Hi Bakes, I'm coming in a bit late here but that question of who made the rules and regs for adequate chamberings for the hunting of Sambar was (please correct me anyone if I'm wrong) made by the "Deer Advisory Council of Vic." in 1976 or 1977, Now before that, many Sambar were taken yeah, but many more were lost due to the use of inadequate chamberings, it had to start somewhere, just like our speed limits say in a 70klm zone why isn't it 80klm.,you know 50 or 60 or so years ago hunters were using 44/40's 38/40's old snider .577's etc but what I've heard from old timers many years ago the Sambar was thick on the ground bloody plentiful mate and on the doorstep of Melbourne. If it was up to me and I was on that council the 30.06 and the 180gn proj. would have been the min.
When I first moved to country Victoria from W.A. many years ago (married a bloody Vic and still married)Sambar was No.one on my list and I had no idea how to hunt them but by chance I was at the local gun shop in Shepparton when a bloke overheard me asking the bloke over the counter about Sambar, anyway we got chatting and he invited me to come up with him and his son to hunt Sambar, that day I will never forget and that was some 30yrs ago, been a long road and many deer and I stick by the 30.06 as min. I been using a Win. super express 375H&H for some time now, I love it, maybe a "overkill" but I've always liked something different it handles like a top grade shotgun and me being 6'1" and 15stone of rippling muscle (yeah sorry that's the piss talking more like a beer gut) can shoot it like a .22 on rabbit..ahh where's that next beer,,,,,ahhh got it...

Gryphon yeah back in town for the night mate my ships got a lay over this weekend, when you coming to Melbourne so we can have a beer (your shout haha) I read somewhere you are coming down and if I'm still onboard you can come down to the ship for a beer and a feed or if I'm off we can get together ashore..let me know..I'll check this site tomorrow 25th 10.00hrs, or just post and I might be able to check it in a week or so...take it easy mate...Les