Things I learned in Africa

[Northern]

After years of dreaming I finally made my first trip to Africa. I Learned lot’s about arrow lethality. Not only from the animals I shot, but from the others in camp, but mostly from the Professional hunters. Their knowledge was unbelievable. Just think about it, how many animals will you kill in you life time? How much equipment testing will you do? The outfit I went with is killing on average 2 animals a day for over 4 months. Every style and make of equipment out there. I spent hours talking to 5 different Professional Hunters, all with years of experience, here is some of the advise they gave me.

- 55 ft/lbs of energy will kill most any non-dangerous game on the planet. So if your shooting a Vixen, don’t feel under gunned!

-Speed doesn’t kill! They would much rather see you shoot a mid weight arrow at a modest speed .

- Flip open Mechanicals are CRAP! Flame away, but they see more wounds from this kind of head than any others.

-Sharp to the tip broad heads are KING! They love them! We all used Magnus Stingers, ZERO failures!

-A rang finder is you best friend! Bring 2, one for you and one for your guide! More shots are missed from missed judged distances than any other reason!!

My last piece of advise is if you have ever wanted to go, beg borrow or steal, but go. You never regret it!

Darrin

[dutchhunter]

great info love the kudo .would love to hear more about the hunt and the ottfitter always been a dream of mine i have a set of books by peter capstik pro hunter amazingread when your feeling blue

[Big John]

Excellent pic's!!
I have used fixed blades since the day I started hunting with bows.
Will never change either. I have enough worries than to have to think about whether or not the mechanical will open before impact, or not at all, or break apart on impact. Now remember, this is me and only my, opinion on this, others feel free to use them , I don't mind at all.

John

[Boo]

Well said Northern! Although I don't believe that all mechanicals for all situations are crap cut on contact are without doubt perfect by comparison. I've been using the four blade stingers for three years now an I gotta agree with you there.
Thanks for the input and pictures!

[Northern]

Our trip was booked through Bowhunting Safari Consultants. The Outfit was Tshepe Safaris. http://www.tshepesafaris.co.za/ It is a Bowhunting only area, they have taken a few X-bow hunters, all were handicapped. They do a lot a traditional guys, do I need to say anymore? They don’t want any equipment wars, this not a place for you and a bunch of buddies to go on a x-bow hunt. Not that they have any problem with x-bows, it’s just a business decision.

We were there for 10 days, my next trip (next year) I hunting for 19 days!! More is always better! Great trip to take your wife on, mine loved it. Mostly pit blinds next to water holes. Shots were 10 to 30 yards, with 20 being an average.

One thing to remember is if you wound you pay!! I made a bad shot on this Eland. My top cam hit the roof of the blind on release and I only got about 4 inches of penetration. An Eland can go a long ways on one lung, I choose not to wait it out, it wasn’t fair to the Eland. We chased it down and I shot it with the PH’s rifle. Great Trophy!

If anyone has any questions, fire away.

Darrin

[Woody Williams]

Very nice beasts. Thanks for sharing.

I have heard that once you go hunt the "Dark Continent" that you are hooked and will go back.

[Grizzly Adam]

I'm jealous!

Going to Africa is a dream of mine too.

I think I've got Capstick memorized!

Nice animals!

[dutchhunter]

i have the leather gold trim hard cover numberd set of capstick books#0339 autographed set but i am miising a few titles any idea where i could find the missing ones .death in the silent places is my fave

[Rich]

Beautiful animals, the taxidermist bill is gonna be more than the trip itself

Rich

[Esox]

Great Pics and Excellent advice...When a PH says use this or that it's pretty well certain that the piece of equipment they're telling you about will work... They have their reputation riding on the outcome of each hunt and in the case of hunting dangerous game, often their very life is at stake... I know a PH and he's very particular about what his hunters use... Often when he sees poor equipment he'll try to talk the hunter into using what works... It's easier with changing up a gun but he'll also work with bowhunters equipment too....

Congratulations on a GREAT trip.... It sounds like you had wonderful time...

[chris4570]

First off congrats!! Great pics too. Looks like an adventure of a lifetime.

Are you planning on getting them mounted? Hides tanned?

How much of the meat were you allowed to bring back, and how do the different beasties taste?

[dick195252]

Congratulations i hope you will post some more detailed info on the actual hunts you had but great pictures and it sounds like a reall great time you and the misses had Welcome back

[Northern]

The meat is all utilized over there. We ate it every day, it was all great! I was originally going to mount them all, but since I’ve decided that my money is better spent going back!! So I’m mounting the Kudu and the Red Hartebeest. The others I’m doing European mounts on.

You can hunt anyway you want, but mostly we sat in blinds. We would be up at 5 AM, in the blinds by 6:30 AM. When would stay till 11 or so, go back for lunch, back in the blind at 1Pm till about 5PM. It seems like a long sit, but the blinds are big and comfy. Animals come all day long! I was never board! I did read a couple of good books over the trip.

One can easily do this trip for $10 - 12K, ad another $5K if your taking your wife (I would).

Darrin

[Northern]

This is how I'm going to mount the Kudu.

[sumner4991]

Cool trip! Nice pictures. Did your wife take the pictures or did the outfitter take them?

I'll still stick with my mechanicals until they come up with something more accurate and more deadly. There's no way a 1" or so cut can kill a animal quicker or better than a 2-2.5" cut. No way. I haven't had any problems with the blades not opening and the deer drop in their tracks. No more tracking a double lung shot 60 yards, not since I switched to the large cut mechanical.