Africa Bound With a Bow

[Auston_N_TX]

I’m headed to SA next month with my wife and son for our first ever African hunt! I plan on hunting with my bow, my wife and some will be gun hunting. Just a few questions for those who have been there and done that…
Kudu and blesbuck will be my targets with a bow. Right now my arrow build is weighing in at 540gr TAW when tipped with a VPA Omega 100gr. I feel like this will be ample enough coming from a 70# bow and still have decent trajectory. Feedback from similar setups? Next question, hard case or semi-rigid duffel? I feel most confident in a hard sided SKB but have also been reading about the benefits of something like a Badlands Terraglide. We will also take any tips/tricks/ do’s or don’ts that you’d like to share with a rookie.

 

[wildwilderness]

Your setup will work fine. Be sure to get some video.


I always travel with my bow in a Sitka Nomad. Has been great so far 10+ years and multiple trips per year. Huge advantage to not have to wait at baggage and everyone think it’s a firearm.

If you are already checking rifles then it doesn’t matter as much if you go hard case, will have to wait for them anyways. Otherwise I would for sure go rolling duffle route.

 

[joker2400]

Ditto.

Excellent setup for pretty much all plains game.

I like the rolling duffle. Last time I used a hard case, despite it being labeled aggressively as archery equipment it was taken to the police station and I had to wait in Line so the police could check the case for guns. No issues with my Sitka nomad.

 

[gram2117]

So envious that first hunt is pure magic. I have hunted Africa twice with a bow and used a 500 gr arrow and 70lb bow for plains game both times. It worked great. I like a SKB hard case but it did get checked with guns at the airport.

 

[Stubbleduck]

I used a Badlands Terraglide a couple of years ago to carry two bows and associated arrows etc. to SA. I packed my camo clothing and some other clothing as padding. Everything traveled without damage. Best part was that the airline (In this case United) checked the Terraglide in going both ways without comment or question. The Terraglide while not cheap is a very solid, well designed and constructed piece of luggage.

 

[Jared640]

Your set up will be fine. Study the shot placement book. I feel like I must warn you..... Bow hunting Africa is extremely addictive!!! You will have a blast and prob be planning your next trip before you complete this one

 

[Altitude sickness]

Sitka nomad, Badlands Terraglide or similar rolling duffles. Hard cases are a PITA and will slow you down in the gun line. Sure your family will be in that line already. But why add another case and confusion into the mix.

 

[Slaton]

My daughter and I both use the legend Everest 40 with the cover. We went last summer and I shot a 450 grain arrow at 70 and she was a 410 grain at 60. We started with Iron Will heads but stuff didn’t bleed great. Swapped to 3 and 4 blade heads and had better blood trails. I like trying lots of different heads and Sara has had great performance with the QAD Exodus. The sand where we were really soaked up the blood. I shot my Kudu with a Slick Trick Mag. It buried in the offside shoulder and it was down in about 60 yards

 

[Auston_N_TX]

Your setup will work fine. Be sure to get some video.


I always travel with my bow in a Sitka Nomad. Has been great so far 10+ years and multiple trips per year. Huge advantage to not have to wait at baggage and everyone think it’s a firearm.

If you are already checking rifles then it doesn’t matter as much if you go hard case, will have to wait for them anyways. Otherwise I would for sure go rolling duffle route.

Do you pack extra clothing around your bow or do you have a foam insert?

 

[hornhunter!]

Good luck and enjoy your upcoming hunt!!
I have hunted SA a couple of times and will be returning in August.

My arrow TAW is 510 grains and has worked great on everything from baboon to kudu.

In regards to bow cases, on previous trips I've used a SKB hard rolling case and it works well BUT it seems to always get delayed/lost either coming home or going over there.
For my upcoming trip this year im going to try the Sitka Nomad in hopes that it stays with me and I won't lose any days hunting due to delays.

 

[gram2117]

Glad to see some bowhunting threads.

 

[Altitude sickness]

If you a have shorter ATA length do yourself a favor and use a rolling duffle. Not a hard rifle style case. It’s one of the few advantages you have traveling with a bow over a rifle. Why not capitalize on it.

 

[G Skinner]

Good luck and play safe !
Your set up is excellent .
I traveled with my bow in a Plano Pillar case ... packed with a few clothes in for fillers , Worked fine but as others have said they had to verify it with the guns when I arrived in Namibia .

 

[Adipose]

I am sure you will have a great trip, and your set up will work fine. I use an SKB case. Been going over for more than 30 years and have never had an issue. If you are putting your arrows in the same case as your bow, do not leave any field points in them. They will remove the arrows and field points to check for substances in the arrows. They will not replace them as well as you did. The field points will also be loose in the case. I now put my broadheads in my luggage and not my bow case. They do open the small cases that have the broadheads, and if they leave one out it will be bouncing around the strings of the bow inside the case.
When hunting, I sacrifice every arrow I shoot. I also no longer put a bloody arrow in the quiver. Going back through customs you have a chance to get pulled if there is scent of meat and animals on your equipment. Also make sure to wash the soles of your hunting boots before your return. I figure if I am shooting an animal that is 1k - 15k+, i am not worried about the cost of the arrow and broadhead, it did its job.
If you will be hunting from a blind, check your fiber optics on your sight that they work well in a dark space. More than anything, have a great time, relax and enjoy your safari.

 

[joker2400]

With the right size duffle you will be able to fit your equipment and clothes all together. My last trip I would have been fine with just the Nomad, but the gf needed a couple more bags.

 

[Oil & Dirt]

I took an SKB and the insert fit the bow really well. Like others said carry the broadheads separately in a checked bag. I was shooting Iron Wills and they have a nice little hard pack for them

 

[wildwilderness]

Do you pack extra clothing around your bow or do you have a foam insert?

I have always packed clothes around it. Arrows in a tube that goes in as well. If I pack 2 bows I either put foam in between or one bow will go in a soft case.

I guess you could easily make a foam insert for the bottom… maybe I should look at that idea

There is plenty of room in a Nomad, the problem is usually over packing, lucky with Medallion status or military ID can go to 70# if needed.