africa’s
bowhunter
Waarom verkies ons boogjag? Bow previews for 2014
Vlakvarkjag Longbow hunt Hunting crocodiles Shot placement on blue wildebeest JANUARY 2014 VOL 15- ISSUE 01 SOUTH AFRICA R34.00 [incl VAT] USA $ 6.50 OTHER COUNTRIES R29.82 [Tax excl]
Weird and wonderful compound bows
One Cam. One Moment. One Choice.
The New Mathews速
mathewsinc.com
NEW 2014 BOWS AVAILABLE SOON... visit www.archersedge.co.za for more info
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Carbon Rose
Carbon Night
John 5:14-15
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Bradley Matthysen: 071 603 2677 Redge Grant: 082 378 0539 Orders: 071 493 0020 800 Wekker Street, JANUARY 2014 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER Moreleta Park, Pretoria East
redge@archersedge.co.za www.archersedge.co.za Open: Mon - Fri: 09:00 - 17:30 Sat: 09:00 - 15:00
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CONTENTS 5 2014 sal wees wat ons daarvan maak... / 2014 will be what we make of it... 7 From our readers 8 Weird and wonderful compound bow designs 13 Bowhunting crocodiles 16 Waarom verkies ons boogjag? 20 Bow previews for 2014 25 Living off the grid 29 The “Murphy” factor 33 Pongola Bow Hunters annual club bow shoot 34 Product showcase: the Intercept SuperCoil crossbow / Get into the game with Quest 35 Product showcase: Fair Chase... for younger archers / New Honey 2 from Carter 36 Readers' trophies 38 The joys of a great hunt 42 The way I see it 44 SABA news 45 Western Cape Field Championships 48 Subscribe and win 50 ABO news 51 Twee vlakvarke met ’n boog 52 Barky’s notebook 55 Die slegte sy van insekte – deel 1 61 Hunting roe deer with a traditional bow 62 Bowhunting opportunities 64 Letter from the rookie
Cover image: crocodile / 123RTF.com
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AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER JANUARY 2014
Africa’s Bowhunter Magazine cc [CK/] 96/32848/23 PO Box 31688 Waverley, 0135 South Africa Tel: 012 330 3464 Fax: +27 86 615 7044 E-mail: editor@africasbowhunter.co.za Website: www.africasbowhunter.co.za Office address: 880s Crots Street, Rietfontein, Pretoria . PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR 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: cceagleswing@mweb.co.za COPY EDITOR Mariette Kriel Emmerentia Steyn DESIGN AND LAYOUT André van Schaik E-mail: repro@africasbowhunter.co.za REPRODUCTION & PRINTING Impress Printers for Sheetfed, Web, Digital and Packaging printing Telephone: 031 263 2755 DISTRIBUTION RNA Distribution Hazel Luüs Tel: 011 248 3639 SUBSCRIPTIONS / ADVERTISEMENTS Santie Liebenberg E-mail: santie@africasbowhunter.co.za
KOMMENTAAR
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.
2014 sal wees wat ons daarvan maak...
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ié uitgawe verskyn gewoonlik tussen Kerfees en Nuwejaar op die rakke – dus net ’n paar dae voor ons 2014 binnegaan. Voor ons egter oor die toekoms praat, wil ek ’n oomblik terugkyk en praat oor dit wat van Africa’s Bowhunter ’n sukses gemaak het. Ek dink dan dadelik aan oom Tom Cairncross, wat bykans sedert die begin deel was van die tydskrif en oor 14 jaar wat die tydskrif bestaan reuse werk gedoen het as skrywer, produksie-redakteur, redakteur en advertensie-redakteur. Oom Tom se jarelange ondervinding in joernalistiek, sy skryfvermoë, sy kennis van die drukbedryf in sy geheel en sy aangename persoonlikheid het alles bygedra om van Africa’s Bowhunter ’n sukses te maak. Oom Tom het egter onlangs, op 76 jarige ouderdom, besluit om af te tree. Hy sal egter steeds deeltyds by die tydskrif betrokke bly. Oom Tom is nie iemand wat sommer gaan lê nie en hy hou daarvan om besig te bly. Almal by Africa’s Bowhunter is bitter jammer om van hom afskeid te neem en ons sal hom baie mis. Gelukkig sal ons hom nog gereeld sien en met hom kontak behou. Ons wens hom die beste toe met die meer rustige lewe wat nou vir hom voorlê. Ons het baie hoop vir die nuwe jaar en ons glo dat dit ’n uitstekende jaar vir boogjag en die boogbedryf gaan wees. Daar word ’n ekonomiese oplewing voorspel – sommiges reken dit sou nou in Desember 2013 al begin het. Met al die nuwe boë en boogjagtoerusting wat beskikbaar is op die mark, kan ’n paar ekstra rande in die bank baie handig te pas kom. Lees gerus in dié uitgawe oor die nuwe boë wat Harry Marx in die loop van die jaar gaan toets. Onthou om vroegtydig seker te maak van jagplek later in die jaar. Bespreek sommer nou al by jou gunsteling jagplekke en dit is nooit te vroeg om te begin oefen en seker te maak ’n mens se toerusting is slaggereed vir die komende jagseisoen nie. Africa’s Bowhunter wens al ons lesers ’n wonderlike nuwe jaar toe. 2014 sal wees wat ons almal saam daarvan maak. Ons wens u God se seën toe.
2014 will be what we make of it...
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his issue usually appears on the shelves in the week between Christmas and New Year. Thus, it is just a few days before we enter 2014. However, before we talk about what might happen in the future, let me take time to talk about the past and what helped make Africa’s Bowhunter a success. One of the people who certainly made a huge contribution to the magazine is Tom Cairncross, who was with the Bowhunter nearly since its inception in 2000. Over the last 14 years he has been a production editor, the editor, advertisement editor and writer at the magazine. Oom Tom’s experience as a journalist, his writing ability, his knowledge of the printing industry in general and his friendly amicable personality all helped to make Africa’s Bowhunter a success. However, Oom Tom has recently decided to retire at the age of 76. He will still be involved in the magazine, on a part-time basis, since he is a die hard and just has to be busy with something. All of us at Africa’s Bowhunter are sad to see him go and he will be sincerely missed. However, we will still see him often and will stay in close contact. We wish him the best for the coming years in which he will be a little less active. We have much hope for the new year and that it will be a great year for bowhunting and the bowhunting industry in general. A positive upswing in the economy is predicted – starting now in December 2013. With all the new bows and bowhunting gear available on the market, a little extra cash in the bank will surely come in handy! Please read Harry Marx’s article on the new bows he will be testing during 2014. It is always wise to start early in the year with one’s planning for the hunting season, such as booking at ones favoured hunting spots, practising with the bow and making sure one’s hunting gear is in order. Everyone at Africa’s Bowhunter wishes all its readers the best for the new year. 2014 will be what we make of it. God bless
Rean Steenkamp Redakteur / Editor
JANUARY 2014 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER
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