South Africa - Recommendations?

[Silent Arrow]

Looks like I will be in South Africa in May of 2009 for business for about three days.  As long as the trip will be paid for anyway, I would love to stay a week or two longer and hunt the dark continent.  Never been there, so any recommendations and tips are welcome - from equipment selection (poundage?) to outfitter and guide recommendations.

[Joseph]

I hunted with Dries Visser Safaris and it was wonderful.  They have really good package deals for week long and 10 day hunts.  As far as poundage whatever you have will work.  Shot placement is the key, straight up the leg through the meaty part of the shoulder!  Not behind the shoulder.  Sharp 2 blade broadheads and I would recomend 10 grains of arrow weight per pound of bow weight or more.  Quiet is much more important than fast.  May will be right at the begining of the hunting season there so it would be a better time to try stalking if you wanted than later in the summer because there will be more foliage and hopefully quieter.  I went the end of July into August and the grass was so dry it would turn to dust if you touched it and all of the trees were bare of leaves.  Joseph

[Brent Hill]

I hunted with Matlabas Game Hunters and it was also great.  Just do an internet search for that name.  If you are near the Dallas area the first or second weekend of January, bost Matlabas and Dries Visser should be at the Dallas Safari Convention Annual Show.  I agree with Joseph but would add to get your arrow weight up to 600 grains.  I hunted with a 52 lb black widow psa with 540 grain arrows and did okay but would prefer a little more penetration.  Everyone on this site said that and I didn't listen.  I took a kudu, impala and wathog.  I thought the kudu would be the # 1 but left with a greater appreciation for the impala and warthog.  They are generally cheaper and more available (often overlooked by rifle hunters) but hunting them with a stick is tough and out of this world.  Don't get caught up with heavy weight bows, focus on accuracy.   I will bump up my arow weight for 2010 because the animals are tough !!!!  Bring a video camera / digital camera and warm wool socks.  I didn't and had a giraffes walk up within 6 feet of my pitblind,  eat on the roof and urinate right there.  What a cover scent but no video.  Anything can happen in Africa and you want to be able to record it.  Bring a causal pair of shoes that you can both walk and hunt in, but I took my shoes of everytime I was in the pit blind to be quiet.  I'm now doing the same in my treestands in Texas.  I'm going to try the same stalking next time but with back up slip ons.  Bring extra bow and arrows with one bow/  arrows per separate bag in case 1 bag is missing.  You will have a blast.   Bhill

[Lonesome Wind]

I hunted with Barrel and Bow in the Limpoppo region late Aug. early Sept. and had the time of my life! I can't recommend them highly enough. Marco would take excellent care of you.
I took Impala, Wildebeest, & Kudu, all with 61# long bow & 995 gr arrows. I love very heavy arrows so I went way on the heavy side. I agree with what's been said already; shot placement is more important than heavy pounds. The vitals are way far forward, shoot where you would on a whitetail & you'll have a gut shot.
I did all spot & stalk or treestand hunting, if you're going to hunt out of a hide make sure you practice shooting out a small window to get used to the tunnel vision. If you're thinking of doing any "other than hide hunting" I highly recommend a ghillie suit. The animals in Africa are the wariest creatures I've ever hunted. The good news is there's enough critters that the next encounter is just around the corner.
The animals are as tough as I've ever seen, an arrow that would bring down an animal here won't get the job done over there.
I took over 300 pictures and I didn't take enough. Take your camera with you where ever you go, you'll regret it if you don't.
I had no problems with my bags or customs, I know people that have though so I did the 2 bag, 2 bow thing.
Be forewarned though, once you hunt in Africa the seed has been planted, you'll have to go back!

[Bob]

We went with Tshepe Safaris, and had a great trip.  You can contact them through Bowhunting Safari Consultants.

[wenselkid]

I would also recommend Dries Visser Safaris. Hunted there 10 days and it was everything I had hoped for. Lots of game, great service, friendly staff. Would book with them again in a second.
Photograph everything. I wish I had taken more pictures and video. Keep a daily journal. You will experience new things every day. Writing events down helps you to remember them when it comes to "story time" back home.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Another vote for Dreiss Vissers! We had a great 10 day hunt, affordable and lots of game. Fantastic food and ph's.

Gene Wensel can set you up from A to Z.

[Hattrick]

Dreiss Visser!!!

[BUFF]

Another vote for Dries Vissers

 http://www.buffsblackwidow.com/videos/reedbuck01m.wmv

[Christiaan]

Silent Arrow, where will you be?  I stay about and hour and a half from the Johannesburg airport.  I have a friend with a very nice Bowhunting farm.  He doesn't advertise.  I can put you in contact with him. But that is just if you have some extra time.  He has Impala, Kudu, Blue wildebeest and Zebra on the farm.  There is enough animals to walk and stalk but you must be very fit cause its mountainous.

For a bigger organized hunt I suggest Fritz Rabe.

[tradtusker]

id prob say greater kuduland if you absolutely had to go with one of the big operations, i guess vissers place if you want to kill a bunch of stuff.
but look into some of the smaller places if you want to hunt hard. so many places to bowhunt now in SA, unfortunately too many where you just shoot stuff.

[Lonesome Wind]

Well said Andy. Such wisdom from a young man impresses me very much!Too much emphasis is put on the kill and not on the method used. Go with a PH who is concerned with the way the hunt is conducted, rather than how many trophies you take home.

[cch]

Greater Kuduland is an excellent place. Very big and lots of animals.  It wasn't like on the shows where all you see are kudu from one blind and zebra from another. These animals are born on the property and are very wild you never know what will come in. The weather was cold when I was there and I didn't get a shot on an animal for the first 4 days. But then it warmed up and the animals started to come in. The brush there is thick and would be great for stalking and it has mountains.

[FOXXNTROUT]

I can recommend a good forum site to visit.

visit the Africa section of Graybeard outdoors. It has helped me plan my trip for 2010.

 http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=3na4upi7potkpg342mol9u0ve1&board=6.0