Bow Poundage for buff

[Rik]

Hey Ron---Here's a tip from Rik:

Start doing some hiking around your place barefooted. Toughening up your feet to Australian standards will serve you well when you're sneaking in on your bull.

[Mark U]

Ron, is that you JR?

Rik is right.  Go barefoot over all the rough country you can find for a  month before you go over.  Most of those Oz guys (and gals) evidently grew up without shoes and think nothing of a five mile hike in the scrub barefoot.  With the soil conditions over there, it's not too bad, but I tried it elk hunting when I got back, and it hurt.

And Rik's arrows looked like broomsticks with a bird on the end.

[Jay Campbell, JD]

Bill (Basalt):

Good to hear from you.  We're having a little trouble getting the airpot hotel in Darwin to get back to us, but I'll increase efforts next week.

Karen has taken over my Hummingbird, and is drawing it to 29" at 74#, easily.  I don't even try to explain it anymore. We're going to OL's tomorrow to pick up new limbs for her ACS CX at 70# @ 29".  OL may get another heavier ACS in my hands, but I have a BW PLX at 81# coming in a couple of weeks.  Hopefully this report on her bow weight will keep you sleeping well.  She's hitting what she aims at, too.

As to heavy arrows.  I've worked quite a bit with Grizzlystick Alaskans and Safaris, and getting them over 1000 gr is a snap. I like them.

But I'm now working with a relatively little known shaft, the Gold Tip Big Game 100+. Stiffness is between the Alaskan and Safaris, it seems. Rick McGowan told me about these. You can find them in camo or black, pre-fletched with feathers, on at least one internet archery supplier.  Using 3 Gold TIp 50 grain weights from Black Widow, and the full length shaft inserts plus Tip adaptors (125 gr) and 160 grain heads from 3 Rivers archery, we quickly assembled these arrows at full length (which is what we shoot), achieving 1032 grains and perfect arrow bare shaft flight from both a 74# Hummingbird and a 76# Morrison longbow. 143 fps. At only about $115 for the entire dozen arrows, and at 5/16" shaft diameter, I'm pretty impressed.

We'll likely have to stiffen them up for OL's ACS bow, but we'll see.  Awful easy and inexpensive way to get heavy, small diameter buffalo arrows. - Jay and Karen Campbell

[Ron Chambers]

Yep it is me. J.R. want to know what kind of arrows I should be shooting. I am going to use a 75 lb bow. Shooting small carbons now SST's from cabela's. Need to the weight up. Any tips or info will help

[Ron Chambers]

Jay, It looks like I will be hunting with you and Karen according to Bill and Linda. I am looking forward to it. J.R.

[Mark U]

J.R., I'll get the specs from Doug on what he used to get his SST's loaded up.  He really likes those arrows.  What broadhead are you going to use?

[Basalt]

G'day guys, yeh Mark you're right there, not many of us Northern Ozzie kids ever owned shoes or boots until we had to wear them at high school, come to think of it, I still don't own too many pairs. Linda makes me wear them when we go to town.LOL.

G'day Mark, Yeh those Buff have big ears and know how to use them, lucky that ground's soft up there on that Island yeh mate!

Bring thick socks guys they will save your feet a bit.

Yes Doug's arrows sure flew very nice out of his bow, with plenty of forward weight but Rik's flew nice too, even with that bird sitting on the end.

Jay all sounds very good and heavy small diameter is the go for sure.

No worries I'm now  sleeping like a baby.

Just let me know if you have trouble with the Airport Resort and maybe I can sort it out for you from this end.

I'm a believer in the 3:1 Broadhead but I have seen other strong single blade Broadheads work just fine.
They MUST be dry shaving sharp with no burr and I like to lube the head and first 10 inches of shaft.
I'll have the gear in camp to achieve that whatever head you choise.

J.R. sounds like you guys will all have your gear sorted out well in advance.

If you have an arrow weight of 800 or better coming out of your bow with GOOD bare shaft arrow flight and something like a Grizzly up the front it will all be good.

The one thing I try and stress to everyone is ARROW PLACEMENT.

That and the fact that the front leg MUST be forward will more offten than not decide the outcome.

You should have plenty of opportunity to study Buff before you have to draw on one.

Cheers from Down-under,
Bill.

[Mark U]

Hey Billy Bob!  How's the weather down there in Tully Head?  Is the path heading over across the street still mowed?

This picture shows some of us getting ready for an excursion to the cape.  That would be Bill in the middle, in his backyard.

 

[Ron Chambers]

Mark, havn't decided on a broadhead yet. Maybe grizzly or zwickey. Let me know about the arrows

[Dsturgisjr]

Hey Bill! Did I tell you guys I shot a buffalo? LOL!!

 

"Give 'im another one mate!"

[Al Kidner]

For some reason I don't think thats a bowhunting magazine Bill's reaching for!

 That's a good pic too Denny. You still have a few arrows left in your quiver though!


 al

[Mark U]

Denny, is that the "Old bull by the Sea"?  I think I heard the story about it every day for a week from Bill, and also found the skull when we were down by the beach.  Something about Linda sitting in the shade when this bull walked up to her, and it was so old even it's pension was worn out.  It kept turning around whenever an arrow hit it until it dropped.

And Alan, you may be right about the magazine.  It was one of those "subscribers only" editions of a popular Oz mag.

[Ron Chambers]

Hey Denny, that thing looks like a pin cushion. LOL. J.R.

[Basalt]

G'day guys,
yeh that's about the only time I saw that
"Australian Wild Bird" magazine. I think Rik or Mark had it hidden under their pillow studying that rare Australian Bird, the "Double-breasted Mattress Thrasher".

Hey Denny, how could I ever forget that one LOL.

The second " give him another one" might have been a bit of an overkill on my part mate but there's nothing like a two step recovery I reckon.
He was dead on his feet after the first shot we just didn't tell him!

Hey Al, you know the call " when in doubt, empty out" and heck Denny still had plenty left in that quiver.

Mark, that was Denny's buff head under the tree but the huge one that came out looking at Linda sitting under his favourite tree is still there, just waiting for Denny,Don,J.R. and the crew.

Denny, that Shark Dale almost shot should be a big bigger this year hey LOL.
Cheers guys,
Bill.

[Dr. Ed Ashby]

G'day Bill,

I can't tell you how pleased I am with the information I'm gleaning from the hunters taking buff with you. Doug sent me all the pics and detailed info from his buffs and Rik's (as did Ed). It was astounding the correlation between the results they had and what the study data predicts should be the outcome penetration using their setups. From the folks I've talked with on this current Stateside trip, I think you'll soon be having a few more coming and using setups along the study's guidelines. That gives more study crosschecks for me!

I still think Vasaline isn't the best 'extra lube' to use though. The idea of using something that's a coagulant just don't seem right. I'm still experimenting on that one. I think that you might want to try KY Jelly as an alternative to Vasaline. Just be darn sure the 'better half' KNOWS that you have it on hand for ARROW PENETRATION, and not some other type of 'penetration'! (LOL!!!!!)

I'm headed to Africa tomorrow morning to visit a friend for a few weeks, then I'm back to Oz in late March, and heading right up to the Territory for some more buff work. Hope we cross pathes again soon.

Ed

[Basalt]

G'day Ed, good to hear from you!
I only just back and I guess you are on your way to Africa by now and might not see this for awhile.
We look like having a fairly busy season on the Buff, mostly Traditional bowhunters and a few compound hunters.
We have had a great bunch of guys over the past few years.
I'll be only too happy to pass on any info on the results.

Yeh Ed I agree with your thinking on the water based lubricant and plan to give it a try this year.

We start guiding on the Buff in June and hope we can catch up again in Brisbane or the Territory.
Cheers mate,
Bill.

[alligatordond]

Ya'll just have the coolest accents. Just take care of my ladyfriends Karen Campbell and Lori Thomas while they're there. Not too concerned about their ugly husbands :-)

[Rik]

Alligatordond:  You should have seen us in Queensland the night Bill Baker's and Brad Kane's wives had us trying to teach them to speak "American." It was simply impossible. I just about laughed me arse off though!

Them thar Ausssies talk funny!

[alligatordond]

Rik ,

I can only imagine. Just send those guys down here for a bit and we'll have them sounding like Larry the Cable Guy, who I understand is from around here.

Someday I may head way south and give the buffs a try. For now it is vicarious living through my friends.

[Basalt]

Alligatordond: The ladies like Lori always seem to be easy to look after.
Mrs Campbell is shooting a 74lb longbow, that lady will have the most polite guides on earth. LOL.
It's Uncle Don I worry about, always wants to sneak off fishing in the waterhole with the 16 foot Croc in it !LOL.

I think Uncle Don and his lovely wife are headed down your way as we speak?

G'day Rik, Yeh guys, we had a real nice southern Bowhunter in the Buff camp a couple of years back. [ Greg Campbell] It took me three days to work out what he was saying hey !

After only three weeks we had Rik and the boys talking real "fair- dinkum" Aussie.

Ed, I'm happy to report that I found some of that water based arrow lube but the only one they had GLOWS GREEN in the dark.
That's got to be GOOD ! LOL.

Cheers guys,
Bill.