Saunders Group - Bruce,Ryker,Shane,Steven and Karen.

The Saunders group arrived in our Limpopo camp just before midnight on Monday 15 June and after having a meal they went to bed in the early morning hours. The first morning was spent in camp and after discussing the basic plans for the hunting safari and sighting rifles and bows they went hunting yesterday afternoon.

They saw a lot of animals to start their first day of hunting in Africa and Steven hunted and killed a big beautiful Blue Wildebeest bull with a double lung shot from his bow. The shooting distance was 20 yards and the bull went down after about 120 yards. The trophy quality of this big bull is very unique with the horns going backwards against the skull and then curling down. Steven’s wife Karen accompanied him on the hunt and took a few pictures of other animals the saw from the blind.

They all went hunting early this morning of 17th and we will wait and see what the day brings.

Steven with Trophy Blue Wildebeest

Ryker and Bruce

Ryker and Bruce

Yesterday I went out bowhunting in the blind overlooking a water hole. There was a great number of different game including warthogs, blesbok, kudu, impala, and other species. Due to the successful game management of the World of Africa Outfitters, there were many trophy-sized kudurangingfrom a rack length of 46-50 inches seen in just one day. Today due to the superb location of many different hunting blinds, there were many opportunities to shoot big game. I shot at a trophy impala, but still after a fatal shot and the blood covered arrow to prove it, we still couldn’t find the animal, but since the World of Africa Outfitters has many different hunting spots, I bagged an even bigger one that evening. Not a bad start for the first full day of hunting. 

Shane with Trophy Impala

With one of my trophy’s taken, next on the list was a 50″ or better Kudu. This has animal is the main reason I want to come to Africa. After seeing several Kudu’s the trophy I had been waiting on finally showed himself. Patience is key to bow hunting. My guide also confirmed the same thing “be patience is the key to success” When my 53″ bull came close enough, the shot was good enough to drop to 600 pound bull in 40 yards. A life time of memories under the African Skies. 

Shane with Kudu

On my second day of full hunting the 18th of June in Africa, I scored on the animal I wanted most, a Greater Kudu. It was a late afternoon hunt, I had seen this Kudu before but he never gave me a shot. This time was different, at a range of 20 yards my shot was true. It has been a dream of a life time to come Africa, after three days two animals down and 2 to go.

Steven and his Kudu trophy

My good luck continued when I hunted a huge 30″+ Trophy Waterbuck bull on Saturday. This is a truly magnificent once in a lifetime trophy and will score very high in the record books. 

Shane with Trophy Waterbuck

On Monday Steven finally got a good Zebra Stallion, he always wanted to hunt this African Trophy. The shot was a bit back, but the Zebra went down after 300 yards.

Steven with Zebra

I went out the afternoon of our last hunting day and shot a old Trophy Blesbuck Ram. This was the final animal hunted on my first Africa Hunting Safari.

Shane with Blesbuck

 After three hard days of Kudu hunting and passing up several smaller bull we keep searching for that Kudu bull that was going to be our show piece back home. After passing on a couple of 48″ bulls we were head off the mountain and ran into the 4th animal on our list. It was luck more the skill, I wanted the Kudu so dad took the Nyala, not much of a shot for him but he was thrilled with the 300 pound bull.  We took the next day off the ride the elephants ( it’s like straddling a VW bug) and to the game park. We saw two leopards. Day six of our hunting trip brought highs and lows. The Kudu I had been hunting the past three days showed himself with two other bulls. The PH got everything setup in the heavy bush. It was the longest shot I had ever taken 250 yards. The shot was true but the big Kudu did not go down. We tracked it for a mile in the bush. At one time we had 9 people looking for my Kudu. Night came and we had to leave. We had no luck the next day as we searched the 14,000 acres. Still no luck. We called it a day and left the farm. Another farmer had ask us to shoot a wild hog or the baboons that was getting into his feeders. So after the 5 days of hard Kudu hunting, some easier hunting was needed. This baboon came off the mountian to the farmers feeder. The baboon was making making a gluten of himself until my 270 put an end to the raiding. We got 3 of our 4 animals we came for but lost our Kudu.

Ryker,Bruce and Phillip

Hello, my name is Ryker and I’m a 17 year old from Nashville, Tennessee. The lodge is only one step shy from a resort, and being in the northern part of South Africa makes that seem fantastic. There is no real way to express how nice and caring the staff is. The PH’s always ask if you need anything during a meal, always congratulate you after your kill, and always have a warm welcoming smile even at 5 in the morning. The hunting is fantastic, there was plenty of game and there will always be a PH to fit your specific hunting style. You will always have a tracker/skinner with you and your PH, and never underestimate your tracker because he is worth his weight in gold. I wounded a kudu this trip, and we searched the mountain high and low. Not only did my tracker Jacob walk up and down the mountain countless times, but also went to the effort to get 4 extra trackers from the nearest village to help us. After your hunt, you return to camp right after dark to find yourself welcomed by a nice cozy fire with dinner almost prepared. The dinner was centralized around the local foods of South Africa, but still a gourmet meal nonetheless. There is no other word to describe the experience other than addicting. At the end of this trip, we already have decided to make a second trip. Again I say, I’m a 17 year old. I have been from Europe to Alaska and this safari ranks at the top of my list of things I have done. I strongly suggest that you buy that plane ticket and share your safari experience with World to Africa Hunting.

Ryker and Friend

The Saunders group are leaving in the morning to visit a Wildlife centre and interaction with African Predators like cheetah and wild dogs. They are then going to the airport to get a flight back home. We really enjoyed their company and will have memories to last a life time!! Thank you for your friendship and we hope to meet soon around a camp fire under the African Sky. From all the staff at World to Africa Hunting we hope you have a good trip home.

Due to a documentary a few years ago which severely damaged the image of hunting as a sport in South Africa, new bowhunting regulations were also introduced in 2007 of which effect would only be from June 2008. For the first time ever specific bowhunting regulations would also apply in South Africa. With the new bowhunting regulations stipulating that hunters may no longer hunt leopards, elephants, lions, cheetahs, and brown hyenas as a few examples using bows, some controversy followed. Hunters felt that since hippo and buffalo may be hunted with bows, that the above animals should not be excluded or that for instance hippos should also be excluded. With bowhunting regulations changing it is important to stay within the legal boundaries of what can be hunted. Ethical hunting practices must be followed at all times.

Bowhunting the Bushbuck

Only males have horns, which usually spiral once and are fairly straight, parallel to one another, and up to a half meter long. Females are usually a lighter brown than males. Both sexes have white spots and stripes, the patterns of which vary geographically.  When hunting in Africa you will find that Bushbuck are variable in colour throughout their range, with colour ranging from bright chestnut to dark brown. They are elegant, robustly built antelope standing slightly taller towards the rump than the shoulders and appear to run “hunched up”.

Equipment required for bow hunting of the Bushbuck:

Bushbuck are categorized as smaller game but are very dangerous when wounded and will not hesitate to attack a hunter.

Bows: Any bow that is able to achieve 50 or more foot-pounds of kinetic energy.

Momentum: Should be 0,35 or more.

Arrow weight: To ensure a successful hunting experience arrow weight including broadhead, fletching, nock, shafts and inserts should not be less than 400 grains for hunting Bushbuck in Africa .

Broadheads: Use strong, well constructed two or three blade broadhead with a broad cutting diameter that will cause the animal to bleed out quickly. High quality mechanical points will also be effective as this animal is not that big in size.  

Shot placement as the key to successful hunting of the Bushbuck:

Shot placement is the critical success factor.  Even with the best equipment a poor shot on the Bushbuck will most definitely lead to a long and many times unrewarded follow-up! And in this case life threatening.

Frontal and quartering-towards shots are not advised when hunting this animal.

Broadside and quartering-away shots are advised when hunting the Bushbuck with a bow – see the red marking on photo which is indicative of a well placed shot.

Shots of more than 30 yards are definitely not advisable.

A hunting experience in Africa/South Africa will not be the same without the truly beautiful eye-catching Bushbuck trophy in your trophy room!!     

Hunting of the African Blue Wildebeest: Bow hunting equipment & shot placement

Blue wildebeest are large African bovids with robust muzzles and cow-like horns. The horns are long without ridges and the males’ horns are thicker with the appearance of a boss. Wildebeests have short hair covering their bodies, and their colour ranges from slate gray to dark brown, with males darker than females. There are black vertical stripes of longer hair on their backs. Wildebeests also have black faces, manes, and tails. The different subspecies of wildebeest vary in colour. Connochaetes t. johnstoni is the largest subspecies and the western white-bearded wildebeest (C.t. mearnsi) is the smallest. Connochaetes t. mearnsi is the darkest group of wildebeest and C.t. albojubatus is the palest. Connochaetes t. taurinus individuals are slate gray in color, the origin of the common name “blue” wildebeest.

Equipment required for bow hunting of the African Blue Wildebeest:

• Bows: Any bow that is able to achieve 60 or more foot-pounds of kinetic energy.
• Momentum: Should be 0,4 or more.
• Arrow weight:To ensure a successful hunting experience arrow weight including broadhead, fletching, nock, shafts and inserts should not be less than 500 grains.
• Broadheads:Choose a broadhead of good construction and high mechanical advantage.

Remember: When hunting the Blue Wildebeest in Africa remember that it is referred to by many hunters as the “poor man’s buffalo”.  Reason for this has very definitely to do with its toughness!  Therefore, when hunting the Blue Wildebeest in Africa correct shot placement is the critical success factor!

Shot placement as the key to successful hunting of the Blue Wildebeest:

As already mentioned shot placement is the critical success factor.  Even with the best equipment a poor shot on the Blue Wildebeest will most definitely lead to a long and many times unrewarded follow-up!

Wildebeest are tough animals well muscled in the forequarter with a heavy bone structure.  Frontal and quartering-towards shots are not advised when hunting this animal.

Broadside and quartering-away shots are advised when hunting the Blue Wildebeest with a bow – see the red marking on photo which is indicative of a well placed shot.

Due to the slow reflexes of the Blue Wildebeest the hunter should not be to concerned that it will “jump the string” when hunting the Blue Wildebeest. However, shots of more than 30 yards are definitely not advisable.

Hunting the Blue Wildebeest in Africa is an amazing experience and every bowhunter should have it written down as a must-do hunting goal!!