# SVI Stag



## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

I lucked out again, in a big way this time. He's not an absolute monster but he's certainly a fine stag and I am still on cloud 9. Shot him Thursday morning at 9:55. I was in the middle of a text to my hunting partner KMG about not seeing anything and not hearing many shots, and I look up and there he is at 55 yards in the middle of one of my natural shooting lanes. I couldn't believe it, I shot him probably 5 seconds after first seeing him. He ran about 75 yards and ended up about 10 yards into a swamp in 4-6 inches of standing water but luckily firm ground. It was so thick I have no idea how I was able to see him go down, but the last thing I saw was his feet go up in the air which was almost as good a feeling as first seeing him.

I've been on the Island now 7 or 8 times for a total of around 14 days, 11 of those being hunting. I've put in a ton of time scouting on areal maps and a decent bit on the ground, but it still takes a heck of a lot of luck to harvest one of these guys with only 3 days to hunt. 

We had to quarter him out because he fell in the water and I literally couldn't move him an inch by myself dragging him.

305 lbs quartered including the cape and head, so it was estimated somewhere around 450-500 lbs. That gut pile and rib cage was way bigger than me and I'm right around 200 so that seems about right. 

I haven't put the tape on him myself yet, but his right antler is 24 inches and left is 25 1/2 according to the staff on the island.

I have to give my hunting partner KMG a lot of props for everything he had to do to help me pack him out and then finish up the hunt, I was wore out and didn't have to bike back any more he did 3 more trips after that.


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## deersniper270 (Apr 29, 2009)

Nice!


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## 706Z (Mar 30, 2011)

A REAL TROPHY!Congrats!!


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## joebuck (Oct 1, 2007)

That is quite an accomplishment, luck or not! Congratulations!


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Sambar on the sandbar! Congratulations!


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## bobinbusan (Feb 16, 2010)

U did good, enjoy eating it now:thumbup:


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Wow, I've never even heard of sambar deer!


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Better then me.....If I could float a camper and generator over there, I'd be there!!!!

Nice buck!!!! Big ole congrats fer a well deserved hunt!!!!


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## no woryz (Oct 2, 2007)

congrats, fine stag.... didnt know you were on the island killing my deer....lol


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

If you google" St. Vincent island sambar deer" you will get an idea of what's going on. Always heard it was a rough hunt. Congrats on a hoss! Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Very nice...good job. 

Is that one of the best racks that has been seen off that island?


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Shoot, Google images of sambar deer, some of them look almost scary, dang super deer! One of those in the freezer aught to last quite a while


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## bchadcherry (Mar 11, 2009)

Very cool!!


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

I was there and remember seeing you and your stag. I was unsuccessful, but not for being in the wrong area. Just bad luck. I plan to give a good report of my adventure minus the success you had. But I did see one as big or bigger than the one that was shot on this hunt this year.


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## johnboatjosh (May 19, 2008)

Awesome! We have a camp about 5 minutes away from IP. I've always heard what a tough hunt that is. Glad you got one.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

Congrats on a fine trophy....


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Awesome ! I got drawn for that hunt many moons ago. I had a good time & met some good people & killed a hog & almost got a shot at a stag. It's a hard but fun trip. Congratulations on your stag.


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

Telum Pisces said:


> I was there and remember seeing you and your stag. I was unsuccessful, but not for being in the wrong area. Just bad luck. I plan to give a good report of my adventure minus the success you had. But I did see one as big or bigger than the one that was shot on this hunt this year.


Dang man, did we ever speak? 

There was another one that I would personally say was slightly nicer killed the same day as me, mine had a slightly longer right antler and slightly better mass but his had really nice eye guards and longer points up top. 

Supposedly there was also 2 "nice" ones killed on the second day. If so, that would be one heck of a hunt. Most hunts have one maybe 2 nice ones killed.

There is a stud online still in velvet from I believe 2008, and the record was killed in 1991 and is an absolute freak in mass. So well I am happy as can be with mine he is no where near the record. Pretty crazy these animals apparently have no mating season and no consistent time they are all hard antlered, there was a spike killed in this hunt in velvet and as said above there is a freak stag online that was harvested in 2008 on the hunt.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

baldona523 said:


> Dang man, did we ever speak?
> 
> There was another one that I would personally say was slightly nicer killed the same day as me, mine had a slightly longer right antler and slightly better mass but his had really nice eye guards and longer points up top.
> 
> ...


Might have said hello while you were up cleaning it. It's all a blur! Fun and exhausting all at the same time. We were camping about 4 spots south of the cleaning station. There were three of us in our group. And noworyz on here was there as well. Any sambar (hind or stag of any kind) is a trophy!!!!


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

Telum Pisces said:


> Might have said hello while you were up cleaning it. It's all a blur! Fun and exhausting all at the same time. We were camping about 4 spots south of the cleaning station. There were three of us in our group. And noworyz on here was there as well. Any sambar (hind or stag of any kind) is a trophy!!!!


Ha okay good deal. I was about to go and talk to No Woryz about 5 times and give him a war eagle, but never did completely my fault. I know he knows the island well so you were in great company no doubt. 

No Woryz I know you are due man, haha. We'll have to chat in PM or over a beer sometime. 

This hunt is as close to a backcountry western butt kicker as it gets. I love it and hate it at the same time. Any Sambar off the island is truly something to celebrate.


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## no woryz (Oct 2, 2007)

Baldona, you should have come by.... I didn't know you were on the hunt... I was working hard to get my dad in front of a stag but it just didn't work out... The hunting was so rough he didn't even hunt Saturday..... I was lucky enough to get #3 sat morning but got our butt whipped getting it out.... It wasn't as pretty as yours but weighed nearly as much and we had to move it almost a mile to get to a drivable road... Met Telum for the first time and he is a great guy and I was really pulling for him to get his stag just a bit unlucky though.... Congrats Baldona on your success and that's a beauty of a stag...


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

How are the odds for getting drawn?


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Blake R. said:


> How are the odds for getting drawn?


The way that they are doing preference points now for this hunt, the warden told us that if you put in every year you will probably get chosen once every 3-6 years. This past year was the first time they started issuing preference points for this quota because people were complaining about putting in for the hunt for 8+ years and never being drawn.

It's a very tough hunt with very low success rates. Not for the out of shape person at all. I talked to a few that just didn't hunt the third day because they just couldn't find it in them to do another day. 

It was great to finally meet no worryz after chatting with him on here and on the phone for some time. 

I had a great time! But I'm still feeling it in my joints and muscles days later and I'm a young buck by most standards.

Great weight loss program though. I lost five pounds in four days.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Here is a pic of my hang out buddy for most of my hunt. About an 8' gator.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

And this was what the stag that I played cat and mouse with was doing to telephone pole sized trees.


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

Telum, thanks for the info. I gotta give it a shot. 

OP, awesome animal. How do they taste?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## k-p (Oct 7, 2009)

Dang that's awesome Baldona, way to go! I'm still looking for folks to put in for the group hunt with. Got a muzzleloader tag in January and going over. Killed a nice Hind a couple of years ago and it was excellent eating.


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## k-p (Oct 7, 2009)

Oh, and the telephone sized rubs are all over the island which makes them hard to target. If you get out in the woods a little you will see them all over the place.


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## espo16 (Apr 21, 2008)




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## k mac (Nov 19, 2012)

awesome!! still aint been drawn but hope to one day. Congrats!!


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## Sumatra28 (May 14, 2015)

Baldona nice stag man! I'm new to the PFF but have read some of your post. I hunted the island as a kid and also just this past year on the archery hunt. Been putting in for Sambar and will try again tomorrow. You talked about the record stag killed on the island in 1991 well that stag is mounted on a mans wall in Blountstown FL. Its a true beast only a 6 point though but as big as an elk.


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## k-p (Oct 7, 2009)

Who's applying for a group tag tomorrow? (That's the only way you'll get selected) I need somebody to apply with...if interested, let me know.


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Congrats on a huge stag


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

FYI with the preference point system when you apply as a group, the lowest preference point member of the group is what they use to draw you with. So if 3 of you have 4 preference points and 1 has 0, they will use 0 as your group draw preference. So if you really want to get drawn, only put in with guys with similar points.


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## Sumatra28 (May 14, 2015)

baldona what type of powder and bullet are you using for the sambar and your opinion on how they perform? Cause yours look like they are working


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

Sumatra28 said:


> baldona what type of powder and bullet are you using for the sambar and your opinion on how they perform? Cause yours look like they are working


I'm shooting a Savage muzzleloader, it is not black powder. I am using 42 grains of Accurate Arms 5744 powder, a 300 grain Hornady xtp bullet, MMP short sabot, and I've seen no difference between 2 or 3 primers. I get about 1.5" groups at 100 yards and about a 9 inch drop at 150 yards so my scope is 2 inches high at 100 yards.

I've been lucky and both my Stags have been under 70 yard shots, so I probably could of used a musket with open sights with good success. The island is very thick and while 150 yard shots are possible, there are some places where you're lucky to have a 50 yard shot. I'd recommend a 300+ grain bullet because of how big they are and how thick it is.


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## Sumatra28 (May 14, 2015)

I just looked up that Savage muzzleloader I did not know there was a gun like that, but it sounds pretty damn nice! faster bullet speeds with less powder and far more shoots between cleaning its making me rethink my TC oncore.


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