Hi Gangers,
i am back from Magersfontein, close to Kimberly in the Northern Cape province, South Africa.
Land owner & PH Greg Edwards and his wife Jacqui gave us a lifetime dream week. Greg was helped by the lovely PH Amanda, who took great care of us.
I had the great opportunity to harvest those nice animals with my hybrid bows: one Fedora Xtreme 64" with 58# at my draw limbs and a Cari Bow Peregrine by Abe Penner 59#.
My arrows were GT Big Game full lenght, Aluminium CB insert ant 300 grain 1.5" wide Big Jim Broadheads.
Please, let me share those fantastic memories with you through those pics.
This is the "Dream team", LoL:
Greg is wearing he red shirt and Amanda is on the close right on the pic
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03176.jpg)
I first got a steep quatering away shot to this springbok at 18 yards. i hit him a little back to my focus point but good enough. It layed down within 70 yards on sight.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03120-1.jpg)
Here is the Big Jim BH work:
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03113.jpg)
Oops the pics link is bad, here it is
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03120-1.jpg)
Second day, from my elevated blind, a small herd of Cape Eland came. Animals were nervous and stayed fr away. I was blessed to have a good opportunity on that 1300# old cow with a non typical huge horns, shot 25 yards broadside heart/lung hit.
She went down in 50 yards. I was completely amazed...
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03111.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03107.jpg)
I was amazed by the BH work: ribs on that cow was 3/8" wide: the XL big jim BHead blew it and my arrow went up to the opposite rib.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03104.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03126.jpg)
From a ground blind i was fortunate to get a shot to this very nice Blesbok bull. He was 18 yards broadside. I was using my beautifull Peregrine bow from Abe. When i let the sring go, i saw clearly my arrow disappearing in the heart area. I knew he was mine...
he ran a hundred yards.
Trophy is very good for that specie
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03131.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03136.jpg)
On a cold morning came one of the most beautifull african game if not the pretiest: the great Kudu. He was really nervous and i came to full draw twice without letting the string. the 3 time was the good one: pass through light quatering away in the lung-liver area. Went down in less than 80 yards.
Not a huge but fair trophy but the most beautifull in my eyes:
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03148.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03143.jpg)
The next day i tried to walk and stalk. I couldn't get closer than 40 yards from Red hartebeest nd i was almost to get a shot on a young warthog in the 20 yards when i spooked him trying to get a better shot angle...
I also saw these big fellows, not so friendly...
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03151.jpg)
The next day i decided to give another fun to my beloved Peregrine, because it was shouting to me "bring me back to the bush please..."
At the end of the day, that brave warrior of the bushveld came to me. i shot him at 15 yards, from an elevated blind, little quatering toward me. I hit him a little back in the posterior part of the right lung area. My arrow went 20" in with massive bleeding. He passed away within 250 yards.
Amanda with her "eagle eyes" found him under a tree, while coming to pick me for the tracking 30 minutes after the shot.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03162.jpg)
Once again i was impressed by the Big Jim BH work and the massive bleed....
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03156.jpg)
Next day was hot but windy. One hour before dark, that "monster springbok" came.
He was so spooky and i was sure i couldn't get any shot to him. He gave me just one shot opprtunity close to 20 yards, little quatering away. The Peregrine pushed the arrow where i was looking at and that magnificent animal fell within 70 yards in sight. All that moment lasted 3 or 4 seconds... i could not believe it.
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/Sanstitre1-1.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03175.jpg)
Then came the last day. I Spent the whole day with Greg and Christian to track Christian Kudu. He hit him far back and the animal ran away. we never found him. So atmosphere was not happy: a lost beautifull critter and the end of that dream trip....
I went to the elevated hide thinkink to warthog but on the ranch they are not so much and very spooky. 1 hour before dark 4 Plain zebras (Burchell) came and then a beautifull Mountain zebra stalion(Hartman). i believed it was my last minutes seeing african game but while they were going away a beautiful 120# Warthog sow with good tusk came. Greg had told me on the begining of the stay that mature sow with big tusks could be harvested if without piglets. That one was beautiful....
She stayed far away for a minute and then came very slowly close to 30 yards at the further part of the water hole. I know it is very far but i was feeling the shot. I Drew the fedora sting, picking the spot on the shoulder and let it. I saw my arrow going through but stop at the feathers right in the shoulder crease. I thought "Great !!"
My sow ran with a heavy black beedind all over the ground. I was expecting the fall quicly but saw her runing 30, 50, 80 then a 100 yards and then stopped, still standing.
At that moment i was feeling depressed and unhappy to have taken the shot so far away....
I called Amanda and when she arrived we saw the sow laying down. We waited 20 minutes looking through our binos: no mouvement. We tracked her from the hit, very slowly following the big blood trail. I was feeling very comfident and so was Amanda. One we came in the 30 yards the sow stand again and made a 100 yards run away,and then stopped. Again i felt very bad...
We decided to go back after the fantastic dinner Jacui was preparing for us every day....
3 hours later we all came to the sow. For the first 40 minutes: no sow, no blood from the last position. I then went again from that last sow position and tried to get a trail away from my friends...After 30 yards i heard the sow badly breathing and found her under a tree. I could put a second arrow, snapshooting her while runing away. Then all the team joined me and Again we heard the breathing. That time amanda saw her: she couldn't go further almost dying. A third arrow at 5 paces ended that fabulous track...
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/Phaco-1.jpg)
Thanks for reading me guys.
here are pics from the veld
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03152-1.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03164.jpg)
(http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx225/hybridbowhunter/DSC03140.jpg)
Moving a copy to the PowWow so more will be able to enjoy this hunting adventure...
Congrats....looks like the monster 3 blade did its job very well. :campfire:
Awesome!!! How cool is this? Way!! I'm saying...
Thank you for taking us along and sharing your pictures with us.
God bless,Mudd
THANKS FOR SHARING A GREAT HUNT WITH US,,, :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great stuff, thanks for sharing! :archer2:
Beautiful animals! Great shooting! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
That is awsome. I ws hoping there would be a warthog in the story. I really don't have much of a desire to kill most African game, but a warthog... OH YEAH!! And to think, that is not even one of the most desired trophys. They sure look like one to me.
Man that is awesome! Congrats on the great shots and beautiful pics...I wanna go!!!
Wow, what a trip, those are some beautiful animals. Nice shooting too!
Very well done. Thanks for taking us along. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Target rich environment. Some beautiful animals. Thanks for sharing.
Those pictures are awesome! thanks for sharing your hunt!
Thank you all for the good words.
I was very fortunate to get all those animals. Game on the 12000 + acre farm is beautiful and not crowded at all and seem very well managed so hunt is really pleasant.
I saw beautiful gemsbok and monsters red hartebeest and beautiful herds of black wildebeest.
I could get so many animals because the wind was permanent and was tricking the critters. Because they are really spooky and make the fun of the hunt.
The fact is Greg Edwards and his team are really professional and very friendly and are welcoming traditional archers. Though, good practice is really needed from ground and 10 to 15 feet high elevated blinds and mosts shots will be in the 15 to 25 yards.
Last, i am totally amazed by those monster 300 gr Big Jim broadheads 1 1/2" wide. To be honest i was wondering about arrow penetration. Indeed, it worked perfectly for my set up: around 60# @ 31" and 670 gr finished arrows.
God bless you all
Hope to go back soon...
Cool hunt! Congrats on all the critters! :thumbsup:
Thank you for taking us along and sharing your pictures with us :campfire:
That was cool!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing! Excellent adventure!
Great story Thanks for sharing!! Joe
Very impressive!
What a great adventure, thank you very much for sharing! Looks like a pretty good endorsement for Big Jim broadheads.
:clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
Nice critters! I would love to be there now. Shootin them piggies are my favorite.
Another customer of mine recently shot a doe with a BigJim BH and he too was amazed by the carnage. Maybe I too can have some harvest success with them this year.
I know you had fun and thanks for the kind testemonial, BigJim
Laurent,
Thanks for taking us along in your adventures in the veld.Congratulations on your very nice trophies!!!
Great animals and beautiful photography. Way to go!!! :thumbsup:
Very nice. Big congrats.
Again, great hunt !!!
:campfire:
QuoteOriginally posted by BigJim:
Nice critters! I would love to be there now. Shootin them piggies are my favorite.
Another customer of mine recently shot a doe with a BigJim BH and he too was amazed by the carnage. Maybe I too can have some harvest success with them this year.
I know you had fun and thanks for the kind testemonial, BigJim
those 1,5" wide BH are really fantastic and the penetration i got with my set up close to 60# @ 31,5" and 670 gr finished arrow was terrible. Arrow speed with the set up through a chrono is a little above 180 fps with both bows in real shooting conditions (not fancy overdraw chrono shots...)
I passed through with exit hole all the games except elan (stuck into opposite rib thick)
I was resharpening them every day after shot with light strokes on a fine coarse arkansas stone and a little of gun barrel oil and then leather strop. Shaving sharp within 5 minutes.
Elan and kudu were shot with the exact same BH !!
IMO you are dead-on with those monster heads. Thanks for making it.
:campfire:
Great story and pictures, congrats on some fine shooting and thanks for sharing your adventure.
Awesome story and wonderful pics! Congrats on a great hunt. A hunt for the ages :campfire:
WOW. A great trip, with some great pics as well. Congratulations to some lifetime memories and beautiful trophies as well.
Excellent!!! Africa is a special place, indeed! I can't wait to go back.
Congrats on all you animals.
Bisch
Awesome hunt man.
Everything about your adventure simply rocks! Great stuff.
WOW! What a great hunt!
Great story and pictures. what an adventure of a lifetime.
TOOOOOOOOOOOO COOL!
Thanks for sharing.
Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Don't feel bad about the warthog...they are TOUGH! I shot one 3 times also (with a compound). Same as you...first shot would've killed her but I to use two more arrows to speed it up.
One other note. Your bows must be QUIET. Would you agree? You shot a lot of "quick" and "skittish" animals and made good shots.
What a great story. Thanks so much for posting!
I have one of Big Jim's heads I haven't used yet....but it has been staring at me lately in my office. :D
Awesome post and pics. Thanks for sharing.
What an adventure! Beautiful trophies! Thanks for sharing.!
A great hunt and adventure and very nice pics.The Bigjim broadhead really did a great job for you Congrats.
Thanks for all the kind words. Hope i will have some new pics to share as i will go to Zimbabwe in a couple of month, again with traditional gear only.
Thank you for taking the time to share your hunt with us! Great shooting!
thanks for sharing! i cant believe the damage those broadheads did
Awesome! Congrats on the beautiful animals! :thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
Quite partial those Big 3's.
What a trip!