africa’s
bowhunter
Ancient blinds
Mounted archery To camo or not to camo Preparing for the hide Youngsters – the future of bowhunting
JULY 2014
VOL 15 - ISSUE 07 SOUTH AFRICA R34.00 [incl VAT] USA $ 6.50 OTHER COUNTRIES R29.82 [Tax excl]
Broadhead testing protocol
Waterbuck hunt Game farm review: Oppi Plaas
Bow test: G5's Quest Radical
Have we lost the plot?
A magazine for the bowhunting enthusiast
WE DON’T DO
AVERAGE
Bradley Matthysen: 071 603 2677 Redge Grant: 082 378 0539 Orders: 071 493 0020 800 Wekker Street, Moreleta Park, Pretoria East redge@archersedge.co.za www.archersedge.co.za Open: Mon - Fri: 09:00 - 17:30 Sat: 09:00 - 15:00
1 8 ” - 3 0 ” 1 4 - 7 0 LB DRAW LENGTH
DRAW WEIGHT
R 5100* $499 MSRP
ISAIAH: 48:17
Bow only
* - Prices subject to R/$ exchange.
JULY 2014 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER
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CONTENTS 5 Change isn’t always good 7 From our readers 8 Have we lost the plot? 12 Testing G5's Quest Radical 15 Product showcase: want to buy a Winchester? 17 Echoes of a storm on the banks of the Selati River 20 Product showcase: a pocketknife with many uses 20 Product showcase: keeping the creepycrawlies at bay 22 Product showcase: Atom – strange new broadhead 24 Oppi Plaas – Marius Roothman Boerdery 29 Patience paid off with a nice waterbuck 33 Broadhead testing protocol 34 Old arrows 37 The way I see it 39 Readers' trophies 44 Our youngsters – the future of bowhunting 47 SABA news 48 To camo or not to camo 51 Subscribe 53 Ancient blinds and hunting practices 56 For the kids 58 ABO news 59 Test your knowledge 60 “Die bok kyk vir jou…” 62 Oom Dries en die “Driezie” 64 Barky’s notebook 66 Mounted archery near Pretoria 70 Bowhunting opportunities 72 Letter from the rookie
Cover image: Waterbuck / www.123RF.com
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AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER JULY 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: 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 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
COMMENT
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.
Change isn’t always good C
hange they say is inevitable and indeed the rate of change we see around us in the world today is quite alarming to say the least. Change may be for the better but I cannot agree that it is always good. On the contrary much of the change I see happening in the world today is not good. A steep descent into moral anarchy and decay appears to be the norm and is applauded by those regarding themselves as liberally minded. What astounds me is that “conservatively minded” people accept the “enlightenment” (so called). A native of North America many years ago when observing the immoral behaviour of the white settlers to the continent, their lack of scruples, honesty and integrity, already in those days (late 1800’s), warned that “if you continue to foul your own bed one day you will suffocate in your own waste”. Truly we are seeing this come to pass as we begin to reap the rewards of our own, for want of a better word, “unrighteousness”. I question change the result of which is worse than whatever it replaced. I do not agree that “change” – whatever it is – is set in stone and that we cannot go back to something that was better. Change that results in something of poorer quality whether it be in terms of morality, experience or whatever does not have to be accepted. Those of you that read the Scriptures may be familiar with the term “repent”. In its original context it means to “turn and go back to something”. Progress does not necessarily mean “going forward”. The kind of “progress” we are experiencing in the world today is of the most decadent kind. Perhaps it is time that we did an abrupt about turn and went back to better things we have left behind. So where am I going with all this? Well change has occurred in the activity (I am reluctant to use the word “sport”) of hunting. It was not like it used to be. I am not referring necessarily to the equipment we hunt with. We have seen quite remarkable changes in the sophistication and technological development of hunting weapons be they firearms or bows. Some of the changes in this regard have been for the good. What I am referring to is the WAY we hunt. It is so far removed from what used to be and I for one do not see the changes as good (that is my opinion and you are welcome to differ). This is discussed in a two part article entitled “Have we lost the plot?” Read these articles and chew on them. Get out into the bush, make yourself a fire under the stars and think about where change has brought us. Perhaps it is time we “go back”. Happy and safe hunting.
Cleve Cheney Hunting editor
DISTRIBUTION RNA Distribution Hazel Luüs Tel: 011 248 3639 SUBSCRIPTIONS / ADVERTISEMENTS Santie Liebenberg E-mail: santie@africasbowhunter.co.za
JULY 2014 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER
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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 or PO Box 31688, Waverley, 0135, South Africa.
@ Lees net die Bowhunter... Goeie middag, ek wil net graag hierdie foto deel met die Bowhunter. My man is nou al ’n paar jaar ’n boogjagter en laasjaar was ons gesëen met die geboorte van ons seuntjie, Aiden, wat ook ’n boogjagter sal word sodra hy mooi verstaan hoe dit werk… Pa en seun het bietjie gespeel, toe besluit Aiden hy
and less than a week later I had my brand new bow. We had to use the Post Office for sending and receiving because couriers seem to have a problem with finding farms even with GPS coordinates. I am not a “pro staffer” with any company so get nothing from this. It is just a letter of thanks. To Bradley Matthysen and Redge Grant: Guys from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This was by far the best service I have ever received from any hunting/outdoor shop. I have always told my friends to buy from Archer’s Edge I’ll do it with even more gusto now. Once again thank you. Nicky Niehaus
wil bietjie boek lees, en die enigste boek wat hy nou lees is die Bowhunter (sien foto). Dit was vir my net te oulik gewees en toe dog ek, ek wil dit net met julle deel ook. Hy gaan definitief ’n boogjagter word as hy bietjie groter is want as hy pa se boog sien, dan wil hy net met hom speel…As dit van pa afhang het hy al klaar ’n boog gekoop maar ek het gesê hy moet net eers ’n bietjie wag, hêhêhê. Glo dit of nie maar daai boogtydskrif is nog steeds tussen Aiden se speelgoed en hy “blaai” nog steeds deur hom…! Lekker dag verder vir julle.
@ On the RPM 360 Quite often I see bows tested where only the maximum poundage limbs and long draw lengths are taken into account. Harry alluded to the fact that he can only comment on his findings of the Bowtech RPM 360 as the test bow was set up. There have been many discussions on bowhunting forums and around the shop as to the speed and power of the new RPM 360, but I believe the true groundbreaking aspect this bow has brought to the market is sadly overlooked. When Archer’s Edge got the first demo 360 into the country I took a few shots with it set at 60 pounds on a 29-inch draw length. It was an extremely accurate and easy bow to shoot. I consequently acquired one and the same bow set at 70 pounds with the same draw length was a bit of a different beast but still a joy to shoot. Having spoken to a few longer-limbed people having the bow set up at 30-inch draw length at 70 pounds they also mentioned, as Harry did, that this is a strong man’s hunting bow. I believe the true performance niche this bow has brought to the market is for smaller-limbed people, including women and older children. The RPM 360 set at say 25-inch draw length with 50 or 60-pounds draw weight will outperform most current hunting bows on the market. It has probably introduced a bow in this sales group with which larger animals such as eland may be securely hunted with the right arrow and broadhead, putting it ahead of many if not most other bows currently available on the market.
Ilze van der Westhuizen
Louwrens de Lange
@ Excellent service Dear editor Recently I was in the market for a new bow. I have been using Bowtech bows for some years now, so it was the logical choice for me. After reading reviews etc I made up my mind that the Carbon Overdrive was the right choice. I phoned Archer's Edge and Bradley and I had a chat, I paid the money
Dear Louwrens Indeed, you are making a very valid point. Bows draw differently for different settings, and usually are optimised at IBO settings. Still, I believe you are correct in making the postulate that the RPM will be an excellent “lesser” bow, meaning when not set to its maximum settings. Thank you for your valuable T ABH insight. – Harry Marx
JULY 2014 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER
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LEAD ARTICLE
Have we lost the plot? By Cleve Cheney
F
rom a very early age I was besotted with the tales told by the early explorers, hunters and conservationists of Africa and India. My choice of reading matter was dominated by authors such as Jim Corbett (famous for hunting in India); Peter Hathaway Capstick, who wrote Death in the Long Grass; Harry Wolhuter, first ranger of the Kruger National Park; the memoirs of explorer and missionary in Africa, David Livingstone; and hunters of Africa such as Frederick Courtney Selous, John “Pondoro” Taylor, Bell and others. I also read stories Old camping site. about the famous American bowhunter, Fred Bear, and his exploits in the wilds of America and the “dark” continent. I would read and reread their hunting stories and dream of the day when I would be able to hunt like they did: the places they hunted and the way they hunted. By about the age of nine I had already decided that I would one day become a hunter in Africa or a ranger. As it turned out I ended up being both. The professions of hunting and conservation are not a contradiction in terms. There are, however, many who fail to see that the two professions are mutually compatible and many of the old hunters were as much conservationists as they were hunters. But back to my story. I was fascinated by the illustrations (pen sketches and drawings) and black-and-white photographs in the books. They showed long lines of porters walking behind
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Campfire with kettles.
AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER JULY 2014