Thinking about bow hunting

[Bhfs300]

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.

Devin
I agree the first time I went to Africa was a bow hunt. 5 days looking out of a small hole in a blind. I wounded my Kudu in the third day so spent the next two days hopping it would come back. In the last day he did and I got to take it home.
For that reason on my next hunt I decided to do it as a rifle hunt. I took a Ruger #1 in 300WM and shot three times got five animals. The only one I shot twice was a Worthog. The PH was worried that it was such a monster that it might go down a hole and we would loose it. The second shot put it down.
I spent seven days seeing Africa and hunting the animals I came there for.
I would suggest taking both and spending about 1/3 of the time hunting with your rifle and 2/3 of the time hunting blinds or stalking with your bow.
You will enjoy the bow stalking or rifle stalking the most!!!
Tom

 

[Devin Twitty]

Ok you guys have gave me a lot to think about. I'll see if I can get a good gun/bow case and see what this permit thing intells.

 

[spike.t]

Ok you guys have gave me a lot to think about. I'll see if I can get a good gun/bow case and see what this permit thing intells.

as i said take both. its along way from home to start wishing you had brought the rifle you have been dreaming of using and its not there.....get hold of henry @riflepermits.com who is a sponsor...cant be paying attention as not replied to thread yet....., or debbie or one of her staff at Gracy Travel as they also sort permits for SA and have people on the ground there.

 

[Synergy]

Bring your bow, and if the things don´t go as planned, use your PH rifle

 

[prodgers]

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.

Definitely take both, I agree. You never know when a once in a lifetime kudu bull is going to step out at 300 yards and the .338 is needed! There is always opportunities like that in Africa, you don't want to go home knowing that if you had the .338 you could have had that bull! Have a great time, a video of your first safari is a great decission, get it done professionally sir!

 

[Devin Twitty]

I'm thinking professional is the only way to do it. I'm trying to get a good gun case big enough for the bow that won't break the bank.

 

[jeff]

One thing I've noticed when guys take both is that they often are quick to grab the rifle after a day or two and have regretted not bowhunting more.

 

[Devin Twitty]

Well I bought a skb double bow case so I can take both

 

[MarkD]

I took my bow and used a rental rifle as well. I took the Blue Wildebeest with my bow in an established blind on his property. They had very few kudu on that property so we went out and built a couple new blinds on a different area. The day I took my my Kudu we had 30-40mph winds and when the Kudu of my dreams walked in at 30yds I just couldn't chance a bad shot. So I was happy to have the option of the rifle being there. Made a great 100yd shot and he dropped in his tracks. Gives me a reason to go back with my bow again. Not sorry at all I took him with a rifle. I've only been back a month and can't wait till he's on my wall

 

[gpelkhunter]

take the chance and go with your bow only - spend the money on enjoying an extra day hunting or getting another trophy of your dreams, if you need the rifle a rental is right there.