Help/advise for bow hunting set-up

Thomasrey

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Hi, I am going to africa next year for Bowhunting. I have already been to Africa with a rifle but never with a bow, so this is my first bow hunt.

I have a hoyt carbon defiant max out at 65.5lbs and my draw length is 29".
I am still trying to decide between 2 arrow set-up (both arrow are Eaton Axis nursed arrows) :

Option 1:
340 spine. Arrow weight is 455gr with a brass HIT insert of 50gr and 100gr BH.
Speed: 265fps. KE: 73.58. M: 0.54

Option 2:
300 spine. Arrow weight is 503gr with a brass HIT insert of 75gr and 100gr BH.
Speed: 270fps. KE: 71.99. M: 0.57

I will be using slick stick magnum and G5 striker as broadhead

I'm planning to hunt from a hide and do some walk and stalk as well. I will be hunting only plain games such as eland, kudu, wildbeast, Impala, warthog.

Is my set-up (bow and arrow)OK for africa?
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Thomas
 
The speed is 254fps and not 270fps for the option 2.
 
I think either will do well. Curious as to why the heavier arrow is faster though.
 
Either is fine, but if it were my setup, I would use option 2.

I'm a fan of heavier arrows. Also, I used a setup very similar to yours on my first trip.

Good luck. Don't over think it!
 
I think you will be ok with option #2, with that being said I would have a heaver arrow broadhead combination hunting Eland.
I personally like at least a 600 grain arrow, that is small diameter. Forrest
 
Both are good ...... which do you find you shoot better ?
Glen
 
I think something is off in your numbers. You have the heavier arrow with LESS KE. You should have more KE with a heavier arrow, unless you are using an online arrow speed estimator, of which every one is notorious for underestimating the speed of heavy arrows.

I would opt for the heavier arrow and if you are going to hunt eland, 600 grains would be preferred.
 
Many thanks for the feedbacks.

I would like to have the same arrow weight for all the animals (for the eland I can get a cut on contact BH such as magnus stingers for better penetration?) .
My main objectives are an eland and a kudu. I'll try the eland on walk and stalk and the kudu & plains game from a hide.

At the moment I am shooting with the option 1, 455gr arrow, I had a lot of success on wild hog and deers.
Anyway I am going to order new arrows for Africa.
I am still trying to figure out an arrow set up at around 500gr with high FOC.
 
For plains game, honestly, either will work well. But I'm partial to 500 grain arrows and slick tricks, which is what I shoot. I'd hunt eland without hesitation with it. The critical part accuracy.
 
I shot a eland last year with #63 and 450 grain total arrow weight with a Magnus Stinger 4 blade and cut the entrance rib off and stuck through the rib on the exit side.
 
the second option, also you will get a more silent bow
 
Also study the atomy of African game, they are not deer or hogs. Forrest
 
After playing on online archers program to find optimal spine, I narrowed it down to 2 arrows:

Goldtip hunter pro, 300 spine, 100gr insert and 100gr BH, FOC 17.3%, total arrow weight 495gr.

Easton axis, 300 spine, 100gr insert and 100gr BH, FOC 16.3%, total arrow weight 533gr.

I have never shot a GT arrow. Any feedbacks on them?
 
Hi Thomasrey
I just got back from my first time bowhunting plainsgame a few weeks ago. I definately have a few opinions after having been there and had success and failure! Let me start by saying I have been a past sponsered and awarded archer, blah,blah,blah. It only means I had more resources than most to guys who had THEIR opinions, and that is what you are getting here, though this is a very good place. I talked with one shop owner and friend who had harvested 17 animals over 2 trips, including eland, all with a 440 grain arrow. All perfect shots according to him. I saw the videos, and a few did not pentrate to the fletchings. I took a 65 lb hoyt pro defiant turbo, 29.5" draw, easton fmj 300 shaft with blazer vanes and a little more helical than they came with from the factory. Total weight was 517 grains with a 125 gr slick trick standard broadhead, foc was a little over 12%. They come off the bow at 270fps. I successfully harvested impala, springbok and sable with that rig. The sable, at 35 yards, attempted to jump the string/arrow as it was only about 10' from impact according to the video. It entered high and angled upward, nicking the spine and dropped him instantly, getting about 20" of penetration. Adequate and successful in this case, but not ideal, with 2 holes in him. My blue wildebeest, which I lost, was a bad shot. I held on the shoulder muscle above the leg, but hit about 5-6" forward at 30 yards. I couldn't have imagined I would screw up a shot at 30, but I did. Penetrated only about 8", slightly bent the front 2-3" of the shaft, and snapped the steel ferrule on the broadhead at the insert, with the arrow coming out as he ran off. My point to this is that I prepared for several months shooting every single day, my biggest concern was to find the most accurate combo of broadhead, shaft and fletching. I wanted to walk and stalk, and was told be prepared to 50 yards. All combos that you have mentioned should work adequately if shot placement is right. What would I have changed for the next time, knowing that I went back to that property half a dozen times in the next 10 days glassing all the wildebeest for that bull? I'd up my arrow weight another 100 grains, mostly with a weighted insert or heavier broadhead if possible and able to get proper arrow spine. More momentum and more foc would be the result. And I probably would use a 2 bladed broadhead such as the dirtnap drt, single bevel. I would have been thrilled to split that shoulder blade and caught a lung. I tried them before hand, and for me they just didn't shoot as well between 35 and 50. However, next time I will spend a little more time fine tuning to get a rig guarenteed to over-penetrate in less than perfect situations. I've done a lot more reading since getting home on ways to build a heavier arrow with more foc. If the idea intrigues you, do some research on here and elsewhere. Alaska bowhunter supply sells a heavy, tapered, hi foc arrow called a grizzly stik that I will try before my next outing for game heavier than deer. They have a version they can setup at about 650 grains. I don't know anyone who has tried them yet though.
These are just my thoughts after being around 20 years ago for the ultralight, high speed fad. Believe me, I still worship arrow speed. Remember though that a heavier arrow retains momentum and speed better downrange. I think you are in the right ballpark with your last post. Just offering a suggestion that you may not have thought of yet. Best of luck
 
I just got back from South Africa and Namibia and used the GrizzlyStik arrows, both their 650 grain and 950 grain combos. The 950 grain were shot out of an 80# Monster Safari and totally passed through every arrow except one that was a severe quartering away shot that hit the spine of a blue wildebeest and ran through the vertebrae until it stopped. I don't know how many it took down - I was leaving to head out when they were skinning it.

The 650 grain arrows were shot out of a 70# Halon and passed through every animal except for a lioness, which had the arrow poke out the far side but didn't push all the way through (but two others went completely through her) and a 518# male lion, which had some go through him but were sticking out the other side and a couple that stopped when they hit his leg bone. One arrow, he pulled out with his teeth and then snapped it in half in his mouth while looking right at me. Freaky experience to say the least, but I am very happy with the GrizzlyStik performance and will be ordering more shortly to replace the ones eaten by my lion and the many robin hoods I had while practicing (4 in one week, if you can believe it).
 
Thanks everyone for sharing their recommendations and feedbacks.

I am going with the Easton axis n fused 300 spine.
Lighted nock, 100grains insert, 150grains broadhead magnus stinger 4 blades. Total arrow weight is 597 grains with a FOC of just over 18%.
 
Your final choice is great! Will perform exceptionally well.

Now we look forward to the trip report (y)
 
Both of those set ups should work very good. Just study the shot placement and yeah you should have some good memories happy hunting
 
I'm with most all these gentlemen. Your setup is just fine. My preference is to go heavy on the arrow, specifically for momentum. However, a strong, sharp broadhead is a must. Don't get cheap and shoot multiple animals with the same head. Go buy you enough heads to shoot one per animal and sharpen them when you get back home. My setup is 81lbs @ 28" with a 517 grain Easton FMJ including the broadhead. Much like yourself I use 50 grain brass inserts for 100 grain heads. Bow is shooting 98.5 ft/lbs of KE with a Momentum of .673 @ 293 fps. Why that much? I like shooting mechanicals at big stuff and the added KE and Momentum aid in penetration. Long story short, heavier will penetrate better, be more quiet, forgiving and will have less wind drift. Cheers!
 
53 days left until Botswana... I am going to Bokamoso Safari (operated by Tholo Safari) which is on the North West of the Kalahari Game Reserve.

My bow hunting set up has changed a bit, I sold my Hoyt carbon defiant 34 and bought two Bowtech Reign 7. I set up both bows with the same rest, sight, draw weight and draw length. They are set at 72 pounds and the draw length is 29.5 inches.
I will be using Easton axis with two different broad-heads, the slick-trick viper-trick 100gr and the Strickland helix 100 (for the eland). Total arrow weight is 560 grains. KE is 86.5 ft/lbs and M is 0.66 @265fps.

I am going after a nice kudu, eland and oryx. However I will take my opportunity is a warthog, impala, wildebeest come to the waterhole.

I will be at Bokamoso 3 days after the new moon, so I am planning to hunt from the blind for the first 4 days and the remaining 3 days will be for walk and stalk or I will do both. What is the best time of the day to hunt from a blind?

Has anyone been to Bokamoso this year? Anyone from AH will be there from the 14th to the 22nd of August?

Thomas
 

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