Thinking about bow hunting

Devin Twitty

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Well my first trip hunting in africa is coming. I'm struggling to decide on taking My 338 win or my bow. I bought my rifle years ago to go to Africa but seeing the import rules and paper work plus baggage weight limits has me looking more at taking my bow. I'm very accurate with my bows and shoot for athens archery. My target bow I can hit a paper plates at 100yards at will. My hunting bow I can put up a 3" group at 50yards easy. Target bow is 60lbs shootin 370grn arrow and hunting get rig is 70lbs with 470grn arrow. Just would like to hear some information from people that have gone with a bow.
Thanks Devin
 
take both. you dont need many clothes etc so weight limits shouldnt be a problem . as for rifle docs on arrival use one of the permit outfits such as @riflepermits.com who are a sponsor on here. its not as much aggro as you probably think. seems a shame if you have been wanting to take your rifle on an african hunt and not do it........
 
@Devin Twitty take both! Don't worry about the paperwork your outfitter will walk you through that. You can also use Riflepermits.com services to help with the import of rifles as well as a meet and greet to help going through customs.
Anyway you bought that rifle to take to Africa and in the grand scheme of things the baggage fees are small compared to the cost of your hunt.
If you need help with the paperwork contact me and I will help you.
 
Not sure where you live. Fires docs your side or ones a?

Last trip I took both in my rifle case. Used both on different parts of the trip.

True, If bow only you do avoid everything to do with docs.
 
I take two rifles and my bow each trip I go over. If you don't make weight with two cases and your carry on your taking to much stuff. The paper work is easy to do which I have done or using a permit service is easy and what I did last trip.

First trip I would say take both just because you don't get to see as much just bow hunting. Most will be from blinds and after a few days it is enough for me but you must decide that.

Either way make sure you talk with your outfitter and ph to let them know your new plans.
 
Thanks for the replies, looks like I'll look in to a good case for both!

Look at a Tuffpak 1050 case. You can get rifle, bow, and clothes/other gear in it as well.
 
I went to Namibia a year ago and only took my bow, no hassles in any of the customs, etc. bow and all gear in 1 bag.
I used one of my PH's rifles, a 300 win mag with a suppressor, was a dream to shoot, no recoil, quiet and deadly accurate. I took 8 animals with the bow and 1 with the rifle, worked out well in my case not taking my own.
When I go back in 2018, I will again only take my bow.
 
You can put ammo in a case and on the way there put it in your checked bag. On the way back it will be separate but no extra charge has been incurred by me
 
First question , is the outfitter you are hunting with set up to take bow hunters?
Does he or she have blinds for bow hunting over water & salt ?
Do want to spot and stalk , or blind hunt ?
I am a bow hunter so that is all I would take to Africa.
Study the atomy of African game , it is different than North American. Forrest
 
Talked with him today he has lots of blind sets, said with my ability with the bow the spot and stalk is a good plan. I shoot a lot of 3d and indoor leagues and have a few sponsors.
 
Gun or bow ......heck guy ! you're going to AFRICA !
Glen
PS. I took my bow ..... LOL !
 
I have been to Africa twice, being a bow hunter I have taken only my bow. Virtually all of the hunting I have done there has been in a blind. Great, and I do mean GREAT, stuff. The down side is that I haven't experienced the country being in a blind all the time. My fault as spot and stalk with a bow is certainly a possibility, but there is something about creeping up to the brow of a ridge, staying below skyline, rifle in hand to glass beyond the ridge for critters. Next time I will have a rifle available for a hunt or two. If the rifle is mine or not remains to be seen. As pointed out by gpelkhunter, your PH will almost certainly have a rifle that can be used.
 
I'm another in the "Take both" crowd here. I'm technically a bowhunter in that is all I used for elk now, but not near as experienced as others here. I've not taken my bow to Africa yet, but I think that will change next time I go.
 
So I'm thinking it would let me hunt more animals is I took the bow and I could save some money on the flight and paper work. I'm going to have the hunt video taped too.
 
So I'm thinking it would let me hunt more animals is I took the bow and I could save some money on the flight and paper work. I'm going to have the hunt video taped too.

Fair enough, you may save a couple of bucks on paperwork and baggage.

Getting more animals with the bow vs rifle? or you have more $ so you can get more animals?

Head to head; a rifle hunter will tend to get more animals than the bow hunter (all things being equal)
 
Well be able to pay for a few more. I'm pretty perficient with a bow and is I need to renting a rifle is less then taking mine it looks like.
 

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