Just a note:
Sambar are not hunted in drives they are stalked 1:1. Hunting ethics in OZ weed out anyone who strays outside this (Inc Spot lighting)and destroys them socially. To suggest they are disrespected is a massive understatement.
Sambar live in the deep forest of the Blue Mountains in teh South East of Australia which is one of the few areas they live in huntable numbers. The sambar stag is the holy grail of hunting down under with a 30" head usually a once in a lifetime achievment.
They are tough beyond belief, will hide under water when escaping, typically run into deep forest when spooked or shot and have to be tracked so the bigger the blood trail the better.
While a .30/06 will kill any cervus anywhere, it is the bottom of preferred choices in Oz. The most succesful sambar hutner I ever knew took 14 in the first 2 years of hutning them. This is very highly unusual but the hunter was skilled and educated far beyond the average stalker.
The .458 is a top choice but so it the 9.3, .375 and .338's.
