AFRICA's BOWHUNTER - September 2016

africa’s

Bowhunter

Shooting within your personal limits

Two Rowland Ward nyalas Shot placement

September 2016 VOL 17 - ISSUE 9 SOUTH AFRICA R36.50 [incl VAT] USA $6.50 OTHER COUNTRIES R32.08 [Tax excl]

Big game setup for the big and tall

Field testing a Hoyt bow

Bowhunting tsessebe

GAME ON.

Seen the Olympics #rio2016 and want to try out archery? Now is your chance! Free demos to all that checks into @archersedge

CONTENTS 5 Comment 7 From our readers 8 Bowhunting the tsessebe 12 A big-game bow setup for the big and tall 16 Shooting within your personal limits 19 Blind awareness and design – Part 2 26 The importance of equipment checks 28 Bagging two Rowland Ward nyalas 32 Pursuing the prince of spiral horns 34 Shot placement 38 Dead quiet” is the “new” fast 40 Combined test: GrizzlyStik Momentum Thin Diameter Taper 250 shaft and Silver Flame XXL 200 grain broadhead 45 For the kidz 47 Subscribe and win 49 Shooting the longbow –Back to basics 49 Vlieënde lemur van die Filippyne 50 Dressed to kilt 53 Elgro River Lodge 100 x 3D 52 Tradisionele boogskietmarathon 2016 54 Bowhunting opportunities 56 Archery suppliers and clubs

AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

Africa’s Bowhunter [ABH] is an independent monthly publication for the archer, bow hunter, game farm owner and nature lover. Copyright on all articles and material published in ABH resides with the publisher. No part of ABH may be copied or reproduced without permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of the editor, editorial committee or publishers. Submission of articles for publication is welcome, but although care is taken, the publisher can accept no responsibility for loss or damage to any material submitted.

Africa’s Bowhunter Magazine cc [CK/] 96/32848/23 PO Box 31688 Waverley, 0135 South Africa Tel: 012 330 3464/1301 Fax: +27 86 615 7044 E-mail: editor@africasbowhunter.co.za Website: www.africasbowhunter.co.za Office address: 880A Crots Street, Rietfontein, Pretoria.

PUBLISHER Rean Steenkamp E-mail: editor@africanarcher.com EDITOR Rean Steenkamp E-mail: editor@africasbowhunter.co.za HUNTING/ENVIRONMENTAL EDITOR Cleve Cheney Cell: 082 922 5547 E-mail: cleve@africasbowhunter.co.za COPY EDITOR Emmerentia Steyn DESIGN AND LAYOUT Rean Steenkamp E-mail: rean@africasbowhunter.co.za REPRODUCTION & PRINTING Paarl Media Telephone: 011 201 3460 DISTRIBUTION RNA Distribution Hazel Luüs Tel: 011 248 3639

Cover image: Danie Geel with the buffalo he hunted recently – P12

SUBSCRIPTIONS Rean Steenkamp E-mail: rean@africasbowhunter.co.za ADVERTISEMENTS Rean Steenkamp E-mail: rean@africasbowhunter.co.za

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AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER September 2016

COMMENT

Boogskiet is 'n veelsydige tydverdryf

B

oogskiet bekoor mense al eeue lank. Die pyl en boog het dit vir die mens moontlik gemaak om ’n prooi oor ’n afstand plat te trek. Met ’n pyl en boog in die hand het dit vir hom moontlik geword om ’n gevaarlike dier aan te durf en tog uit die dier se dodelike kloue te bly. Vir baie lank al is vernuf met die pyl en boog iets waarna baie boogskuts streef en ’n vaardigheid wat deur mense bewonder word.

Boogskiet is ’n veelsydige aktiwiteit wat deur bykans almal beoefen kan word – man, vrou, kind, oumens en selfs gestremde persone. Daar is selfs mense wat albei arms verloor het en steeds boog skiet en dit geniet. Daar is verskeie vorme van boogskiet waaraan ’n mens kan meedoen en verskeie organisasies waarby boogskuts kan aansluit. Die meeste boogskuts verkies om met ’n kragboog of compound te skiet, terwyl ander meer van die langboog of kromboog hou. Indien iemand aan die Olimpiese Spele wil deelneem, moet hulle met ’n kromboog skiet met ’n visier aan asook stabiliseerders. Die meer tradisionele skuts skiet instinktief en sonder visiere. Daar is ook boogskuts wat aan perdryboogskiet deelneem, waar hulle vaardig met die boog en met perdry moet wees. Al die verskillende vorme van boogskiet maak deel uit van een groot familie.

Wat boogskiet verder besonders maak, is dat skuts by die huis kan oefen en nie altyd na ’n skietbaan hoef te ry nie. Dit is ook ’n aktiwiteit waaraan die hele gesin kan meedoen en help dus om die gesinsbande te versterk. Ek het nog nooit ’n jong seun raakgeloop wie se oë nie vonkel wanneer hy ’n boog sien nie en nog net ’n paar meisies wat min belangstelling toon. Bykans alle kinders wil graag met die pyl en boog skiet en sodra hulle ’n boog en pyle in die hand het, kan hulle hulself ure lank vermaak.

Boogskiet is nou maar eenmaal deel van die mens se bestaan.

In dié uitgawe van Africa’s Bowhunter is daar nie ’n trofeë-bladsy nie, maar moenie moed verloor nie, ons sal wel die foto’s plaas wat ingestuur is. In die volgende uitgawe sal ons meer bladsye hieraan afstaan. Lees gerus in hierdie uitgawe wat Danie Geel tydens sy kameelperd- en buffeljagte geleer het. Hy bespreek die toerusting wat hy gebruik het en gee raad aan ander jagters wat ook groot diere met die boog wil plattrek.

Cleve Cheney skryf oor hoe om tsessebe met die boog te jag, hy bespreek ’n jagpunt-en-pylskagkombinasie en hy skryf ook oor jagters wat binne hulle eie limiete moet jag. Adrian de Villiers het nog ’n boog in die veld gaan toets, dié keer ’n Hoyt Defiance, terwyl Nicky Niehaus oor skootplasing skryf, asook sy jagervaring terwyl hy ’n Skotse kilt dra. Daar is ook twee artikels oor boogjag op nyalas en ander interessante onderwerpe.

Groete

Rean Steenkamp Redakteur

September 2016 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

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AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER September 2016 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER June 2016

About buying bows...

In the August edition of Africa’s Bowhunter Rean mentioned in his editorial letter that cheaper priced bows can be just as purposeful as more expensive bows.

I’m keen on getting into bowhunting, but like most other hobbies, sports or activities the start-up cost is high. And like Rean stated, some bows can be double the price of a rifle (not even mentioning that without arrows, your bow is just a mantle piece).

I would like to get comments on some questions I have been wondering about.

• Could you start off by purchasing a second-hand bow and equipment? I noticed some adverts in ABH for some second-hand equipment. What should novices be on the lookout for?

• If you want to go with a new bow, what would be the best

starting bow, with regard to draw, poundage, etc.?

• If going with a starting bow, and hunting is the main aim, what would be best (getting a bow that can be suitable for hunting, or work your way from a beginner bow to a hunting suitable bow)?

• What should be the minimum specs for a hunting suitable bow (draw, poundage, fps, etc) • Lastly, I learn so much from the various contributors and their articles in ABH. Would it be possible to have a series of articles that can give some guidance for novices bow hunters (Sean’s article on ‘My first bowhunt’ and Dave’s on ‘Blind awareness and design’ are brilliant).

I do not know if any of my questions have been answered in previous editions, please indicate which issues.

Thank you for this amazing mag Greetings Liandro Viana

Bowhunter Bowhunter children

africa’s

Herhaal artikels?

Archery Physical training

Ek wil graag weet hoekom artikels (soms woordeliks) in ABH herhaal word? Is dit versoeke van lesers of raak julle idees op? Ek verwys veral na “Spots in the dark” en “Make your own mechanical release”. Dit het die gevolg dat dit nie meer vir my die moeite werd is om die tydskrif te koop nie.

Groete Rean

September 2016 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

How to coach

Make your own mechanical release

Game ranch Kudu Hills Giraffe hunt

Die nut van Spoorhonde

July 2016

VOL 17 - ISSUE 7

16007

SOUTH AFRICA R36.50 [incl VAT] USA $6.50 OTHER COUNTRIES R32.08 [Tax excl]

9 771606 267005

Die nuwe

LAATLOS

Blind awareness and design Tradisionele boogskiet

When not to shoot

Hunting on foot effectively

Groete Johan Beste Johan Ek dink darem nie ons herhaal artikels baie nie – en ons het gewis nie ’n tekort aan idees nie. Om die waarheid te sê, ons het reeds genoeg artikels om die volgende twee tydskrifte vol te maak.

Nie al die lesers lees die tydskrif al baie lank nie en beskik dus nie oor al die inligting uit die ou uitgawes om na te gaan nie. Ek herhaal net ’n artikel indien ek dink dit is nodig en ek reken daar van die nuwe lesers is wat daarby baat kan vind.

Benewens die twee artikels wat jy genoem het, het ons nog twee oor tradisionele boogskiet herhaal wat ons ongeveer 14 jaar gelede geplaas het. Dit bring ons nou by vier artikels wat oor ’n tydperk van bykans 17 jaar herhaal is.

afric a’s

From our readers

The opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Africa’s Bowhunter. Send your letters to editor@africasbowhunter.co.za, Twitter @bowhuntermagsa or PO Box 31688, Waverley, 0135, South Africa.

August 2016

VOL 17 - ISSUE 8

SOUTH AFRICA R36.50 [incl VAT] USA $6.50 OTHER COUNTRIES R32.08 [Tax excl]

Bow test: ld testing Mathews No-Cam HTX anFieElit e bow

Bowhbushbuck Bowhunting unting baboon

LAATLOS

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Bowhunting

the tsessebe

By C. Cheney

BIOLOGY

The name comes “tsessebe” comes from the Tswana name for the species: tshesebe. This species, once on the endangered list, has recovered somewhat and, due to careful protection and conservation efforts, are increasing, although they have disappeared from much of their former range of distribution.

Preferred habitat Habitat requirements include grass, water and shade. Tsessebe frequent grass and flood plains and open country with scattered patches of bush (see Figure 3). They will occasionally enter thickets, but generally avoid areas where plant height exceeds 2 metres. They prefer areas that have been recently burnt and where a green flush of new grass is growing. Tsessebe are generally not found in high-rainfall areas.

T

his strange and rather awkward-looking animal with its well-developed shoulders, sloping back and long face is the swiftest of the South African antelope. It is capable of maintaining a bouncing gallop of 60 km/h for long distances (Figures 1 and 2).

Bulls have a mass of 140 kg and measure 120 cm at the shoulders. They are slightly larger than cows, which weigh approximately 120 kg. Both sexes have horns, but those on bulls are heavier. When viewed from the front the horns have a ‘half-moon’ appearance. The overall colour is a rich chocolate brown with a distinct iridescent purplish sheen. The face is dark. Tsessebe have good eyesight.

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Behaviour and habits Tsessebe are social animals. Their basic group structure consists of small breeding groups, each comprising six to ten cows with their offspring. Bachelor groups and territorial bull herds may sometimes number up to 30 strong. This is especially noticeable near water and favourable gazing. Breeding herds consisting of cows, sub-adults and young are not restricted to a specific territory. In areas where tsessebe occur in higher densities, bulls establish typical ‘lek’ system territories. Young bulls form bachelor groups at the age of one year as they are pushed out of

AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER September 2016

herds. Dominant males will often keep a lookout for rival males from a high vantage point, such as a termite mound. Both males and females mark their territory, using a secretion from glands below their eyes. Unlike the blesbok, tsessebe harems remain permanently associated with their territorial male. Herds will mix freely outside of the rutting season. They frequently associate with wildebeest and zebra.

Feeding and drinking Tsessebe are grazers which utilise a wide range of grass species.

They select the leaf over the stems, prefer fresh growth, and are attracted to burnt areas. They are some of the first animals to appear after a fire has been through an area, and can be found feeding on the new green shoots. Tsessebe are water dependent but are reluctant to drink from artificial water points. They are usually found within one kilometre of water. They can go without water for a few days, but will drink every day if water is available (Figure 4).

Reproduction Tsessebe are seasonal breeders, which in South Africa give birth during September and October to single calves, after a gestation period of 240 days. Calves develop so fast that within a day or two of birth they are strong enough to join the herd.

Here they tend to form nursery groups of their own, which are supervised by one or more cows. The rut takes place during mid-February and continues through to March. During the mating season elaborate displays by the bulls form part of the mating ritual. A single young is born from September to November after a gestation period of about eight months.

Tsessebe can run at speeds of up to 60 km/h.

Tsessebe in typical habitat

Measuring tsessebe horns

September 2016 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

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Predation and disease The plains game predators – lion, hyena and wild dog – account for most kills.

BOWHUNTING THE TSESSEBE Early hunters were amazed at the naivety and curiosity displayed by tsessebe, which often stood and stared while other members of the herd were shot around them. When threatened, tsessebe often do no more than canter away to an open vantage point, where they will stop and coolly survey their surroundings before, finally, breaking into their characteristic easy gallop.

Trophy Minimum horn length for inclusion in the Rowland Ward records is 38 cm (15 inches). Method of measurement is shown in Figure 5. Record is 18½ inches.

Minimum score for inclusion in SCI records is 40. Method for measurement is shown in Figure 3. Record is 586/8.

Signs to look for Suitable habitat They will be found in savannah, open woodland and floodplain habitat on short grass especially following a burn.

Feeding sign Grass grazed down to the substrate will be evident in preferred feeding areas.

Territorial sign Areas trampled by territorial rams will be evident – especially elevated points such as termite mounds. When patrolling their territories, territorial males maintain a steady gait and defecate at regular intervals. Both sexes mark their territories with the pre-orbital glands, but the territorial males are more active in doing so. They also rub the sides of their faces on the ground (Figure 6), usually on a termite mound or a sandy or muddy patch, dropping to their knees to do so. Mud will often stick to their horns due to this activity giving them a comical appearance. Both sexes horn the ground, especially after rain. The animal has well-developed interdigital glands on the front feet, and territorial males paw and scrape the ground as a means of territorial marking.

Tracks and scat Tsessebe have cloven hooves typical of antelope. The tracks are similar to those of hartebeest and sable, but are narrower and shorter (75 – 90 mm). Scats are cylindrical pellets pointed at one end and 20 – 22 mm in length. They are more pointed than that of roan and sable (see Figures 7 and 8).

Vocalizing Tsessebe vocalize with grunts and snorts.

Ground horning

Hunting techniques Because these animals frequent flat, fairly open habitat it would be possible but very difficult to hunt them using walk-and-stalk methods. The challenge will be compounded by the fact that

Tsessebe tracks

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AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER September 2016