I hope you fellow AR'ers can feel the excitement! I've just confirmed my deposit with CMS for a 2012 elephant bowhunt in Dande!
Many thanks to all those AR members who in no small measure helped with their comments and contributions. Warts and all, AR does far more good than bad.
JCHB

Good luck,
A trophy bull with a bow will be quite an accomplishment.

Good luck JCHB

You will have a great hunt with CMS. They are a 1st class outfit.

Mike

Congratulations. You are a better man than me to chase elephant with a bow and arrow. Hell, I cannot even draw the bows that are used to bow hunt for elephant. An elephant bull taken with a bow would represent quite a trophy.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Congratulations. You are a better man than me to chase elephant with a bow and arrow. Hell, I cannot even draw the bows that are used to bow hunt for elephant. An elephant bull taken with a bow would represent quite a trophy.

I'm not sure whether to run and hide now (after reading the "most dangerous" thread) but the hunt is going to be for a tuskless as I'm afraid a bull was more than a few dollars too far. Been once before (with no 100% shot opportunity) so I'm aware that it kicks the adrenaline levels up a notch!
Will have to find one thats not right in the thick stuff. Bowhunting is very different to a rifle hunt as the total focus is a clear broadside shot as opposed to the favoured frontal brain shot with a gun. Based on my last trip, a cautious, stealthy approach can get one in range.. it's just that 100% shot opportunity.
Nevertheless, the anticipation is half the excitement so I'm busy enjoying it!
JCHB

You ought to reach out to Jean B. de Runz (JB) who posts on AR from time to time. He hunted elephant with Buzz before with a bow. In fact, he may have posted a hunt report on AR regarding the hunt.

Very exciting! My 470 feels like a matchstick in a cow herd. Not a hunt for me, but more power to you.

I am sure you will a great time.
I feel a sting of jealousy and am looking forward to the report when you come back

Dear MJines got me out of my hibernation.

Hi JCHB
I have bowhunted twice with Buzz for elephant. I have learnt what not to do and what to do.
In fact Buzz enjoys approaching with bowhunters as one is forced to melt among the elephants and the
adrenalin couldn't be higher.
Lucky that elephant bulls have no external balls or You'd have to feel the weight of each prior to bowshooting.
Here are links to reports of my hunts on AR

http://forums.accuratereloadin...=454104857#454104857
http://forums.accuratereloadin...091042511#7091042511

http://forums.accuratereloadin...071038041#8071038041

If I can help You, feel free to ask
Good luck

JB, good to see you back. You should post more often, you have a lot of experience and knowledge to offer the rest of us.

You could not have picked a more capable PH.

Mike

Dear MJines
Kind of You. It sucks that I don’t know even your Christian Name, but after all my avatar is just the same,
Jean Bernard.
I’m not sure that I’ve got experience, hunting and Africa are difficult arts.
So far I’ve not got again in Africa as my squashed cousin has got aorta troubles not linked with the elephant cow. He has now quite recovered but is hesitating to spring back in African hunting nonsenses. As a rehab he hunted in Namibia in July but found it too comfortable.
I think that we’ll be back in Zim in summer, after all I can’t hunt without him. He’s so easy going and afraid of nothing. Bowhunting elephant is a priority and that’s the catch with Luc, but he needs a full come back in tricky situation.
We have considered hunting bongo in South of CAR with a top notch bongo PH, but situation is a bit tense not with the Sudanese renegades so common in the North, but with deserted Congolese soldiers. In deep jungle not much manageable and we let down.
In Burkina Touffic can’t stand any longer our not coming for Christmas or New Year eve and as things go by we could hunt there for nothing, just for the fun of Touffic, a heart of gold.
For what I have read on AR you have performed incredibly well in Africa and now the virus is dramatically ingrained in You. Keep on this way.
good luck my friend

JB, no one can blame Luc for being a little hesitant to do an elephant hunt with a bow. I am glad he is doing better, I heard from Buzz that he was having some health issues unrelated to his attack. I am still amazed that after what he went through he was ready to go croc hunting in a couple of days. Tough fellow. Stay well.

[P.S. My first name is Mike.]

Good Luck! A tuskless with a bow is going to get the adrenaline flowing....i had a safari that started out as such but after a few interactions with herds of cow elephant the client quickly upgraded to a bull - $$$ be damned!! You are probably doing it with the best outfit and PH there is for such a hunt.

JB, thanks for the offer of advice. Perhaps you can share some details on your set-up and arrows with the forum. It would be more valuable to other members to post it on the board than via pm. I will be using the same Bowtech Tribute you used except I have 90lbs limbs cranked past max to 93lbs +. My arrows are Easton dangerous game with a 3 Rivers 100gr brass insert plus a short length of threaded bar epoxied in behind that. Finished off with a 315gr Ashby head the total is 1100gr with 5 inch feathers. They are seriously weight forward but shoot magnificently.

Manyathelo, I don't have the luxury of being able to upgrade to a bull but perhaps you can share the details of your hunt and equipment? Was it a bowhunt?

JCHB

Anyone that hunts cow elephants with a bow sure has my respect. Although I do have concerns about anyone doing it for various reasons, I respect the balls it takes to try it.

465H&H

JCHB the hunt was a bow hunt and it was many years ago when few hunters had attempted to succesfully shoot an elephant with a bow. I do not have an avid interest in bow hunting so the finer details of the equipment were lost on me. The client shot a bow set at 92lbs and used custom broad heads that he sharpened himself,on an almost daily basis, the shaft had an insert to give it additional weight.

It was incredibly hairy getting in amongst cow herds and trying to get a decent broadside shot! It is one thing hunting cows with a heavy calibre rifle and a totally different experience with a bow where your shots are so limited. It is not an experience i wish to repeat...

He ended up shooting a bull from 18yards, broadside as the foot extended for a step forwards. The arrow hit a rib and did not penetrate past the fletching. Our decision was if it did not penetrate fully i would immediately back him up with a rifle, so the arrow was followed by 500 grains of FMJ behind the shoulder. It was not a 100% succesful bow hunt but the guy was a hunter indeed and he certainly hunted hard for his elephant, had the balls to try and literally gave it his best shot. He also finished it off with a rifle and i consider the trophy very much his and well earned.

In terms of experience and time around cow elephants our team did not have a touch on Buzz and CMS, you will have a great time.