SOUTH AFRICA: BOWHUNT: First African Hunt Cape Buffalo With My Bow

Congratulations and thanks for the great story/report. Exciting!
Did the arrow hit a rib or any bone on the way in. Thanks in advance, I have never hunted with a bow. Brian
Thank you sir.

Yes, the arrow broke a rib on the entry. It’s almost impossible to not hit a rib as big as they are and being so close together.
 
Interesting, What broad heads did you use? may I ask.

My son just got back from bow hunting plains game in Limpopo province and the rib bones stopped the arrow when hit.
 
Interesting, What broad heads did you use? may I ask.

My son just got back from bow hunting plains game in Limpopo province and the rib bones stopped the arrow when hit.
PS, I am actually wondering what configuration of arrow you used. (Weight of arrow and broadhead and make of broadhead.) Thanks for your time/help.
Also, that is a nice big bull that you got! Brian
 
Interesting, What broad heads did you use? may I ask.

My son just got back from bow hunting plains game in Limpopo province and the rib bones stopped the arrow when hit.
I took 2 different bows to Africa, set up differently. One I set up specifically for the Cape buffalo with a heavy 756gr arrow combination. The broadhead was a 300gr Tuffhead being shot out of a Mathews Wake 80lb pull bow.
The other was for all other plains game and it was set up with a 550gr setup with 100gr Magnus broadheads. This setup was shot out of a Mathews VXR 31.5 70lb pull bow. It worked great as well. I attached a couple pics of some of my plains game success.

5FF1D97E-9F7D-4DE0-A0EF-783B3122DBFD.jpeg
8AC41057-9FAA-4D72-8EB4-0E4E4CF2CC94.jpeg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
PS, I am actually wondering what configuration of arrow you used. (Weight of arrow and broadhead and make of broadhead.) Thanks for your time/help.
Also, that is a nice big bull that you got! Brian
Brian,
The 756 grain arrow set was a Sirius Apollo 250 spine shaft with 100gr stainless insert, 300gr Tuffhead broadhead, 4 fletch AAE Max vanes and Nocturnal nock. Shooting out of the Mathews Wake 80lb at 246fps with 102 ftlbs of kinetic energy.

The 550 grain setup was a Victory RIP TKO 300 spine shaft with 140gr stainless insert, 100 grain Magnus broadhead, 3 fletch Blazer vanes and Nocturnal nocks. Shooting out of a Mathews VXR 31.5 70lb at 278fps with 94 ftlbs of kinetic energy.

Hope this helps.
 
Great info I will send it to my son. Thank you very much. Brian
 
Congratulations! I want a buffalo with my bow bad. Took one with the rifle last year on short notice and it has me wanting another with my bow.
 
Congratulations! I want a buffalo with my bow bad. Took one with the rifle last year on short notice and it has me wanting another with my bow.
It was definitely a challenge and an awesome experience. Make sure you set up a heavy arrow if you do go after one with a bow.
 
It was definitely a challenge and an awesome experience. Make sure you set up a heavy arrow if you do go after one with a bow.
Mnovak, Regarding hunting large plains game; If your arrow hits a bone or a rib going in, does it just punch through or break the rib and keep on penetrating ? Thanks, Brian
 
Last edited:
Mnovak, Regarding hunting large plains game; If your arrow hits a bone or a rib going in, does it just punch through or break the rib and keep on penetrating ? Thanks, Brian
Brian,
If you have a quality arrow build yes it does and will. Too many people assume their bow and arrow setup they use for deer back home will work. It will not, especially on larger game and definitely not on animals like a Cape Buffalo. You need to have adequate arrow weight, FOC weight and a broadhead designed for such game. Ultimately as a bow hunter I try to avoid hitting bones if at all possible. Some animals like the Cape buffalo you have no choice. This is why you want the arrow weight, FOC weight and a solid broadhead and insert and sleeve or collar in some cases. I tested my arrow build shooting concrete blocks and did not notice any benefit to a sleeve or collar with my build. I decided to go without the sleeve to reduce weight a bit. FYI I would penetrate the concrete blocks and shatter them on impact and the arrows stayed together!

I spoke with a gentleman from Colorado on our return flight back from Africa to the US. Ironically he was hunting Cape buffalo with a bow. We had a great conversation on the flight home. This gentleman took his bow and arrow setup that he used for elk hunting and was sure it would work for Cape buffalo. He said his arrow weight was around 500 grains. He shot a Cape buffalo with his bow, he hit a rib and the arrow did not penetrate. It busted and only the broadhead was in the animal. They chased that buffalo with a helicopter for 3 days and finally was able to kill it with a rifle. This guy learnt a lesson the hard way. It made it difficult for me to share my success with him but he was eager to discuss my bow and arrow setup. He plans to go back to Africa with a similar setup to what I used. I hope he is successful!
 
Thanks Mnovak, Very helpful. My son is out of town right now. He will sure appreciate this info when he gets back.
I have recently read that an arrow/broad head weight of 600+ is the best for big African animals. Russ, my son and my grandson (age 130 just got back from a PG Hunt in Limpopo. Russ got an Elan and four other PG. He had hunted a lot of Africa PG before with a rifle but really enjoyed the heightened challenge of bow hunting. He found that generally his arrows would not penetrate through bone/ribs. I don't know what his set up was, but I think the bow was a top of line 70# bow. I will find out when he gets back.
My grandson had a wonderful hunt with a suppressed 30-06. ( four plains game including gemsbok and sable.)
I was scheduled to go with them but ended up in chemo treatment instead. (I am doing fine.) I hunt cape buffalo, only, now with a rifle, quit a bit different than with a bow!
Thanks for the info, we really appreciate it. Not many hunters, it seems, have sorted out the art of hunting big African animals, especially buffalo, with a bow.
 
Thanks Mnovak, Very helpful. My son is out of town right now. He will sure appreciate this info when he gets back.
I have recently read that an arrow/broad head weight of 600+ is the best for big African animals. Russ, my son and my grandson (age 130 just got back from a PG Hunt in Limpopo. Russ got an Elan and four other PG. He had hunted a lot of Africa PG before with a rifle but really enjoyed the heightened challenge of bow hunting. He found that generally his arrows would not penetrate through bone/ribs. I don't know what his set up was, but I think the bow was a top of line 70# bow. I will find out when he gets back.
My grandson had a wonderful hunt with a suppressed 30-06. ( four plains game including gemsbok and sable.)
I was scheduled to go with them but ended up in chemo treatment instead. (I am doing fine.) I hunt cape buffalo, only, now with a rifle, quit a bit different than with a bow!
Thanks for the info, we really appreciate it. Not many hunters, it seems, have sorted out the art of hunting big African animals, especially buffalo, with a bow.
Brian,
My pleasure, sorry to hear you missed the trip and are going through some medical issues. I hope that all works out for the best sir.

I’m happy to help, if your son would like to call me to discuss anything PM me and I’ll share my phone number.

Mike
 
Excellent! Thanks. Yes I am doing fine and am booked with the family for Africa next August. Brian
 
Congratulations! I want a buffalo with my bow bad. Took one with the rifle last year on short notice and it has me wanting another with my bow.
It’s definitely an adrenaline rush! This was my first experience in Africa, I’m ready to go back!
 
Excellent Mnovak, congratulations for the buff in particular.
Great news, such a dream is really achievable !!
Thank you sir. I can’t wait to go back to Africa again!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,613
Messages
1,131,100
Members
92,660
Latest member
GerthaChristopher
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
Living life like a lion for 1 day is better than living life like a jackal for 100 years.
 
Top