Thread: Sambar Deer Wanganui.

Just had a mate ring he's been travelling New Zealand back roads on his motorbike for 2 months. As well as seeing a lot of Fallow and Red deer he had a close encounter with 2 Sambar deer a few K from Jerusalem. He has hunted them so knows what they were, they milled around on the road for 10 seconds before jumping up a bank. He thought they were only up North and around Foxton, Bulls area. Have they always been up the Wanganui river area?

Interesting! I have spent some time up that road between wangas and Atene, not often up to Jerusalem but wasnt aware there were Sambar there.

yes now well spread out - so boundary now of what was the Foxton herd well up to to North west to Raetahi area Ohakune not many but present - Wanganui river - Eastern up to Mangaweka and Taihape - Sambar in Reserve right behind Mangaweka - how many have spread west over the Wanganui river up towards Waitotara its a bit of an unknown but they are there - certainly in pine blocks up that way again not many but they build up Sambar -
Turakina valley lots nearly all on private land -Rangatikei well established

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

yes now well spread out - so boundary now of what was the Foxton herd well up to to North west to Raetahi area Ohakune not many but present - Wanganui river - Eastern up to Mangaweka and Taihape - Sambar in Reserve right behind Mangaweka - how many have spread west over the Wanganui river up towards Waitotara its a bit of an unknown but they are there - certainly in pine blocks up that way again not many but they build up Sambar -
Turakina valley lots nearly all on private land -Rangatikei well established

They’ve been in the Kune area for years and years. We use to see them while doing army training in some of the local areas. Find the swamp and you’ll find them


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XR500 you are not wrong about the sambar meat closest I could get is tastes like venison mixed with sawdust its the texture chewy as old boots people say ohh a young one and corn it yeah corned sawdust

Yeah Barry is onto it. In the 1970's we would spotlight for them in the sand dunes around Himitangi. They loved swampy ground in and around the pine plantations, and would take sneaking to the next level. Even 25 years ago they were making a name for themselves, having snuck up the Rangitikei river valley all the way past Taihape. I have no doubt they are doing the same thing up the Wanganui river valley.

Only issues are they are the size of a small horse if you hit one on a country road at night, and they taste like shit

When I was managing a farm at Mangaweka 53 years ago you could sometimes see them in the reserve above the town from the garage.

Originally Posted by Tahr

When I was managing a farm at Mangaweka 53 years ago you could sometimes see them in the reserve above the town from the garage.

Mate shot a very big trophy in there some time ago


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Originally Posted by buzzmann

Mate shot a very big trophy in there some time ago


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When I was there I was riding around on one of the first western saddles your Dad made.

Originally Posted by buzzmann

Mate shot a very big trophy in there some time ago


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There was a taxidermist lived there apparently he got a good one in that reserve we tried to get a permit but DOC had it closed

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

There was a taxidermist lived there apparently he got a good one in that reserve we tried to get a permit but DOC had it closed

Yes. He’s up at Taihape now. It was him that first pointed them out to me. I’m a bit hazy but I think he bought the old wooden garage as a workshop.

he came to a hunter training workshop we had at the old Kawhatau school as a guest speaker bought a few heads damn nice work

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

There was a taxidermist lived there apparently he got a good one in that reserve we tried to get a permit but DOC had it closed

Yip that’s the one


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Originally Posted by buzzmann

Mate shot a very big trophy in there some time ago


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When I was there I was riding around on one of the first western saddles your Dad made.

They’re bloody everywhere!!
My hometown in Rangitikei is riddled with them, as in chopper job riddled on some farms. Always plenty of near misses and sightings on the old reservoir road.
Agree on the palatability!! Good for small goods but the only decent one I’ve had was hung in an old water tank killing house till it was pretty black on the outside.