Trad Gang
Main Boards => The Dark Continent => Topic started by: COOCH on March 08, 2008, 01:59:00 PM
-
I'm headed back for my second safari of a life time Africa has perminently changed me.Not a day goes by that I don't catch myself daydreaming about returning.I hope three weeks there will help. I was just wondering who else out there is going this year? Whats on your wish list? Gemsbok is my goal and I'm just going to see what the gods of the hunt have in store.This is a no preasure trip I just want to be back there.Good friends and maybe a wee bit of castle can't wait. :campfire:
-
Jeff leaving June 16th ,2nd time around and just want to suck it all in this time with no pressure. Going to be hard to beat the first trip. Schedule for a pre hunt photo safari and then we are off to Thsehepe. Almost down to 100 days and counting :) Have a great trip.
-
be a few of us back there this year!
Tradman25 (James), Robtattoo and I will be hunting a week in Namibia in July.
then James and I will meet up with Leopard (Nigel)
in South Africa, to help out with the middle of the hunting season on the farm.
We'l be in southern africa for 2 months :D :bigsmyl: :campfire:
that blood warm sand and the deep orange sunsets are calling...
-
Yep, can't wait to get back bro! 2 months in the veld is never enough time! ;) It's gonna be a great trip! Cooch, on my wish list is a walk and stalk Wildebeest or a BIG Warthog! ;) We're also planning on doing some night hunting for Jackel! :thumbsup: Good luck to all on their trips!
-
You all sound like you have some great trips planned I'm a little enveyous you all be there before me.I'll just have to be a little bit more patient.My PH and I shoot the same arrow he told me to bring plenty of them for a nitetime jackel and springhare shoot sounds like fun.I,ll be his first trad hunter,somebody has to blaze the trail.He's shooting a Palmer recurve so I think were already on the same page.
-
Heading over to Visser's (South Africa) in June with my Uncle Gene and one of my best friends from high school. Gene has been there many times, but this will be my first. The date cannot come fast enough. Top of my wish list is an impala and I would also like a warthog and hartebeest. Kudu is up there as well. Taking my Schafer and a Dale Dye. Hope you all have fun!!
-
Hey Jason, who's the friend from high school? Looking forward to seeing Gene in missoula this weekend, even though I just saw him a month ago.
-
Tyler, that would be Kevin Therrien. He is married to Gene's daughter, Amy. That makes him guilty of being a Wensel by association.
How'd you do down at the Pig Gig? I hope to get down there one of these years. Maybe I'll see you there sometime. Take care.
-
What is a Pig Gig?
-
The "Pig Gig" is a hunt that my Dad and Uncle put on in the month of February. South Texas javelinas and hogs. I believe there are 3 or 4 weekends available to hunt. They are also called "Cabin Fever Hunts". You can see pics and read more about the hunt at brothersofthebow.com
-
I'll be heading over July 15-29th for my first trip. Really looking forward to it.
-
Will be going over to Namibia in August to hunt 12 days with Allan Cilliars (HaNore), This will be my first and probably only trip as it took me almost three years to save for this trip. My wish list consists of 1) Eland 2) Kudu 3) Gemsbok 4) Zebra 5) Red Hartebeest
GOOD LUCK TO ALL GOING TO AFRICA THIS YEAR!!!
-
:) ME :)
-
can't wait!
hope you all have a great trip.
(http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h101/tradtusker/Africa/KaribaSunset.jpg)
-
Those of you who say this year will be your only trip.....I hate to say it, but it's only the beginning! You WILL find a way to go back. It's so amazing.
-
Originally posted by jonsimoneau:
Those of you who say this year will be your only trip.....I hate to say it, but it's only the beginning! You WILL find a way to go back. It's so amazing.
Very true. I went on my 1 and only trip in 2005. The went back for my one last time trip in 2007.
Now I have another trip booked for 2009
-
A buddy and I along with our wives are going to South Africa the first week in July. We are hunting with Matlabas Game Hunters for five days over waterholes. I've already packed 3 times and built a wooden blind in the backyard complete with small windows and 3-d targets at 13 and 16 yards for practice. I think I may be excited. Anyone heard of Matlabas ? I'm shooting either a 52lb. bw psa or 50 lb. Bob Lee Takedown with 520 grain gold tips with the old lime green razorheads / 125 steel inserts. Any suggestions as to further preparation for a first timer ?
-
I will be going to Dries Visser's in S. Africa in June with Jason & Gene Wensel. I am so pumped! The African elk (kudu) will be at the top of the list.
-
Brent, the only suggestion I would make would be to up your arrow weight. I too shot bows in the 50lb. range but I used a 700 grain arrow. Honestly, I don't think I would want to try it on some of the bigger animals with less arrow than I had. On a side note though, I did kill an Eland this past trip with a 55lb. recurve and a 700 grain arrow. Did not get a passthrough but arrow lodged in offside rib cage. The Eland only went 40 yards or so and he was done. Eland are HUGE!
-
Brent I would also agree with jonsimoneau bump the arrow weight up especially if your going to try for the larger species,just be patient with your shot selection and you sould be fine on all but the big stocky brutes.I shoot a 74# bighorn recurve and I'm bumping my setup up to the 900 grain range I to shot an Eland with a 728 grain 2216 that was weighted and tuned to perfection burried it to the fletching on a slightly quartering shot center punched the heart with no pass thru. Most importantly,relax and have fun with friends and family your time over there will pass far to quickly.
-
Thanks for the info. I had already decided against hunting eland or zebra because I thought my set up was on the light side. Will my setup work for warthogs, gemsbock, kudu or any of the smaller animals? If not, how can I bump up my arrow weight without affecting my spine. I shoot 29 inch 35/55 Gold tips with about 250 grains up front (125 grain bh and 125 steel inserts).
-
Brent, you have plenty of bow for the species you mentioned. If you are going to bump up your arrow weight, you may have to use a different shaft. Grizzly sticks are great, as well as arrow dynamics. I would not hesitate to use either bow, I would just get a heavier arrow. On my first trip over, I shot a 52lb. recurve, and used 700 grain grizzly sticks. Had no problems whatsoever, even on Kudu.
-
Thanks for the info. I have a few months before my trip and with the support of my wife (ha ha) I may have to invest in a new arrow setup. Second question, anyone have experience with black mambas ? I live in Texas and have never feared rattlesnakes. They even taste good. I'm only a little nervous when I see a cottonmouth slither past me while I'm fishing. But I hear that these mambas may actually be dangerous. I know that the winter in Africa during july but we still see rattlesnakes in November. What are your thoughts? (I'm new to this whole e-mail / internet thing and really appreciate your input and this website in general)
-
I'm going for my first trip with Ken Moody in late August.
Brent, have you tried weight tubes? They do pretty well with out impacting spine too much. Search PowWow on weighting arrow threads.
For my 50lb longbow, I went up in spine so I could chunk 350 grains on the front for about a 660 grain GoldTip with Grizzlies on the front. Good luck, have fun, and leave a few critters for me! Steve
-
Since I wrote last, I've been worried sick over the arrow weight issue. ( I have also been packed for the last month and I still have 1 and half months to go) I just put in some weight tubes this weekend and got my arrows up to around 560 to 580 grains but my heavier arrows seemed to be dropping more that usual at 18 yards. So I did some tinkering. I weighed each arrow / tube combination and cut off a portion of each tube to get each combination to 560 grains for each arrow. I then put some powerbond on the ends of each tube and glue them into the shaft away from the knock end. This combo seems to fly better but I am not exacly at the 600 grain mark. I'm obviously concerned about penetration, but I want to maintain accuracy. But before I bore you with my inner strugle, we are getting to hunt in Africa so it can't be that bad. Thanks for all the help and have a blast.
-
Brent
Don't get yourself to worked up about your set up.
it would be nice if you could hit 600gr, but its more important your arrows are flying prefect out of your bow and your hitting the animal in the right place.
Most of the smaller antelope are pretty thin skinned and if wait for the right shot and keep within your shooting limitations you'l have no worries at all with your set-up. Iv seen kudu taken with 35lb compounds and light arrows.
-
Brent,
As Andy has mentioned above, your setup should be fine. Shot placement and a well tuned bow/arrow combination are the key to a successful safari, more so than getting your arrows up to 600g! ;) Good luck with your hunt and enjoy! :D
-
Thanks for the input. Everyone has been very helpful. I wish I knew about this webpage years ago when I started this crazy obsession.
-
Namibia with Dries Visser in September. My third trip in as many years. The addiction has the best of me. I do not go because I choose but because I must. Rod
-
Andy & Rob going to miss being in camp with you guys. I am still working on a few things but it doesn't look like i will make it. i'm super bummed as i was really looking forward to hanging out with you guys. i will let you know if anything changes.
hey Jon good talking with you today, let's make it happen next year for sure.
for anyone else that thinks it will be their once in a lifetime, like Jon said, fat chance. it's addicting. you WILL be drawn back to Africa....
(http://www.burnhamphotography.com/galleries/nature/photos/panorama/zebras02copy.jpg)