AFRICA's BOWHUNTER - August 2015

africa’s

AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

Bowhunter

BOWHUNTING KUDU

Bow test: Bowtech’s Icon AUGUST 2015

The mental side of archery Jagte: Koedoe, duiker, bosvark en takbok Mounted archery

Hoyt Nitrum Turbo field test Archery organisations

VOL 16 - ISSUE 08 SOUTH AFRICA R34.00 [incl VAT] USA $6.50 OTHER COUNTRIES R29.82 [Tax excl]

AUGUST 2015

Hunting in the mountains

Bowhunting kudu

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CONTENTS 5 Why do we bowhunt?

7 From our readers 8 Mountains, plains and bushveld 12 Testing the Bowtech ICON 16 The mental side of archery 18 Archery and bowhunting: where to begin… never to end: part 2 – Archery organisations 21 Field testing the Hoyt Nitrum Turbo 25 An ancient kudu with bow and arrow 28 Duiker hunting 34 Don't miss the gun dog anniversary event!

35 Trapping squirrels 36 Readers' trophies 38 Blind hunting: have we lost sight of the goal?

41 Jayden se eerste jag 44 Bowhunting kudu 48 Mounted Archery Grand African Tournament 2015 52 Longbows and grass carp 57 Test your knowledge 59 Subscribe 62 Bowhunting opportunities 63 Bows for sale 64 Letter from the rookie

Cover image: Kudu.

Photo by Sam D'Cruz. ©123RF.com.

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AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER AUGUST 2015

Africa’s Bowhunter Magazine cc [CK/] 96/32848/23 PO Box 31688 Waverley, 0135 South Africa Tel: 012 348 5550 Fax: +27 86 615 7044 E-mail: editor@africasbowhunter.co.za Website: www.africasbowhunter.co.za Office address: 1st Floor, The Hillside 318, Lynnwood, Pretoria 0081.

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 André van Schaik E-mail: repro@africasbowhunter.co.za REPRODUCTION & PRINTING Formset Print (Pty) Ltd Telephone: 021 507 9000 DISTRIBUTION RNA Distribution Hazel Luüs Tel: 011 248 3639 SUBSCRIPTIONS/SMALLS/ ADVERTISEMENTS Santie Liebenberg E-mail: santie@africasbowhunter.co.za ADVERTISEMENTS Lizandré van Rooyen E-mail: lizandre.vanrooyen@gmail.com

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.

Why do we bowhunt?

W

e are in midwinter, and it is clear that bowhunters are still hunting many animals, although game prices have gone up significantly.

Yes, we do get fewer trophy photos than in previous years and bowhunters are probably taking fewer animals per hunt than before, but they have not lost their enthusiasm for the bow and arrow. The arrows are still flying.

It is also true that many bowhunters have bought rifles since it is much easier to obtain a gun licence now than it was just a few years ago.

And having bought a new weapon, a hunter is certainly inclined to test it and take animals with it. This is only natural and to be expected. However, will this result in a permanent decline in the bowhunting industry? Will bowhunters swap their bows for rifles? No, I don’t think so. I think many hunters will hunt with both rifle and bow – as do most bowhunters in the USA. This made me again consider the reasons why we are bowhunting. What is so great about bowhunting? Why do so many game farm owners allow only bowhunting on their ranches? The first thing to remember is that nothing has changed now that rifle licences are more accessible! Bowhunting became popular before the draconic gun laws of a few years ago when everyone started handing in their rifles and handguns – some of which were beautiful heirlooms handed down from father to son over generations.

It is still true that game on bowhunting game farms is calmer and that one can engage in other activities on these farms that cannot be done on a game farm where shots are fired and heard during the hunting season.

I think bowhunters use bows because a bow is an effective weapon, because it is quiet and because it presents challenges of its own. It certainly is an exciting weapon to hunt with and tends to bring the hunter within close proximity of his or her prey. The fact that so many hunters took up the bow and arrow and that so many game farms opened up for bowhunting is proof enough that it is an effective hunting weapon and that hunting with the bow and arrow has a special appeal. We are well past the time when hunters and game famers still have doubts about the effectiveness of the bow and arrow.

Why are there so many bowhunting-only game farms?

Although many rifle hunters complain about bowhunters hunting from blinds, it is also true that most game farmers prefer bowhunters to hunt from blinds. Hunting from blinds creates a controlled environment. Not only are the water, feed and lick placed at acceptable distances, ensuring shots within a particular bowhunter’s ability, but the game farm owner can also keep track of the hunter’s movements and the number of arrows released.

However, Africa’s Bowhunter does encourage bowhunters to hunt on foot as well.

Stalking an animal with a bow and arrow is probably the ultimate challenge and something all bowhunters that are in good health should aspire to.

Game farm owners can use the bowhunter as an instrument in their game-breeding programmes. Biltong hunters can be instructed to focus on genetically impaired or injured animals, or the farm owner can ask bowhunters to focus on certain game species that are in abundance or to refrain from shooting animals that are rare on the farm, especially now that so many game farmers have expensive colour variants on their land. It often happens that a game farmer would offer lower prices, for instance on young impala rams that might be in excess or he might raise the price of some animals he wants to protect.

While bowhunting is done on a game farm, many other activities can still be engaged in at the same time, without people having to worry about being hit by a stray bullet.

During summer, or when there are no bowhunters on the farm, the same blinds used for hunting can be used to view and film game and birds.

I think over the last number of years many people turned to bowhunting just because it was something new to them and then many of them went back to rifle hunting. However, a true bowhunter will certainly also hunt with a rifle, but will never trade in his bow permanently if he or she can help it. I have heard too many testimonies of hunters who said they would never give up their bows after they had made their first bow kill.

God bless

Rean Steenkamp – Editor

AUGUST 2015 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

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2000 Ha of best kept secret in Zululand for bow hunting. www.wowafrica.com / wowafrica@me.com / 0837321179

 Reply on “an inconvenient truth” After reading the article by Cleve Cheney, “An inconvenient truth”, I would like to share my views on the subject of exotic game breeding. By exotic game I mean colour variants, not legitimate species like roan, sable, buffalo etc.

There are three things that Cleve mentioned that I would like to comment on. Firstly, I refer to the pictures that he uses as examples of colour variants. There are some colour variants like black, white and copper springbuck, as well as white blesbuck, that have been around long enough to be listed as separate species in the SCI record books, and I do not think that there is anything wrong with the breeding of these animals. The concern should lie in all the ‘new’ colours that are being bred, like golden wildebeest, saddleback blesbuck, white impala and so on.

Secondly, there is no connection between exotic game breeding (colour variants) and the hunting industry. They are two different businesses altogether. There is no so-called end market for colour variants. They are not bred to hunt. There is only one reason for colour variant breeding and that is for quick cash for as long as the market holds. Very few colour variants have been hunted since this thing started, but the industry is already billions strong. There is no need to hunt these animals, it is all about breeding and selling. If I had the money to enable me to start my own breeding herd of black impala, it would not be because I want someone to hunt them in the future at ridiculous prices, but because I can make a lot of money in a relatively short period of time by breeding and selling to other buyers that are in it for the same reason. And then if the market crashes, I have made my millions and the animals can be hunted for free for all I care. It all comes down to the fact that it is a profit-driven business that has huge returns, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. And yes, it does affect the hunting industry because the females of some species are used to breed the colour variants and breeders pay a lot of money for them. But it still does not have anything to do with the hunting industry.

Lastly he mentions the fact that maybe if some politician “climbs on the bandwagon”. Well, Phala Phala Wildlife is a member of Stud Game Breeders and a very successful exotic game breeding business, and belongs to Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.

Where we live, there are already exotic game breeding programmes going on on government farms, where locals are being mentored on how the business works. So, from my point of view, this is far from over, whether it is right or not!

Anonomous – Roodepan

To advertise phone Lizandré at:

Tel: 012 348 5550 / 072 601 7155 E-mail: lizandre@africasbowhunter.co.za AUGUST 2015 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

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Santie Liebenberg

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.

E-mail: lsantie@africasbowhunter.co.za Tel: 012 348 5550 / Fax: +27 86 615 7044

From our readers

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