Australian member

Greetings fellow members,I am an Australian with a real passion for photographing Sambar deer and other wildlife at home in our wilds. I have had a pressing urge to journey to India so as to photograph Sambar in India for countless years now and I am determined to do so one day. This is after reading so many books and watching many Nat Geo videos on India`s wild creatures.I hope it will be sooner than later. (visits)

Our Sambar deer are legally hunted and unfortunately as a consequence it is often very hard to get a reasonable photo of the deer in their habitat,no matter I keep trying as the amateur that I am.

JG

Welcome to IndiaWilds, John.
Nice to have someone from Australia interested in Indian wildlife. We look forward to your participation on the discussion forum, and of course the photographs from your soon-to-happen (I'm sure) trip to Indian forests. Members post trip reports in the Wilderness Updates section, you could find some help there.

Out of curiosity, is the large Rusa unicolor sambar from South Asia introduced to Australia? Or is it one of the smaller sambar species you refer to?

Hello John,

Welcome to IndiaWilds..!!

It is great to know you are so passionately looking forward to visit India and photograph the Sambar deer. Sambar deers can be seen in various National Parks all over India. Once you plan your trip we can surely help you decide which place will be ideal for you to visit and photograph the Sambar. IndiaWilds forum is an ideal place to know more about wildlife and conservation issues in India.

Look forward to share your views in various discussion forums.

Keep posting.

Regards.

Thank you for the warm welcome and I reiterate that India and its wild life especially the deer species and his majesty the tiger have been on my list ever since I read as a young boy the tales of Jim Corbett and subsequently anything else that I could get my hands on.
Since joining the forum i have viewed 100 pages of the 'mammals' thread photos in search of big sambar stags,I haven't actually come across what I would call a really big stag on here but will keep searching of course.I have seen many wonderful photos also on there.

Abhishek, to answer you we have in Australia the Indian sambar and Sri Lankan sambar that were liberated in or around 1860 with perhaps some say a mix of Phillipine sambar as well. They have made almost what could be called a sub-species after being here so long.

Mrudul That is the plan..to ask questions of how to do it and where to go for a photography journey. Although I would do it on an elephant or jeep safari I am of the sort to rather go to a small village where the local headman or game warden would take me on a foot journey to perhaps where " a big sambar stag comes down in the evening to feed" etc rather than the tourist thing from a smelly diesel jeep.

Photos of wild game standing on a road just dont look as good as the same animals pictured in the jungle or bush unless they are of great rarity of course.

Looking forward to input from members about locations like Ranthambore and Kanha with J Corbett National Park a real want.

Barashinga,hog and Chital deer are all also of great interest to me,in fact all wildlife and birds.

JG.

John,

Barasingha can be found in Kanha. Dudhwa National Park (in the north, bordering Nepal) has what I believe is the largest Barasingha population in the country. Certain deer like Barasingha, hog deer, musk deer, Sangai etc. are found in a select few places, and hence you would have to read more about these when selecting a destination; Sambar, chital, barking deer etc. are widespread.
You appear to share my liking of foot trails and treks rather than vehicle safaris. The common deer species such as Sambar and chital can also be found around the periphery of the large reserves, where foot trails can be done. I am not sure how many of the large reserves allow foot trails into the forest. I haven't been to any of them in a long time as I enjoy the lesser, more non-motorable reserves (but these these leave you with a lesser chance of finding large mammals).

Abhishek,Thank you,I have been researching online and have found a few places that look to be ok to stay in as well.

Below seems very suitable for us so far.

John, Sorry, I had to remove the link, as posting external links is against the forum policy.

I agree trekking on foot, is definitely an amazing experience. You will be able to do that only in smaller reserve forests as bigger National parks like Corbett, Ranathambore only have jeep safaris. With the kind of research you are doing, I am sure you will be able to plan your trip well :).

Ok apologies..I`m new!

Hello john,

Welcome to the forum. Nice to know that you take a deep intrest in the deer species esp the sambar. You certainly won't meet too many deer enthusiasts in india...it is teeming with tiger enthusiasts though and there is another form of sambar ( a spicy curry dish of south india) which has millions of fans including me.......:001_smile: .

If you are keen on good sambar sightings while on foot try out this small reserve in southern india called parambikulam in the state of kerala, particularly in the winter (Nov-Jan ). The reserve allows trekking is some areas has a very good population of sambar. All the best.

Rgds
Roopak

Now Roopak that is the sort of place that interests me,trekking with my camera in a such wildlife rich environment.Thank you for that information.

I have already been looking at the reserve there thanks to your input.

Hi John,
Welcome to IndiaWilds!
Good to see someone who is very interested in a herbivore species. Like you I too have been heavily influenced by Jim Corbett during my formative years. Hope to get even a fraction of the knowledge Jim Corbett possessed.
You can find Sambars and other deer species in buffer areas of parks and reserves where you can trek on foot. India is a huge place and discovering its beauties in various corners will need many visits. All the best.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Thanks Sabayaschi,I have continued my research into places to visit and there are a lot of places that have the 'tourist dollar' feel to them like anywhere else in the world.These are the places that I don't want to be in.
I can forego the luxury accommodation for a lesser bungalow if I am able to access the more intimate places of the jungle.I have been into many such places here at home in the Australian bush and it is where I like to be and I do note that India is indeed a huge place as Australia is also,more than half the size of India again but alas we dont not have the exotics that India has among its wildlife. The big cats on top of that list of course.

I am as said a keen student of the deer species but would be more than thrilled to see a tiger or leopard in the wild in fact any of your birds and wildlife that we do not have here,the scenery the people in fact the list goes on!

JG