The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Cape Buff with a bowGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
| Cape Buff with a bow | Login/Join |
One of Us |
I know this is not the bow section but it is a question about African Hunting. What would you suggest is the minimum requirement in equipment to successfully hunt a Cape Buff bull with a bow? You spend a lot of time and money to get ready for a hunt of a life time and the last thing you want is that your equipment is not up to scratch and that the PH have to shoot the Bull after you have wounded it. I have my own idea on what is required but would like to know what you guys think. Even if you have hunted a buff with the rifle. Thanks, Gerhard FFF Safaris Capture Your African Moments Hunting Outfitter (MP&LP) Proffesional Hunter (MP&LP) History guide Wildlife Photographer www.fffsafaris.co.za | ||
|
one of us |
Gerhard, I honestly think that the best way to shoot a buffalo for it to be bow only is from a hide or a point where you can wait in ambush. Then obvioulsy a very strong bow and heaviest arrow it can shoot as well as good arrow tip and blades. Two sided fixed blade only of course. But, Gerhard are you thinking of taking one on with the bow already I know you have a very good 500 Jeff at home screeming to shoot it! Frederik Cocquyt I always try to use enough gun but then sometimes a brainshot works just as good. | |||
|
One of Us |
most African countries have a minimum energy the bow must generate to be legal. varies from country to country. Vote Trump- Putin’s best friend… To quote a former AND CURRENT Trumpiteer - DUMP TRUMP | |||
|
| One of Us |
Contact Gordon Duncan of doma safaris/shaangan hunters. He has killed buff with a bow and arrow and should be able to give you all the info you need. | |||
|
one of us |
It varies from province to province and country to country but FWIW, some years ago, Tony Thomkinson now of Tony Thomkinson Safaris and who was then working for KZN Wildlife, did a test where he bowhunted 100 animals from the smallest to the biggest, followed that up with taking the same number and species with a rifle with the same shot placement and then wrote a report which was used as the basis of their bowhunting report and later, regulations. If memory serves me correctly, and I think it does, he recommended a minimum pull of 80 lbs for Buffalo. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Hello i read an artikel in the german magazin http://abenteuerjagdjournal.com/articles.html by Dennis Kamstra who hunted Muskox , water buffalo and cape buffalo with the bow. He usesd a long bow and heavy arrows (1050grain wooden arrow) for his cape buffalo. kindest regards from germany caracal | |||
|
| One of Us |
I can guess that you're using a compound....75-80 pound bow would do nicely. Arrow? a heavy, 900-1000gr total weight, prolly a composite(shaft inside a shaft), using a heavy two blade head like a Grizzly, Silverflame, or the new Ashby head. Have you read Dr Ashbys reports on arrow lethality??? good luck an knock em out! troy Birmingham, Al | |||
|
| One of Us |
I would suggest the important thing is to take only a broadside shot, at 25 yards or so at an unsuspecting buff. This usually requires hunting near a waterpoint or riverbed travel area. With the latest techknowledgy in bows and the arrows available, one should be able to shoot a bow in the #80 plus range with no problem. Arrow weight should be as heavy as possible and still maintain good arrow flight, with a 200gr plus fixed, two blade broadhead. If possible try to get some practice on something like American Bison, large moose etc, to help gain confidence prior to your Cape hunt. Good luck, and remember, this has been done scores of times with a bow and is in no way a "stunt" with todays equipment. Larry Sellers SCI Life Member | |||
|
| One of Us |
I think that personally my first requirement would be measured in cubic feet of timber. Meaning how big around the tree is that I can shoot out of .. (When I was a kid my father used to tell me that God hated a coward, I finally realized he has even less use for a fool.) | |||
|
| One of Us |
many people have hunted buff with a bow. Only one or two have casually, almost as a footnote, that they shot the buff with a bow, and the PH killed it with a B-I-G bore rifle. There is a bit of difference between saying I hunted with VS I killed it myself with... Rich Buff Killer | |||
|
One of Us |
Hey G, How's the billfishing going? I hope your into the Marlin. As for bow hunting Buff, my choice would be 70 lbs minimum, but once we get to the 80 lb draw, many archers lose their accuracy unless they have practiced long enough to have muscle tone and stamina/breath control. I have no doubt you have this show under control. Cheers, David Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
|
one of us |
We have had some hunters take cape buff with a bow at the ranch in Zambia. Essentially there is not a hell of a lot of differance IMHO ..... in that at the end of the day you must (most importantly with a bow) get a good accurate heart/lung target with quality broadhead to help quick bleed out and alleviate potentail (prolonged tracking) to find the wounded animal. The main thing with bow we will always try to get the hunter well under 30 meters from buff and closer to 15-20 if humanly possible to release. All the hunting is "walk and stalk" so the secret is to use any available anthills and/or other cover to stalk up real close. I still (prefer rifle over bow) but it is not for me to say what method to use, each hunter will have their own preferance   Peter J. Bird | |||
|
One of Us |
you will want a bow that can generate 100 footpounds of energy at 10 yards , whatever that takes , sometimes a very heavy bow is not as fast ...the hoyt katerra is one i have seen used on both elephant and buffalo with great resuts , in fact at the end of last season i guided two elephants with a bowhunter and both were taken successfully .. arrow choice is equally important , you will again just have to do the maths but dont go lighter than 850 grain total weight , you want a good stiff shaft to limit the yaw on release of a heavy bow ...the best broadheads on the market today are german kinetic ...hard to find but excellent ... with buffalo you WILL shoot through bone and so be prepared to do so ...the shot placement is crucial as there is no hydrostatic shock , you want to be broadsire , one handspan forward of the top of the crease ...nearside leg forward .. hope that this helps , imc "The greatest threat to our wildlife is the thought that someone else will save it” www.facebook.com/ivancartersafrica www.ivancarterwca.org www.ivancarter.com ivan@ivancarter.com | |||
|
| One of Us |
ps with a heavy bow like that practice practice practice ...be strong enough to do at least 6 arrows one after the other and at least 24 in a session , that will mean after a long stalk and lots of adrenalin you will have no problem with your draw ! "The greatest threat to our wildlife is the thought that someone else will save it” www.facebook.com/ivancartersafrica www.ivancarterwca.org www.ivancarter.com ivan@ivancarter.com | |||
|
One of Us |
Had a few friends hunt with a bow and they used what is called chisel heads and a shaft inside of a shaft for strength and weight... The hit must be in the front of the ribs where there is no overlapping of ribs... Mike | |||
|
| One of Us |
Ivan is spot on, kinectic energy kills not # to achive 100# you need to consult a GOOD proshop. Many archers even use carbon arrows inserted inside aluminum arrows to achive the weight required, 3 numbers all add up to kinetic energy, # of pull, total arrow weight and draw length. If you are gifted with a long draw length you need to pull less pounds to get the same kinetic energy as guy with the same pull # but a shorter draw length. you will most certainly be instructed to use 2 bladed sharpenable broadheads. FWIW Chipolopolo | |||
|
| One of Us |
Ok, Here is my take on it. The legal requirement for bowhunting Buff in SA is 80ft/lbs. This was written into the game laws a long time ago and with the improvement of technology on bows a 70# bow can easily achieve it. In my opinion the minimum should be at 100ft/lbs If you are not able to accurately shoot your 85# bow with 950gr arrows after walking 20km and a hard stalk rather hunt with a rifle. If you want to do it with a 70# bow please let me know. I have a 500 Jeff that needs a lot of work as the PH will be killing the Buff with the rifle after it has been wounded. My personal setup if I ever get to hunt a buff. 90 to 100# Bowtech Allegiance. 950gr Grislysticks arrows. 150gr German Kinetic (Silver Flame) Broad head. Why spend a lot of money on a bowhunt trip and trophy fee and have the PH kill your Buff. Rather have to much than to little. Just my 2 kwanza.... Gerhard FFF Safaris Capture Your African Moments Hunting Outfitter (MP&LP) Proffesional Hunter (MP&LP) History guide Wildlife Photographer www.fffsafaris.co.za | |||
|
| one of us |
Ok I have NOT hunted cape buffalo with archery equipment, BUT IMO momentum is the key factor. In any case the advice is sound. Pull as much weight as you can and still keep your arrows accurate. GTR | |||
|
| One of Us |
You should also consider arrow flight. You want an arrow that stabilizes quickly after leaving the bow so that it hits straight on and not at an angle. I've talked to a few people that shot high poundgae longbows with 1000 gr. arrows and I believe they could have done better with a lighter setup but perfect arrow flight. In the not too distant past guys would use bowfishing arrows for heavy arrows without considertion to how they would fly. the chef | |||
|
one of us |
GERHARD As You know I'd stick to my usual kit : 100# Bowtech Tribute Easton axis extra-slim shaft reinforeced with an inner carbon tube or rod Monobloc steel insert+adapter 160gr Stos single blade that's the only BH on the market with such a thickness, a 3/1 L/w ratio and very slow tapper of the ferrule. FOC 20% and weight around 1200 grains. Fletching : either a FOB foil ot dramatically ofset 5 inches feathers.  J B de Runz Be careful when blindly following the masses ... generally the "m" is silent | |||
|
| One of Us |
| |||
|
Moderator |
Here's an old thread with some discussion about appropriate bows and arrow configurations for cape buffalo... http://forums.accuratereloadin...=1021043&m=247104792 And here's one with some video we took of penetration testing on dead cape buffalo with the bow/arrow combo that Don hunted with... http://forums.accuratereloadin...=1021043&m=912108295 Cheers, Canuck | |||
|
| One of Us |
That video of arrow testing was damn interesting. One question I have is that on ordinary game, my preferred shot is from an angle shooting forward right into the crease behind the front leg while the video was at 90 degrees. Is the angled shot suitable on Buffalo, or is there a reason against it? | |||
|
| One of Us |
I have a friend that has shot Lion, Elephant, Hippo and Buffalo in Africa with a bow and the only animal he never recovered was the buffalo. That was two of them! He shoots a custom made 90# bow with 1000 gr arrows with narrow two blade broadheads. Tough animals! Arrows will just not penetrate bone. I have shot many pass throughs on Elk sized animals with my std 73# bow and have hit bone on a coues deer that stopped the same arrow cold. You have to try and slip them between the ribs. | |||
|
| Moderator |
Interesting thing about cape buff is that their ribs actually pretty much abut with each other. They almost overlap. There is no way to avoid hitting rib and they are thick ribs! | |||
|
| Moderator |
Surprisingly (to me anyway, the shot you suggest is normally my preference too), there is a reason not to take a quartering away shot on cape buffalo. The ribs, as I mentioned above, are so close together we found that they frequently deflected the arrows on quartering shots, which killed penetration and in many cases would have cause only one lung to be hit. I'll see if I can dig up some pictures and another video clip. | |||
|
| Moderator |
| |||
|
| One of Us |
Canuck, Was this animal actually killed with a bow or just used for testing the archery equipment and shot placement? It would appear it would be very difficult animal to kill with bow. The straight on broad side penetrated little. Great photos. Nothing like a real field test! | |||
|
| Moderator |
We did penetration testing on 3 buffalo that were killed with rifles. The last 6 days of the hunt were spent trying to get close enough to one to shoot it with the bow. Unfortunately the crunchy dry leaves and swirling wind did not allow it. | |||
|
| One of Us |
Thanks Canuck, That was very interesting and great photos. Gerhard FFF Safaris Capture Your African Moments Hunting Outfitter (MP&LP) Proffesional Hunter (MP&LP) History guide Wildlife Photographer www.fffsafaris.co.za | |||
|
| One of Us |
You can PM "eyedoc" on this forum for his set up. He has 2 buffalos with a bow,,, not shot by his PH,, we are probably headed to Aussie land in 2010 to see what he can do on a buf over there with a bow... I love to bow hunt but I think my 416 Rigby will be under my arm on that hunt..... you can make more money, you can not make more time | |||
|
One of Us |
As Ivan said: practice practice practice, with buffalo you WILL shoot through bone and so be prepared to do so ...the shot placement is crucial as there is no hydrostatic shock , you want to be broadside , one handspan forward of the top of the crease ...nearside leg forward .. I'm going to Zim in September this is my setup for buff: Elite Synergy 93lb Safari Grizzly sticks 950 gr German Kinetic 180 gr broadheads Also heard good reports on the Ashby heads. All the best Roger VIERANAS Bow & Hunting Adventure Safaris Namibia #TPH00157 Roger@vieranasbowhunt.com www.vieranasbowhunt.com http://www.facebook.com/Vieranas.Safaris.Namibia "The true hunter counts his achievement in proportion to the effort involved and the fairness of the sport" Saxton Pope | |||
|
| One of Us |
That looks like a potent set up. Looking forward to read the report on the hunt. Take a lot of photos and enjoy every moment. It is still one of my dreams to bow hunt a Daga Bull Gerhard FFF Safaris Capture Your African Moments Hunting Outfitter (MP&LP) Proffesional Hunter (MP&LP) History guide Wildlife Photographer www.fffsafaris.co.za | |||
|
| One of Us |
Nampom, I thought I was one of the few on earth that shot an "Elite Archery" bow. Glad to see someone else has one. I really like mine. I think I will use a 416 Rem on my first Buffalo but my son is a die hard bow hunter. He typically draws 80# + (Hoyt). I think he would like to give it a whirl on Cape Buffalo.Thanks for posting the info. EZ | |||
|
| One of Us |
Yes I love my Synergy, was able to convince the wife to get a new Elite GT500  Have to wait as my nearest dealer is in SA plus they only keep limited left handed bows in stock.All the best Roger VIERANAS Bow & Hunting Adventure Safaris Namibia #TPH00157 Roger@vieranasbowhunt.com www.vieranasbowhunt.com http://www.facebook.com/Vieranas.Safaris.Namibia "The true hunter counts his achievement in proportion to the effort involved and the fairness of the sport" Saxton Pope | |||
|
| One of Us |
You might also go to tradgang and look at OL Adcocks ideas for internal footing. Also read the Dr.Ashby reports there...then form your own opinions. Also look at the "grizzly sticks" sold by Alaskan Archery. It seems that if you want to get the weight up the way is with up front weight, not with an arrow that is heavier on the whole length (ie weight tubes). Monty browning came to our archery shoot last year and he brought some rib bones from cape buffalo as well as Asiatic buffalo. The cape buffalo ribs are absolutely massive and like Canuck mentioned they "almost" overlap. There's no comparison to north american bison. | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
Visit our on-line store for AR Memorabilia
