Going back, do i have enough bow ?

[camp thunder]

Well my first trip to africa didnt go as great as i expected , my wife and i are going back in 2009 with another ph. while on the first trip i solely used a compound ,on this one it will be soley my new Saluki Oryx , this is the first bow to ever feel perfect in my hands , words cant properly describe how right it feels. I figure it must be destiny that i ended up with this fabulous bow and love shooting it. now on to a ? this bow is 49 lbs @ 28. im currently shooting 480 gr arrows and got 41 lb. ke.
with razorsharp broadheads do i have enough bow for plains game ?

[Wile E. Coyote]

I would say that you do, although I would consider increasing the arrow weight if possible. At 12gr. per # you would be around 588gr. and should still get excellent flight out to 20yrs.

What is the largest species you are going after?

[jonsimoneau]

Honestly, I think you would be better to increase your arrow weight.  I hunt with fairly light bows too.  I have made two trips to Africa and have hunted with nothing heavier than 55lbs.  I killed an eland this year with a 55lb. bow and 650 grain arrows.  I also killed 2 kudu and 3 warthogs.  The first time I went I hunted with a 52lb. bow and 550 grain arrows and the penetration was good enough to get the job done, but not quite what I wanted.  I would just up your arrow weight to 600 grains or so, and you will be fine.

[camp thunder]

Thanks guys. was thinking that the wt had to come up. i am going to experiment with a bunch of diff. arrows and see what the flight looks like at between 550 and 600 gr. hopefully the oryx will like one of them.
biggest animals would be zebra and blue wilde
least ways those are the 2 that have me worried.

[tradtusker]

i think you should be fine with a heavyier arrow as sujested above. its great to have a bow you are realy comfortable with! just be sensible and limmit your shots to a time and a distance you can make a good shot.
what happen on your first trip? where you goin for 09?
cheers Andy

[8th Dwarf]

I have hunted Africa either 14 or 15 times.  I've messed around with different bow and arrow weights.

This is opinion, so take it with a grain of salt...

Number one in importance is not bow weight, it is ARROW WEIGHT!  Try to get at least 600 grains of total arrow weight.

Number two in importance is the broadhead.  Use a STRONG, two blade head.  I use the Magnus 135 grain on plains game and the Magnus 125 on heavy boned animals, such as Cape Buffalo.

The least important is bow weight.  Accuracy is far more important.  Having said that, however, anything much under 60 pounds is not going to drive a 600 grain arrow through one of these animals.

African animals are so much tougher than North American game that it defies the imagination.  No one wants wounded game and light tackle and lousy broadheads just increase your odds of problems.

Just opinions, but based on a lot of African experience.

I shoot a 64 pound bow, either a Morrison, or a Wolverine.  My arrows weigh 640 grains all up.  I use the same bow for Buffalo, but with 960 grain Diamond Wood shafts and the 125 grain head, which is narrower than the 135 grain head and will get through bone better.

FORGET KINETIC ENERGY!!!!  Use your head on equipment and remember that you are a traditional archer...that also means "Primitive".  Primitive man didn't screw around with "Connecticut Energy"!

Too Short

[camp thunder]

thanks for the input. got the weight up to 560 gr. fly like darts. now i am just going to concentrate on putting them in the right place at 20 yds. 16 mos and a wakeup , not that i have any obsessions with going to africa.

[sparrow]

I've said it before- location. location, location! I used 54# Pronghorn and 675 gr. with Magnus 125. I had two holes on four and hit off shoulder on two after going thru both lungs. The largest was a kudu bull and that arrow was a complete pass thru. Sharp, solid, and accurate. Discipline on shot selection is critical. You will have lots of chances so be patient and take no chances. I shot my kudu on the last afternoon. Patience. He is 54 1/2 inches and worth every agonizing second I waited.