First off I doubt I could be a guide but I think I could observe if laughing is allowed.

As a bowhunter with nearly 40yrs experience (none with dangerous game), I can't see me unable to draw.

Shaking all over the place?
Perhaps.... but unable to draw?

not likely.

I find it amusing the client kept on trying. Most folks avoid repeated humiliation.

Archer4, I do not think that there is any other option, but to get a bow client very close to the animals especially on dangerous game. I do not think it would be a good idea to let a client try to stick one of the dangerous game animals any further than 30 yards. Most of the archery client always mention or ask if we can get them to within 20 yards for the best or ideal shot. I do have two other archery clients that can hit an animal at 50 yards with no problem at all, but they are very experienced bow hunters and hunt all of the time. When huting buffalo and elephant especially, you have to be pullig 90 pounds if you want your arrow to get in there and has to go through at least 1 inch of thick skin first, and if hits the rib cage and does not go through then you are in trouble.

But you right about the whole problem of being so close that most hunters would get scared. heck I would be scared myself if all I had was a bow in my hand! But I guess that is why bow hunters like to use bows for the extra challenge.

How does a buff usually react when shot with a well placed arrow?

Safari12,

I think the problem was at least two-fold.

First, a 90lb pull bow has got to be a heck of a challenge to draw, especially when the adrenaline is flowing. If the adrenaline rush is focused the draw weight would be immaterial, but obviously your client could not focus the surge into executing an accurate shot.

Second, you probable put the client to close to the game. I have known Pennsylvania whitetail hunters who couldn't draw their 50 - 60 lb bows when the game was inside of 20 - 25yds. These same archers shoot 50 to 60 arrows in a practice session so the draw weight was not a factor. The quarry was inside of their confort zone and the adrenaline rush paralized them.

It is a shame, your client would have had the archery hunt of a lifetime, I am envious of his performance with the rifle even.

The buff does not know what what has happened at all. The arrow will go into him and usually stay in, but some have gone all the way through the buffalo. The buffalo jumps and runs about 20 yards and turns around to see what just stung him! 9 out of 10 times the buff will start bleeding from his nose and fall over right there never knowing what actually happened. Once the client shoots the arrow, we stay hidden so as not to spook the buff and he will not run far at all as he does not know we are there.

Same thing with a lion as well. The lion will jump straight up in the air when the arrow hits him and will run for about 10 yards and then stop and look around to see what just happened. He does not know we are there, and sometimes they even start to walk back to the bait and fall down.

Leopard and hippo will always run flat out until they fall over. When done right it is very interesting and exciting hunt, but also can be very dangerous as the PH knows that he can not use his gun at all unless it is a charge, and that is why you wait several minutes before following up, to make sure the animal has had enough time to bleed out.

That's a wonderful story Adam! It would make a great article in a rifle hunting magazine (probably would offend some bowhunters so it may not make it into a bow hunting magazine). Most of the articles these days are fluff, and what I like in the above is the substance.

We have to give the client credit for determination. Although he was clearly scared to the point of not being able to pull his bow or aim accurately, he kept coming back for more.

Adam - Please accept my apologies I was in a bad state of mind and over reacted to your last post. I should have just left my thoughts stand on my first reply.

As to your generous offer, next fall after your African season & after the rut here in Illinos. If you can arange a boar hunt down your way I'd be honnored to hunt with you. I really love hawg hunting. There are a lot of great catch dogs down In Texas and nothing I've done yet is as much fun as knife hunting.

The only condition is that you allow me to by the steaks after the hunt.