String jumpers?

Since I am going to SA next year to spot and stalk hunt with my bow, I would like some input on what animals that are at high risk of being string jumpers.
Is any of them so skittish that you always should aim very low or even under their chest when hunting them with a bow?

I am confident about hitting close enough to where I aim, but it would be good to know what animals that have a tendency to jump the string

My main targets will be Kudu, Red Hartebeest, Blesbuck, Bushbuck and Impala.
But Steenbuck, Grey Duiker, Springbuck and Warthog will also be in risk of getting an arrow their way if I find any decent ones while stalking

Norwegianwoods, it will be fun for sure, Impala and Warthog are prone to this, I have had some interesting experiences with impala, about 9 years ago while hunting with Amanita safaris, I hunted with the guys from Alpine, the bows where more than fast and quite enough... we had been blind hunting and had an Impala, jump (rear onto it's back legs) and in slow mo one could almost see him watching the arrow pass underneath his briskit, we decided to aim higher and it almost dropped to the ground with the arrow flying over his back, the point I am trying to make is if he's going to jump/duck he will whether you aim high or low.... :-)

Kudu and Hartebeest Blesbuck and bushbuck should be fine have succesfully done these walk and stalk many times, the others are also very possible it just depends what they feel like and of course conditions, the more weary they are the more prone you are to have anything react to an arrow launching into flight.

Either way you'll enjoy it as it does provide a new and different edge to bowhunting..

Have fun!

My best always,

Thanks Jaco!

I guess I just have to aim for the top of the heart and hope for the best that the animal will stand still till the arrow hits

Check out also: What Africa plains game species is most likely to "jump the string?"

I have a video on You Tube that shows an impala ducking almost a foot, on a 27 yard shot. Check it out:

Cool footage BH64 just goes to show...

My best always.

I would think weary warthogs and high strung impala will be and can be a problem.

Originally Posted by enysse

I would think weary warthogs and high strung impala will be and can be a problem.

hey enyesse i think tired warthogs will be ok , but i can see the impala being a problem..

Hey you got me (lol). I was thinking of the word cautious.

Thanks for all your input everyone.
I guess I first of all need to see if my stalking skills are good enough to get close enough for a shot

I have found warthogs to be a lot easier to "ambush" or stalk up on than Impala. Both are challenging, though...and that makes it fun!

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Norwegianwoods

Thanks for all your input everyone.
I guess I first of all need to see if my stalking skills are good enough to get close enough for a shot

I've found that impala and Steenbuck are about the quickest things around...aim low. Have a great hunt!

When taking animals from out of a blind/hide one is more likely to encounter severe reactions to the shot or string jumping as it has become known. Animals are just inherently more skittish at the water, add to that a good dose of hunting pressure and one stands a greater chance of seeing adverse reactions from all animals at the sound of the shot.

On foot it is a totally other matter, just make sure that you shoot at animals that are unaware of you presence and you should be perfectly fine.

That's the secret "unaware of your presence" once again Norwegian I do not believe that aiming low will help as I have seen them go both ways...... Up and down...

Aim at your vital area as usual, great advice from Mr. Potgieter..

My best always

Originally Posted by enysse

Hey you got me (lol). I was thinking of the word cautious.

Actually the word I was looking for was leery, but I was weary.

Originally Posted by enysse

Actually the word I was looking for was leery, but I was weary.

Originally Posted by Jaco Strauss

That's the secret "unaware of your presence" once again Norwegian I do not believe that aiming low will help as I have seen them go both ways...... Up and down...

Aim at your vital area as usual, great advice from Mr. Potgieter..

My best always

Thank you sir! Unfortunately had to learn these lessons the hard way...

I guess i have been lucky. I have shot 17 plains game over 3 hunts with a Nyala, 2 Bushbucks and a Lioness being killed at ranges from 20 to 50 yards on walk and stalk hunts and no string jumping and the rest including a huge Warthog and 2 Impala and most of the ones mentioned above and have yet to have a single animal jump string from a hide. I guess maybe my time is coming to have one, but so far so good. I did go to a very heavy arrow, 560 grains, in 2010 and that made my bow very quiet with still good speed.

Originally Posted by mudslinger

I guess i have been lucky. I have shot 17 plains game over 3 hunts with a Nyala, 2 Bushbucks and a Lioness being killed at ranges from 20 to 50 yards on walk and stalk hunts and no string jumping and the rest including a huge Warthog and 2 Impala and most of the ones mentioned above and have yet to have a single animal jump string from a hide. I guess maybe my time is coming to have one, but so far so good. I did go to a very heavy arrow, 560 grains, in 2010 and that made my bow very quiet with still good speed.

This is one of the reasons why I also put my bet on a heavy arrow.
I am shooting a 600 grain arrow at 260 fps and I think this gives me a quiet bow and plenty of penetration.

I just hope I can move like a shadow in the shadows keeping the animals totally unaware of my presence till my arrow hits them

A heavy arrow is king!