Hooked on Africa

[Goke]

Made my first trip to Africa in late Sept and early Oct with four of my lifelong friends and hunting buddies. To say it was fantastic is an understatement. I'm now hooked and cannot wait to return.

We hunted with Limcroma Safaris in South Africa. Hanes and his crew were wonderful in all respects and definitely know how to take care of you. After discussing our shot distance preferences, our PHs worked very hard to put us in setups that afforded shooting at our preferred distances. I ended up taking 5 different animals and a Jackal as a bonus. I'll post some pics as I get them uploaded.  

This trip was originally intended as a hunting "retreat" if you will as most of our group turns 40 this year and we wanted something to mark that milestone. Mission accomplished as we not only made many remarkable hunting memories among best friends but I can say with certainty that we all returned to our normal lives with a new found appreciation for the good fortune and opportunity we all have here in the United States. We also returned with that little flicker of a flame in your heart that draws you back to Africa. Everyone asks what exactly it is that is already causing me to obsess and dream about returning. I wished I knew exactly as I can't quite put my finger on it. In many ways its the same urge I have to shoot a trad bow, I can't explain why exactly but its there, its real, and I am drawn to it. Anyway, enough banter about my new found addiction. Now some photos!  

This was my first African animal. My best friend was in the blind with me that day and the second image is cut from some video he took of the shot. About 18 yards, quartering slightly away. You can see the arrow buried in his right side. It lodged in the off side shoulder.  

   

 

I'll try to post some more later. Thanks to all here who endured my endless questions before this trip.

[coaster500]

Congrats !!!

Looks like you did well...  Africa sure get in the blood  


   

[FerretWYO]

That second picture is amazing. Great blue man.

Congrats and looking forward to more.

[Goke]

One of our group shot this beast on day 2. Eland is perhaps the best wild game I've ever eaten. Amazing.

 

[Goke]

Prior to heading to Africa I tried to find pictures of the insides of African hides or blinds so I had some idea what they were like. I found very little so I took several "inside the blind" pics which I'll try to post for the benefit of those who are headed to Africa for the first time. I personally had a hard time getting used to shooting out of vertical windows when I'm used to canting my bow to the right some. I found that I was shooting consistently an inch or so left out of the vertical windows.

 

 

I'll post some more when I get them downloaded.

[coaster500]

Beast is right!!!

Sweet!!!

[rastaman]

Brings back memories!  Thanks for sharing!

[Goke]

Here is a slightly different style blind with only one window. These would only accommodate one hunter and a PH. Nice though.

 

 

 

[Goke]

I had an incredible experience one day when we were hunting over a water hole and a herd of cape buffalo came into drink. Amazing animals and truly intimidating. I would love to hunt them some day.

There was one lone bull in one of the areas we hunted. We ran into him a few times and he charged one of the trucks while we were there (not the truck i was in thankfully). That made for interesting tracking every time we shot something in that area. Didn't take me long to figure out that lone bull was a real threat when the trackers would not exit the blind or begin tracking in that area until the truck was there and someone had a rifle in hand.

I took this photo out the window of the blind one day. Once I realized he saw me move I didn't take any more and started to wonder how thick the bricks in that blind were. Heart pounding experience.

 

[Goke]

We hunted very hard for Zebra during our trip as that was high on everyone's wish list. I realized quickly that Zebra and Gemsbuck would be a real challenge since I chose to limit my shots to 20 yds or less. We were watching a herd of zebra in the distance one afternoon when the blesbuck came to drink. I quickly realized I could not pass up that opportunity. I shot this guy at 16 yards. I hit a little further forward (left) than I intended but it ended up in the heart. I've never had this happen but he ran off, made about a 150 yard circle, came right back to where I shot him and fell over dead. Amazing experience and a very cool animal.

 

The Zebra managed to allude me the entire time we were there. Others in our group connected on Zebra but I did not. Here is a pic of what the zebra thought of me. I guess that is just one more reason I must return.

 

[Goke]

As I said at the beginning, the lodge, rooms, and hospitality at Limcroma were superb!

 

 

 

 

[Goke]

[Goke]

Midway through the week we hunted an area where they had seen quite a few gemsbuck as that was the one animal at the top of my wish list. The area had a lot of giraffe as well. By mid morning I had a great shot at this nice bull at about 15 yards. When our PH and tracker took up the trail I glassed through my binos at the last area about 200 yards away where i had seen him run. I spotted some white in the grass which turned out to be my gemsbuck. Brought a quick end to the track job. My tracker jokingly accused me of using my American tracking techniques (looking through my binos) and ruining all of his fun. Gemsbuck are beautiful animals and far more wary than i ever expected. This was the only bull I had within bow range in 10 days.

 

[Goke]

[Al Kidner]

I too made my first trip to Africa this past August as well and like you am missing the place tenfold! I would have been planning to head back next year but am already booked in to hunt black bear in BC so with  heavy heart it looks to be 2015 ( the year I turn 40) will be when I return...

Please  post away more pics and also a link if you have one of where you hunted and your set up.

Cheers,

ak.

[duncan idaho]

would really like to know about your choice of equipment...BH, Bow poundage,arrow weight and material,  etc.. Thanks.

[Goke]

My setup included two widow PSA recurves. I hunted only with one as the second was the backup. Draw weight was 61#. Arrows were beeman MFX classics, 29", four fletched and wrapped with 50 gr brass inserts and 25 gr aluminum footings. Broadheads were 4 blade steel force fat heads, 200 grs. Total arrow weight was right at 600 gr.

I had more than adequate penetration on everything i shot. I hit the opposite shoulder on the wildabeast and warthog which stopped the arrow. I had a complete pass through on the gems buck and bless buck. On my impalla I shot forward, hit the shoulder at a quartering away angle. It broke the shoulder bone and deflected into the front of the heart. If I went back, I would not hesitate to use that same setup. Here are a few pics.

 

 

 

 

[Goke]

My fellow trad bow shooter in our group missed a nice impala early in the trip but fate was on his side as this giant came to drink a few days later.

 

[Goke]

I hadn't really planned on shooting a warthog when I left the US. After a couple days of watching them I slowly became addicted to hogs. Its hard to explain but they are a very cool animal. This nice boar came in one evening and gave me a great quartering away shot at about 10 yards.

 

[Goke]

One evening shortly before dark we were preparing to pack up for the evening when a Jackal ran in and began drinking from the pond. My PH quickly insisted I shoot at him. I was not convinced I could hit him as his was quartering hard away from me at 20 yards and a Jackal is not a very big target. I shot nonetheless and the arrow entered behind his front shoulder but exited the front of his chest on the same side. My PH tracked him through the bush, which was amazing as I could not even see his tracks and there was very little blood. We jumped him up but he was hurt bad. Unfortunately I missed him a couple times as he tried to run away. Cost me two arrows but the third found its mark. I  now have plans for a Jackal skin back quiver, an unexpected bonus on this trip. The guys at Limcroma said they could not recall anyone ever shooting a Jackal there with a trad bow.