin.info/aero/PLNkArlQDE2lkAf_0cS_Us76gaoCpmXicY Or Aug 2018 Backpack Hunting Sambar with Andre Alipate, Vic High Country, August 2018: kzbin.info/aero/PLNkArlQDE2llwiOZRMBtUROpghpIkQigt Or Oct 2018 Backpack Hunting for Sambar Stags, Great Dividing Range: kzbin.info/aero/PLNkArlQDE2lm2HRsD8GetL7sROI1mdYhx Cheers Jamie

[@mattdanniwebb]

Nice effort fellas, great to see you NZ boys over here. Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Much appreciated

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Matt Webb's Wild Harvest & Working Lab's thanks mate, i have been enjoying your content for a while now!

[@mattdanniwebb]

MountainMan HuntingFilms cheers mate. Look forward to what you have coming

[@cococharliematenga4829]

Mean bro. You have some top Aussie youtubers and fellow sambar hunters commenting on your vid, nice one, thanks for sharing.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Coco Charlie matenga thanks whanau - glad you liked it!

[@IntotheMountains]

This is a great example of a few mates heading into the unknown. You can see both the excitement and the exhaustion as the hunt progresses. Even better when the weather holds out, and deer can be found. well done boys.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks Daz 👍

[@2908phild]

This is such a great first up effort. Love this vid and stoked you guys had such a great trip in Oz. High praise indeed considering the hunting options available in NZ

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Ned Kelly thanks Ned - despite having cut my teeth in NZs vast and amazingly scenic (and ruggedly unforgiving terrain) I think the VIC high country is truly spectacular and ill continue to return to backpack hunt for sambar even after i return home to nz to live..

[@hankbraff1135]

An inspiring video, the Vic high country is a magic place, well done.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

thanks hank, yes the vic high country is a magnificent place

[@sandcontour]

Epic. In every sense. Worth the watch. 👍

[@MountainMan_NZ]

sandcontour thanks mate; such a spectacular country to hunt and document

[@richo9142]

You guys really put in the hard yards, inspirational to say the least- congrats👍🏼

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks Richo

[@theeliteonlinehunters]

Great video guys !! Well done !!

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Cheers guys, 🍻

[@burncityproductions]

Great video, my left ear really enjoyed it :D

[@MountainMan_NZ]

burncityproductions haha my bad!! yes that was my first video and there would be quite a bit id do differently for the next one!!

[@lukemcintosh5108]

Well done guys, nicely put together production as well.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks Luke, glad you enjoyed

[@BoltActionProductions]

Well done guys. Blimey you covered some ground but then again our hills are nothing on yours. Good luck when you return.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Bolt-Action Productions thanks they felt pretty big to me haha

[@danieljonesadventures2181]

Epic video and narration mate

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Daniel Jones thanks dan

[@tonygillahan]

Great footage and congratulations on the stags 👌

[@MountainMan_NZ]

thanks tony

[@LOLCAKEHAT]

Tops video. Love your work boys.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

LEK5000 thanks mate

[@HillDogTV]

loving the video!!

[@HillDogTV]

that was sick! loved the narration n how u guys found the difference to nz. good shiiiiiit

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks HDtv. Be pretty cool if we crossed paths one day!

[@SuperROBERTJAMES]

great vid awesome stags thanks for sharing

[@stephenhunter7260]

Great film.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

thanks stephen

[@SambarSlayer]

Great production

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Hunter thanks mate

[@vlagijas]

fantastic video!

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks mate, it's a fantastic part of the world thats for sure

[@danstevens2204]

Such good videos guys!!

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks for watching dan, glad you enjoyed

[@danstevens2204]

MountainMan HuntingFilms they’re awesome mate. Hit us up if you’re keen to chase some reds!

[@geoffreybrown206]

awesome video !! well done

[@MountainMan_NZ]

geoffrey brown thanks for the comment, its much appreciated. Working on another big back packing mission from 2016 which ill share soon. So stay tuned.

[@harryandtrigger]

Great clip, well done 👍

[@MountainMan_NZ]

cheers pat, I've been a fan of all your sambar trips too!

[@danstevens2204]

Awesome vid 👍👍

[@MountainMan_NZ]

on ya dan!

[@Outbackbogan]

sick effort and reward congrats cobber

[@MountainMan_NZ]

cheers brother

[@SHANEMOST]

Nice work guys

[@MountainMan_NZ]

cheers shane

[@mysteryman662]

i love curley's method of squatting to really help empty the lungs into the thermarest :-D

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Mark Hansen thats nothing haha i wish id videod him setting up his tent haha

[@barrymandalow]

Great film, also from Perth looking to get after Sambar in VIC one day.. I need as much help as i can get though! not sure if anyone has mentioned but you could always add subtitles to the parts where your whispering and its not picked up on the audio aswell

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Thanks mate, good tip, and for this up coming backpack hunt I intend to add subtitles to the whispering parts.

[@denniswells9340]

Great stuff lads. I’d say you’ve been bitten by the sambar bug. Best addiction even.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Dennis Wells thanks Dennis yes well and truly. Not a bad bug to be bitten by!!

[@AlsAllAussieAdventures]

far out well done lads... definitely put in some km's!! Do you find this style of hunting harder than say fiordlands for reds?

[@MountainMan_NZ]

ASD350SXF hey mate. Definately fiordland is much harder and to be honest not comparable. Fiordland terms of terrain and challenge/difficulty is the ultimate test in th2r South Pacific in my opinion for deer

[@MountainMan_NZ]

ASD350SXF but in terms of deer species and the challenge associsted with working them out and getting a representatibe trophy, then id say sambar are harder. (Reds are easy)

[@AlsAllAussieAdventures]

MountainMan HuntingFilms yeah thats what i thought, all good mate thanks for the feedback and congrats again! Keep up the good work.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

no worries mate, thanks for the comments

[@karlzeme9991]

ASD350S

[@brar090950]

just one question for my part, where and when did you pack out the meat ?

[@MountainMan_NZ]

bar in our packs and on our backs, and ate some of the best cuts at camp

[@rodgeorge7244]

I'm glad you ate some of the meat and took some out with you because we have to many arseholes who shoot stags cut of the head and leave the carcase to rot in the bush I have found many over the years it pisses me of no end

[@Harry-ei7os]

Wicked footage mountain man. How do you cook your zambar?

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Harry 16 backsteaks thinly sliced and cooked fast as while still hunting on the hill. or slowly stewed or else sausaged (mixed with pork or lamb) when home

[@Harry-ei7os]

Ever hunted them in the bay of plenty?

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Harry 16 yes only once and i unfortunately shot and lost a mature stag in the native bush :(

[@Harry-ei7os]

They are a tricky deer to stalk alright. Alot get chased with dogs and shot on the run or bail up nw. Makes them even more suspicious. That's where I am anyway . Hopefully get onto a native block this year where they aren't pressured as much

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Harry 16 they hunt them with hounds over in victoria (aus) too but i avoid those (state forest) areas and focus in the national parks in winter (where its illegal to hound hunt) and there's generally less pressure.

[@ryanlittle5210]

Old boy milo getting it done

[@MountainMan_NZ]

milo is a weapon!

[@ryanlittle5210]

Yep a beast

[@grub20583]

What gps do you use?

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Garmin Inreach Explorer model

[@vlagijas]

not asking for cordinates but roughly what area mate! planing my first backpack hunt soon

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Postcode 3898, no but seriously it was in one of the many Victorian Alpine National Park catchments. Go to www.bogong.com.au and buy their topographic map series, and start checking out the different areas with access and tracks etc and make a plan. It's about the planning process and then the journey. You'll get so much more from it if you plan the trips yourself, cheers, jamie

[@mickchapman5483]

Great footage and evidently a good hunt but mate it was spoiled by a sound track that couldn't be heard. Too much whispering and too many selfies .

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Mick Chapman thanks and totally agree. Im still learning how to use the editing program. Definately some things to do better next time. Thanks for watching

[@mysteryman662]

Not enough shirtless selfies imo

[@MountainMan_NZ]

haha Mark, she started warming up by day 4. You could tell that was the first time id seen the sun for the year

[@davidedema3313]

Thank god for the rhinos

[@WritersInkTHEWORD]

thats disgusting your not even going to eat the animal?? thats not right shame on you

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Writers Ink thank you for your comment. prime cuts of venison were taken and consumed at camp for the week; along with friend kidney & onions. just because its not filmed doesn't mean the animal was wasted. Although in fairness; this was not a meat gathering trip; 3 of the hunters had travelled from NZ and did not intend to travel between countries with wild meat. This would be no different to when Australians come over to NZ to hunt in our public land in the rough and ruggered southern alps; their primary objective is to take a representive animal and pay fees to have the antlers or horns or skins fuminated and exported to aus or alternatively they pay for the taxidermy in nz and then have it shipped over once finished. this is at great expense to capture what was a most memorable hunting experience. Aussies would also likely eat some of the prime cuts while hunting in NZ mountains to supplement their freeze dry food; but i highly doubt any aussies travel from nz to aus with the venison in their bags. I hope this helps you better understand the circumstances. regards

[@WritersInkTHEWORD]

what country the hunting is going on in isnt a factor, newzealand australia america africa doest matter.Im talking about the act of killing purely for an animals horns to use as a trophy is shocking to me and I cant respect you for that. If you actually had need for food to survive I would see your hunting as neccassary. I understand that a male is a completely different creature to women and perhaps hunting and killing is something that comes naturally to a man . To say it was satisfying is beyond my understanding.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Writers Ink thanks for your comment - yes we are wired differently (men, women; hunters, non hunters). For me hunting was always a way of providing food for the table but for me it has also evolved into being very selective and taking mature stags for their antlers; but the kill on a hunt does not define success for me. Its far more than that ! it's primarily about adventure, physical and mental challenge, self reflection, and a way to connect with the land and do our (small) part towards conservation. I don't know where in the world you are from; but these animals (sambar and deer in general) are all introduced to Australia and New Zealand (my home country) and therefore they are not native to the environment in which we hunt and compete with some of the same food sources as native animals. Therefore the Aus/NZ governments see sambar (and deer in general) as pests to be culled and managed; I personally do not see them as a pest - i value them as a resource and would like to see a change in their status. I love to observe and hunt deer in the wild environments in which they live but it is true that when we harvest animals, we as hunters are contributing towards the conservation of that natural ecosystem to which the deer are foreign. And to me, that's an important value to acknowledge. I did not intend to offend and i respect that your view points are different to mine, but i thank you for your comments all the same. regards