I've booked a Giraffe bowhunt with Hamish Skead of Lowlands Safaris in RSA where I live. I've read up on the topic but I would like to hear from our hunters who have "been there and done that." The hunt will be walk & stalk in October so the bush will have greened up and thickened by then (the rains have started sniffing around already). My kit is a Bowtech Tribute @ around 82lbs shooting an 800 grain arrow with a 150 grain German Kinetic at the pointy end.Shared experiences both good and bad will be helpful so I'm fully prepared. Many thanks,JCHB.

I have no personal experience, but from what I have been told it sounds like your equipment choice will be good. The shot of choice with a bow, so I've been told, is a head on shot in the divet where the neck joins the chest. Broadside shots with a bow were discouraged due to heavy bone structure. Anybody else got opinions or personal experience?
Good luck with your hunt.
Andy

Send a private message to "eyedoc" here on Ar and he can give you plenty of first hand experience, especially on shot placement,, the heart isn't in the same place as most African animals. Also seach on the bowsite here on Ar, I think we had a thread there as well.....

Thanks drwes, I'm going to try and pm eyedoc.

I would be interested in Eyedoc's response.
I do know from personal experience that a 50 lb bow and a broadside shot will not get the job done ! Not me shooting, but another "hunter" in camp....
Andy

I believe most of eyedocs giraffes where shot with a hoyt, 80lb deviator,,,,the one I saw him shoot personally,, I was running the video,,, was with a 70lb diamond. He has an account in the bowhunting area here on AR, includes broadheads, shot placements etc.

JCHB,

I also have a Tribute. Mine is set at 80# at this stage.

Your setup looks fine. I know of a Giraffe taken with a 450gr arrow with 125gr Muzzy. This Giraffe was shot 1st with 850gr arrow to far back when it was standing broad side.

The 450gr arrow was shot when the Giraffe was facing the hunter and he got enough penetration to hit the hart.

During a walk and stalk you will most likely be shooting the Giraffe when its looking at you.

Good luck and enjoy the hunt.

ghostbird nailed it! Your rig is very similar to the one a buddy of mine used to take his a couple of years ago and he used the same shot placement. The PH would ONLY allow this one shot angle. The two blade head made a slit and it managed to clip the main artery where it enters the heart. The BIG bull had a solid ribbon of blood that twisted 90 degrees spraying 2 feet!! He managed to continue to move in a large circle for 30 minutes with this continuous stream of blood!! They must have a 55 gallon drum in there somewhere? He did place a second shot behind the shoulder towards the end and the big bull jumped, kicked and ran into a tree, falling there after.

The bull was etimated to be 16 years old and weight 4500 pound?? (can that be correct).
We enjoyed fresh grilled tenderloins that evening and the skinned carcass was sold and taken to a guy that raises lions. He told them that had had purchased many giraffe over the years and this was the largest he could remember.
I was lucky enough to video this hunt.

Several years ago I did a gee-raff hunt! I hit this bull at the base of his neck as he faced me front on. I had also instructed the PH to shoot the giraff with his rifle as soon as he saw my arrow hit. I took aim at a spot patch where I believed the heart layed. It was a 32 yard shot, I could not get any closer.

The PH delayed and the bull ran, my arrow would have killed him eventually, but they bleed a long, long time. PH did hit him in the head shortly after.

I was shooting only 55 pounds, Parker bow with Muzzy 100 grain heads.

bo-n-aro when you say the PH would allow only one shot do you mean the frontal shot? I was checking up in my copy of "the perfect shot" last night and the vitals are located in a wierd way. A broadside shot would need to be way up the front leg as a traditional "behind the shoulder" shot would end up as a gut shot. What sort of penetration did your buddy get?
Thanks,JCHB.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Gerhard.Delport:
JCHB,



Your setup looks fine. I know of a Giraffe taken with a 450gr arrow with 125gr Muzzy. This Giraffe was shot 1st with 850gr arrow to far back when it was standing broad side.

The 450gr arrow was shot when the Giraffe was facing the hunter and he got enough penetration to hit the hart.
Gerhard, how much penetration did the 450 arrow get with the frontal shot? And the first shot that was too far back,did it penetrate to the fletches or did the rib cage stop it?
Thanks, JCHB

Eyedoc has confirmed that the equipment will do the job. However the issue of shot placement is a hot topic. Eyedoc and an experienced PH friend of mine do not favour the frontal shot at all. They both recommend the "high shoulder"shot (not into the scapula) as the vitals are located higher up than normal animals. This checks out with the anatomical diagram in "the perfect shot". Eyedoc should be in the know as he has arrowed a number of these graceful beasts. Both confirm that a standard "behind the shoulder shot" will in fact be a gut shot. The difficulty now lies in stalking close enough for a broadside shot at 30-35 meters... but thats why I love bowhunting!