SUMMER SAMBAR

FEATURE Logan Carter

It was a quiet drive to the hunting spot. Dad told me to picture myself shooting the deer, to be mentally ready. I tried and felt like I was slowly changing into a more focused mindset.

When we got there, we walked in about a kilometre downhill into an area between two gullies and found a good spot behind a large fallen tree. Dad had seen deer here before and had even shot one nearby. It felt like an ideal place to sit and wait.

I was picking at some bark on a tree and he leaned toward me and told me to stay quiet. I remember nodding and really trying to do exactly what he said. I wanted to do things properly. We sat there without moving much and waited, letting everything around us settle down.

After a while, I noticed birds starting to fly in closer instead of flying away. He said that when birds act normally, it means we are a part of what’s going on in the bush. Hearing that gave me a weird feeling in my stomach. It made me feel like we were doing something right. Sitting there quietly really did make me feel like we belonged there, even if it was just for a short time.

Later on we decided to move to another spot across the gully. Dad knew there were deer beds close to that spot. We stood up slowly and started carefully walking a game trail. I paid attention to where I stepped and tried not to rush. Then Dad suddenly told me to stop. His voice changed just enough for me to know it was important. I stopped straight away. He had seen a sambar’s face in the thick brush. At first, I couldn’t see it at all. It blended in so well with everything around him. After Dad pointed it out, I could finally see it standing there.

We moved behind a tree slowly and carefully. I held the gun up next to the tree and made sure it was steady. The deer was feeding in and out of sword grasses. There was nothing else to do but wait for a clear shot. We waited for around 20 minutes for it to step out of the long grass. That wait felt really long. I wanted to move forward to another tree but I knew I couldn’t move. I stayed as still as I could. Every small sound felt louder than normal.

When he finally stepped out, everything seemed to happen at once. It wasn’t only one deer, there were two! I didn’t have time to think too much. I took the shot on the closer one. It happened quickly. The deer was quartering on, so I had to shoot off to the right of the chest to make sure I hit the vitals on the way through. I had been coached along on this a lot by Dad.

Afterwards, Dad told me that if I had not taken the shot, a couple of seconds later, the yearling would have run away. Hearing that made me feel relieved. It made me feel like I had done the right thing at the right time.

The deer ran and after about 50 metres it fell. Phew!

We waited a few minutes. After that, we tracked the yearling to a clear patch in the sword grass. When we found him, I got a good look at him. Standing there made me feel emotional in a quiet way. He wasn’t huge but that’s ok. I felt happy inside. I didn’t really know what to say, so I didn’t say anything. I just stood there and took it all in.

Dad then gutted the deer while I watched carefully. I knew this was part of the process and I had seen this before but never paid attention and I wanted to understand what was involved. It felt like part of learning and part of showing respect for what had happened. I knew it wasn’t something to rush or ignore.

Once that was done, we dragged the whole deer to the car. It was hard work, and it took both of us to do it. When we reached the car, we threw the deer in together. That moment felt good because we worked as a team.

We took the whole deer home to get the most meat. Nothing was wasted. It felt good knowing that we did everything properly. We ate a lot of that deer, being a young one it was so nice and tender. The dogs got a lot of scraps too and they loved it!

Looking back on the day, I realise the hunt wasn’t just about taking the shot. It was about being patient and paying attention. It was about learning how important timing really is.

The quiet moments are almost what stood out to me the most. Sitting behind the log and watching the birds come closer. Those moments taught me that hunting isn’t just about shooting something, but it’s about respect, patience, and understanding the environment you are in.

I’m only 16, it’s not always easy to slow down or stay still for a long time. That day really tested that. Every time I wanted to move or talk, I reminded myself why we were there. I felt like I was being trusted to do things the right way.

Sharing that experience with Dad made it even more important. It felt like something we did together, not just something that happened. I know this is something I’ll remember for a long time. It was my first sambar but definitely not my last.