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Main Boards => The Dark Continent => Topic started by: calgarychef on March 05, 2009, 06:47:00 PM

Title: giraff?
Post by: calgarychef on March 05, 2009, 06:47:00 PM
Does anyone know of a giraff hunted with trad tackle?  If so what was used.  

the chef
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: tradtusker on March 05, 2009, 07:46:00 PM
i know Paul Brunner and Ricardo longoria have shot Giraffe, Brunner with a recurve and Longoria with a longbow can't recall weight prob around high 70's mid 80's

im lining up a giraffe hunt for 2011, James my Hunting buddy will prob also look to shoot one.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: calgarychef on March 05, 2009, 10:05:00 PM
What gear are you looking at using?  How thick is the skin and how thick/close are the ribs?  I wish I shot more than 53#. But then on the other hand my arrows are penetrating deeper than my buddy who shoots a 90# Howard hill longbow.....I wonder.

the chef
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: tradtusker on March 05, 2009, 11:23:00 PM
ill look to use 75+lb bow with very high FOC arrows prob going to go with a modified Grizzly total arrow weight as close to 1000grs as i can get them.

Giraffe skin is pretty thick particularly on the top of the shoulder and neck from fighting. shot placement is also somewhat different on a giraffe compare to most big game animals, Ribs are a good size.

here is a giraffe a friend of mine shot (gun) he's on the left my uncle the PH is in the middle at the back and im on the right.
 (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h101/tradtusker/IVY_20050817_000528.jpg)

 (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h101/tradtusker/IVY_20050817_000580.jpg)

 (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h101/tradtusker/IVY_20050817_000582.jpg)
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: Trad Man 25 on March 06, 2009, 12:45:00 AM
Its scary when you see the pics, but no reason why i cant be done. G-Stick Ashby Bh, Trusty Stip 80lbs with FF. I think the secret so success with be to get a close shot.
Expensive shot if we are wrong.     :pray:      :pray:      :pray:    

Just to tell your self, Eland on legs , Eland on legs    :rolleyes:    :rolleyes:    

I still got mixed feeling about this, but dont think i can say no to another trip.   :)    :)
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on March 06, 2009, 02:53:00 AM
"Trusty S-Tip, 80lbs with FF."

Hmmm...I know a fellow with something like that...

I think that the body is a little bigger than that of a big bull camel, so you can readily bury the right arrow from the right bow into one, even with normal 2-blade broadhead and normal FOC.

Again, lads, your photos are too cool!

Good luck on the 'coots!
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: LEOPARD on March 06, 2009, 06:28:00 AM
Yeah, I tell you what, you don't realize how big a bull Giraffe is until you're standing next to one. I've been on a couple giraffe hunts, and when shot badly, they are a mission to get on the ground.  ;)
Getting them with the bow would be a special challenge considering how tough they are to get close to.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: tradtusker on March 06, 2009, 08:16:00 AM
we'l get it done boys don't worry about that!

they are a BIG animal when you get up close. look at the size of the head its as big as your torso, the bone structure in heavy! but they are not that wide between the shoulders an arrow buried to the fletch would do it.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: Joseph on March 06, 2009, 09:12:00 AM
I can't remember where I read it but it was recommended to use as heavy of equipment as one would for buffalo.  If you are in a tree and have a straight on level shot at the spot just below the base of the neck the heart is right behind the skin there.  Their heart is up very high almost between the bottom of the shoulder blades.  The only video I have seen of a giraffe being shot with a bow was a close shot (about 15 yards) by a hunter who was kneeling.  It was a steep upward angle and quartering away.  The shot looked to be way to low until you remember the angle of the shot.  It went up into heart/ lungs anf the giraffe didn't go far.  If anyone does get a giraffe it would be the ultimate sinew for backing a bow, probably 3 foot or longer lengths!
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: amicus on March 06, 2009, 02:05:00 PM
Is giraffe edible? I know you can just about eat anything if your hungry enough but is giraffe normally eaten?

Tradtusker, those are great pictures.

Thanks

Gilbert
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: tradtusker on March 06, 2009, 03:52:00 PM
yip the meat is good, most game meat is very good if you know how to prepare and cook it well.
selling the meat after the hunt is good way to recoup some of the trophy fee.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: hunt it on March 06, 2009, 04:54:00 PM
Gonna be fun picken a spot! Hey Andy what turns your crank when it comes to these guys? Other than good seat covers what ya gonna do with it? Sure we can't talk ya into a cape buff hunt instead? Everyone has one of those odd critters turns their crank and others don't see it, mine's a walrus!
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on March 06, 2009, 04:59:00 PM
Giraffe and walrus - I absolutely get that! But then, I love hunting donkeys and horses and camels, too! Chase the dream. And if you want, everything's edible.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: pucci on March 06, 2009, 06:05:00 PM
"Moral of the story: Giraffe are big, and I do mean big game. Do take them seriously and use heavy bows and arrows or else you will lose them"
"An 80 pound bow and a 500 grain arrow will not penetrate their ribs sufficiently to kill them"
"We did penetration tests with the 80 pound bow and 2419s and Zwickey BHs. Whenever the arrow hit a rib it would not penetrate. If it missed the rib it went in up to the fletches"
Taken from Adrian de Villiers "Bowhunting in Southern Africa". By the way, he's talking about compound bows.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: hunt it on March 06, 2009, 08:34:00 PM
There is not much Adrian has not killed with a bow. As far as compounds go he was one of the pioneers of taking all the african species. He knows his stuff.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: tradtusker on March 06, 2009, 11:38:00 PM
you know Dave i dont have the Money to hunt Cape.
so for now ill turn my pursuits to other animals, Giraffe i would never shoot with a rifle would not even consider it but with a Trad bow they are Big, hard to Kill, very hard to stalk, there eye sight is very good and that and the fact that they are so high up they can see everything thats happening. i can hunt one for a very reasonable price. meats good.

i start practicing my up hill shots    :)

Walrus now there's an interesting one!

i also have an interest to hunt a camel, you got any access to camels Ben?
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on March 07, 2009, 01:30:00 AM
Working (well, waiting now) on some REALLY good access...

Here's hoping...
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: hunt it on March 07, 2009, 10:57:00 AM
There is always a cow buff, Andy. That and a cow elephant are pretty cheap these days. Camel whacken sounds like alot of fun as well.
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: RL on March 08, 2009, 03:10:00 PM
Here is a picture of a giraffe I snapped in South Africa while hunting plains game. It was a perfect shot opportunity but just too gentle of an animal for me. (http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n251/richardgr/Africa2006121copy.jpg)
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: tradtusker on March 08, 2009, 09:27:00 PM
oh that's the angle i want right there!    :notworthy:
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: amar911 on March 15, 2009, 12:47:00 AM
I am going for a cow cape buffalo in June/July, but I would love to shoot a giraffe. Like Andy, I don't want one with a rifle, but a trad bow is a different challenge. Everything Andy says about getting in a position to shoot a giraffe is accurate. If I were in the position RL took that picture from, I would not hesitate to launch an arrow if I had the bow and arrow that would do the job. I am still trying to decide what would be the lowest poundage, highest performance bow that is adequate with the best arrow/broadhead combo to shoot buff, eland and/or giraffe.

Allan
Title: Re: giraff?
Post by: Trad Man 25 on March 15, 2009, 11:58:00 AM
It dose not take much to take down a Eland, I shot one with 60lb Silvertip, and the arrow and sticking half way out the other side. Definalty dont want to shoot Giraffe and buff with that set up,  Thick skined animals  :)  

Look farward to reading about your buff hunt.,

James