Hunt Smart® Training Course Success Stories

Sambar - A Highly Elusive & Secretive Quarry

Whether hunted in India or here in Victoria’s Great forested Mountains, Sambar have a well deserved reputation for being mysterious and highly elusive. There can be no doubt that the adage, ‘they didn’t get big by being stupid’ applies to the Premier Game Animal of the South Pacific Region, which arguably rates amongst the world’s top ten game animals.


Robin G A Vetch

Hunt smart course
Success Story #60



G'day Errol, 

I thought I would pen you a quick message to inform you my brother (Nicholas) and I have just spent a very successful seven days in a lovely remote spot in the Alpine National Park. It was our first real hunting trip since we both completed your course over a year ago. Needless to say we employed a tremendous amount of the knowledge you imparted to us both to have us hunting smarter in what was some pretty tricky country to hunt. We observed many unalarmed deer and took six animals for the seven days. 4 stags and two hinds. All meat recovered and some lovely antle… ...

Robin G A Vetch



Brett McGuffie - Hunt smart course Success Story #59

Brett McGuffie - Sambar Deer Success Story
Hi Errol, Here is a couple of photos of a Sambar hind that Grant and I took about 6hrs after we left your course. It was very informative and put a whole new perspective on the big picture.

Just prior to this Grant and I saw 2 stags heading over a saddle to the west side of the range with a very strong and icy easterly right behind them. Once again a great course. Read Full Story >>

Brett McGuffie

Tory Bird - Hunt smart course Success Story #58

Tory Bird - Sambar Deer Success Story
Hi Errol, I recently attended your hunt smart education course in May. Knowledge gleaned on your course has helped me bring down this old stag with some great battle scars. I’m in the process of writing a short story about the hunt which was action packed from wo-to-go. 

Thanks again for all the knowledge here are some photos of myself with Deni and his stag. We are both graduates of your Hunt Smart course. Read Full Story >>

Tory Bird, Mernda VIC

Dave Parker - Hunt smart course Success Story #57

Dave Parker - Sambar Deer Success Story
I just returned from a successful hunt after attending Errol’s course earlier this year. I hunted a gully that had several feeders, good north facing slopes as well as access to prime pasture.

After a day of scouting and glassing I chose a spot which was a ‘funnel’ from the farmland with a view into the flats as meat was my primary goal for this hunt. I did a sit and wait at dusk however did not see anything that night. So I moved closer to the pasture to another site that I had chosen and had prepared. I got up at 4am and it was a relatively warm 8°C and foggy when I awoke. I followed the creek into my spot that had a great view of the flats from across a creek. I sat glassing until about 40 minutes after first light by which time it was quite bright and I could hear traffic and dogs from the nearby town so I was adamant that I must have missed them coming off the pasture. I knelt up, started to fold my stool then ‘honk’ and several deer thundered up the face behind me. Thinking I was definitely done, I then heard another honk, stamping feet and ho… Read Full Story >>

Dave Parker, Stanwell Park, NSW

Daniel McMaster - Hunt smart course Success Story #56

Daniel McMaster - Sambar Deer Success Story
Hi Errol, I completed your Course a couple of years back now and I am happy to report that the tactics learnt have aided me in taking and seeing some nice deer since completing it. Including my first stag!!!

I also wish to purchase the Vixen 2.5-15 x 50 scope with illuminated G4 reticle. Can I purchase direct from you. If not please point me to the nearest shop to Frankston which stocks this scope. Thank you. Regards, Read Full Story >>

Daniel McMasters, Moorabbin Vic

Des Buckhurst - Hunt smart course Success Story #55

Des Buckhurst - Sambar Deer Success Story
I have been away all week hunting, putting into practice my new skill set learnt at your Hunt Smart course. Two days after leaving the course I took a very nice spiker, then last week I managed to get a nice hind and my first stag so I am rapt. Now I’m fully stocked with venison for summer BBQ’s etc...

Read Full Story >>

Des Buckhurst, Salamander Bay, NSW

Steve Motta - Hunt smart course Success Story #54

Steve Motta - Sambar Deer Success Story
Hi Errol, After attending your Hunt Smart Course I have harvested several Sambar with great confidence in a variety of conditions.

Recently on a hunt with my GSP, we bumped a Sambar stag out of his bed and as he climbed up from the gully floor I caught a glimpse of antler as he stopped behind thick cover. I had no problem picking his figure out through the scope and taking the shot. This was my first Sambar stag, and made even more special by having my young GSP by my side. Knowledge acquired on your Hunt Smart course made it all come together for me and my dog. Read Full Story >>

Steve Motta, Greenvale VIC

Luke Myers - Hunt smart course Success Story #53

Luke Myers - Sambar Deer Success Story
2015 was a great year for Luke Myers. Below are Sambar trophies taken by Luke in 2015 after attending the Hunt Smart Training Course in May.

I would just like to say a huge personal thank you for your help and knowledge I gained from your course in May 2015.
 I had a very successful season afterwards and the extra knowledge really made my hunting more enjoyable. Cheers, Read Full Story >>

Luke Myers, Bacchus Marsh VIC

Sebastian Santoro - Hunt smart course Success Story #52

Sebastian Santoro - Sambar Deer Success Story
| Although I had been hunting sambar for many years with considerable success I believe there is also something new to learn.

So in July this year my friend Emmanuel Daood - a newcomer to sambar - and I attended Errol’s Hunt Smart course. Applying what we learnt a few months later Emmanuel took a magnificent Sambar Stag and on the day before the AFL Grand Final I took this fine specimen. How good is that? Read Full Story >>

Sebastian Santoro, Mill Park VIC

Emmanuel Daood - Hunt smart course Success Story #51

Emmanuel Daood - Sambar Deer Success Story
Morning Errol, I’m stoked and still pinching myself and I'm even more stoked now that I'll be one of those success stories in your magazine...

Who would have thought two years ago when I obtained my hunting licence and started reading your magazines and books and then attended your Hunt Smart course that you would be asking me if I would like my success story included in your magazine. It’s an honour. Thank you mate. It proves that hard work and knowledge does pay off. Read Full Story >>

Emmanuel Daood, Broadmeadows VIC

Cassie McGee & Levi Winwood - Hunt smart course Success Story #50

Cassie McGee & Levi Winwood - Sambar Deer Success Story
As the winner of the 2012 Arthur Bentley Memorial Literary Award for my article “When All The Stars Align” published in Issue # 1, I was awarded a position on the Hunt Smart Training Course.

As a result of being a Hunt Smart graduate, I was armed with knowledge vital to assisting my girlfriend Cassie McGee to harvest this magnificent stag. Read how we did it in Issue 12 of SOTS magazine. Read Full Story >>

Levi Winwood, Adelaide SA

Paul Williams - Hunt smart course Success Story #49

Paul Williams - Sambar Deer Success Story
G'day Errol, Just letting you know that I took my first Sambar stag using knowledge gained at your course.

He had no idea I was there until he stood up about 20 yards in front of me, giving me a clear shot with the Lee Enfield. It was a clear windy day in July and I knew from the course where they would likely to be bedded down in the conditions, so with the wind in my face I stalked carefully down the face. There was a rustle of leaves as a young stag suddenly stood up 20 yards in front of me. I had the rifle up before he was fully standing. He was quartered away, with his head turned towards me, presenting a good neck shot. He was a young stag with one deformed antler, but I was thrilled to get my first Sambar. Thanks for all your help Read Full Story >>

Paul Williams, Adelaide SA

Luke Myers
 - Hunt smart course Success Story #48

Luke Myers
 - Sambar Deer Success Story
Hi Errol

, Only 2 months after being at your course, I was fortunate enough to harvest this magnificent stag on a solo backpack trip into some remote country.

The stag was right where you said he would be in the weather conditions at that time. He was following a hind and they had no idea I was there, so I was able to wait for the stag to turn broadside, and take a perfectly aimed shot at precisely the right moment. Your course really helped me gain a greater knowledge and understanding of the behaviour of sambar, when, why, and what they do!
 Thank you
! Read Full Story >>

Luke Myers
, Bacchus Marsh VIC

David Stewart - Hunt smart course Success Story #47

David Stewart - Sambar Deer Success Story
Hey Errol, Finally got my first deer with the bow after doing your course. Persistence finally paid off!! Cheers

Read Full Story >>

David Stewart

Andrew Rosser - Hunt smart course Success Story #46

Andrew Rosser - Sambar Deer Success Story
It's now 3 years on since I did the Errol Mason "Hunt Smart Training Course" and my approach to hunting will never be the same. I have seen more deer and have had the opportunity to take deer on every trip since completing this course.

Since attending I have had only 3 trips into Sambar country, in this time I have shot 2 stags and this year guided a mate of mine onto his first stag and hind. I highly recommend Errol’s "Hunt Smart Training Course" it has given me the knowledge and confidence in the bush. The course not only gives you the theory behind the where, why and how but practical tools to go along with it. Thanks again Errol for sharing your lifetime of knowledge and experience. Read Full Story >>

Andrew Rosser

Clint Collings - Hunt smart course Success Story #45

Clint Collings - Sambar Deer Success Story
Dear Errol and Lynne, Thanks again for your hospitality. It was a pleasure to meet you both and get to learn so much from Errol. I learned a lot from the course, especially after reading the Secrets of the Sambar trilogy, as the course really brings it all together.

The day after attending your 3 day hunt smart course I went back to my sambar spot where, over two days, I put into practice the low impact hunting methods. I was able to see 16 unalarmed sambar, 8 of which were stags and all within shooting range. I decided to pass up a nice 25 inch as he was not quite the size I was after. Using what I learnt from the trilogy and the course on the 31st of August - less than 2 months after doing the course - I was fortunate enough to take this fine trophy. The Hunt Smart course is excellent and I recommend it to any sambar hunter of any level of experience. There is so much to learn about this magical deer. Thanks, Read Clint’s complete "text book" account as to how he harvested this magnificent stag in the next issue (#9) of our magazine. It’s a ripper story. Read Full Story >>

Clint Collings, Canberra

Mafi Parutua - Hunt smart course Success Story #44

Mafi Parutua - Sambar Deer Success Story
Thanks for all the advice Errol, Attending your course has finally paid off...I am very happy!!!

Read Full Story >>

Kind regards, Mafi Parutua

Dave Noakes - Hunt smart course Success Story #43

Dave Noakes - Sambar Deer Success Story
Errol, I wanted to let you know that I bagged my first deer a few days after the course. Having attended your course I managed to turn myself from a heavily armed bushwalker into a hunter. The Hunt Smart course taught me exactly where the deer would be so I wasn't spending my time wondering aimlessly around the forest.

Being able to drive (or walk) into a location and know where to be looking (and not) straight away is such a bonus. Previously I had spent a hefty 30 odd days out walking from 6 to 10 hours a day up and down hills on trips in the last year alone. Seeing 3 deer within an hour in an old spot the next day after the course I decided hunting pressure was too heavy in the area (this is also taught on the course), so I moved on to a new area some hundreds of kilometres away. Using The Hunt Smart System ® I set up several spots after some calculated scouting of the areas and shot this Sambar with the first setup scenario that I tried just 4 days after the course. Awesome!! Some great eating ahead. I’d like to also add that doing your course gives you the chance to meet other hunters that are just as serious about learning how to harvest these magnificent animals and team up to go on fu… Read Full Story >>

Dave Noakes, Dickson ACT