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St Vincent Island

Weldabeast

Weldabeast

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
May 23, 2019
Messages
12,476
Location
Northeast Florida
Who's done it?

@shwacker I know u have

Anybody else?

I think about it every year but have never actually applied in fear of actually getting the draw...

Which camp did u stay at?

How did u get over there?

The sambar hunt looks awesome but the whitetail and hog permits are easier to get I think.....I remember 1 year all u had to do was sign up and u automatically received a whitetail permit

www.fws.gov

St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge

Established as a National Wildlife Refuge in 1968 for the protection and conservation of migratory birds, St. Vincent NWR is managed to preserve, in as natural a state as possible, it’s highly varied plant and animal communities. The Refuge is comprised of two islands and two mainland tracts...
www.fws.gov www.fws.gov

Here's a pretty good write up...

eastwesthunt.com

St. Vincent Island Sambar Hunt Part 1 - with Chad Rischar - East to West Hunting

learn about St Vincent Island Sambar Deer Hunting as Chad Rischar provides an introduction to SVI and how to get started.
eastwesthunt.com eastwesthunt.com

eastwesthunt.com

St. Vincent Island Sambar Hunting - Part 2 with Chad Rischar - East to West Hunting

Learn about St Vincent Island Sambar Deer hunting - tips on accessing SVI, terrain considerations and recommended gear and how Chad Rischar went about it.
eastwesthunt.com eastwesthunt.com

eastwesthunt.com

St. Vincent Island Sambar Hunting Part 3 by Chad Rischar - East to West Hunting

Learn more about Sambar Deer Hunting here with tips on firearms, Sambar habits and associated hunting strategies, and a wrap up on how it went down.
eastwesthunt.com eastwesthunt.com



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This is ironic. I was just talking with a buddy and reading articles about this. I applied the three years I lived in Pensacola and never got the draw. I forgot all about it over the past 2 years until a couple of days ago when I came across an article and that turned into a 6 hour discussion about this hunt. Apply, I hope you get drawn so we can live vicariously through you.

By all accounts it looks to be a tough and hard earned hunt.
 
From what I understand if u apply in a group your chances increase dramatically but I don't know exactly how to do that or if I knew 4 other people that would even want to do the hunt
 
I gather the same. I was the only guy I knew in Pcola that hunted, and I got strange looks for that lol. I mainly used my kayak to go up into the Blackwater WMA. The article I was reading was saying just getting a boat to "charter" you to the island was insanely expensive. If you have a boat that solves that issue, but not really sure about the rest.
 
Funny thing is I grew up right there but never hunted it myself, instead hunted Tyndall, Ed Ball and Sumatra
 
Weldabeast said:
From what I understand if u apply in a group your chances increase dramatically but I don't know exactly how to do that or if I knew 4 other people that would even want to do the hunt
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Some buddies of mine from work applied as a group. I’ve never done it but I’d definitely be down to go if a group permit was issued
 
Fl Canopy Stalker said:
Some buddies of mine from work applied as a group. I’ve never done it but I’d definitely be down to go if a group permit was issued
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Do u mind asking ur buddy the process of group applications?

U got a boat that would be up to the task? If weather was good I think the canoe would maybe cut it...but it is risky IMO....cooler and ice would be the biggest pain in the butt....I can fit all my camping and hunting gear in 2 totes and 2 drybags. Coolers gotta be a jumbo just in case u drop 400 pounder
 
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There are red staggs on that tiny island? That’s wild. Not this St Vincent island is it?CA2D0E6E-7B33-454B-B10E-9A2818E308F1.png
 
Zero One Actual said:
I will come down from SC if invited. I’m already used to those exact conditions anyways.
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I have similar terrain where I live and hunt also.... The logistics of the hunt are why I brought it up hoping for some first hand knowledge. As a resident I don't know how it all work....I definitely have no clue for out of state....it may be expensive for out of towners. I think it's around 200 dollar nonrefundable if u get drawn as a resident for the sambar deer.
 
An old acquaintance hunted it several times with a group application

They brought a couple boats and drove themselves to island

They’ve been twice and got a nice sambar one time

He said put in as a group cuz it’s a bitch getting a sambar out even with help

Whitetail tags are usually easy to get

The red wolf project was in a fenced off-limits section and they weren’t roaming the island


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Tapeworm said:
An old acquaintance hunted it several times with a group application

They brought a couple boats and drove themselves to island

They’ve been twice and got a nice sambar one time

He said put in as a group cuz it’s a bitch getting a sambar out even with help

Whitetail tags are usually easy to get

The red wolf project was in a fenced off-limits section and they weren’t roaming the island


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Which camp did u stay at and what size boats
Also...rough guess on meat yield?
 
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You can camp on the island or in a cabin next to the boat ramp. We did the cabin, less crap to haul around.

A bike is a pretty big benefit since the island is so big, some roads are sugar sand but the main one from the west side camp is hard pack and rideable. We went about 4 miles in. That was really unnecessary since we were on the whitetail hunt, but cool to explore anyhow.

The east side of the island has more swamp/marsh and allegedly that’s where more sambar are at. I found scrapes the size of car hoods and 3 foot rubs, waist to head high. I didn’t kill a deer but saw a young sambar bull.

I hear it’s taking 8+ years to get the hunt, I’m only 2 points deep right now. You can get the whitetail hunt anytime though if you want to go get a feel for the island and scout some prior to getting a sambar draw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
shwacker said:
You can camp on the island or in a cabin next to the boat ramp. We did the cabin, less crap to haul around.

A bike is a pretty big benefit since the island is so big, some roads are sugar sand but the main one from the west side camp is hard pack and rideable. We went about 4 miles in. That was really unnecessary since we were on the whitetail hunt, but cool to explore anyhow.

The east side of the island has more swamp/marsh and allegedly that’s where more sambar are at. I found scrapes the size of car hoods and 3 foot rubs, waist to head high. I didn’t kill a deer but saw a young sambar bull.

I hear it’s taking 8+ years to get the hunt, I’m only 2 points deep right now. You can get the whitetail hunt anytime though if you want to go get a feel for the island and scout some prior to getting a sambar draw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I think that's how the group applications work in our benefit....if u and I are in the groups and another guy in the groups got preference points all the odds are increased...but I'm not 100% sure
I was thinking the whitetail permit may be the way to go for the first visit/hunt.
 
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