SOUTH AFRICA: BOWHUNT: Hunting With Greatland Safaris & John Henry Keyser

[gillettehunter]

Good writing. Congrats on the buf. One to be proud of. Very nice to be able to pick up a couple of cull animals. Adds some spice to the trip. Sounds like pretty good shooting overall. Well done. Bruce

 

[mrpoindexter]

Thank you Bruce. Now I just have to finish my layout and get this to the publisher by tomorrow evening. I want the first copies to be here in time to give them personally to the people who made the trip possible. As I was not planning on making a book when I went, I didn't really have as much material to work with but I will remedy that on the next trip.

 

[Neale]

mrpoindexter, I enjoyed your hunt report and you did a good job of explaining your journey. Congrats on your Buff and all your other trophies. What great memories.
You my friend, have now contracted the disease.

 

[ChasingHemingway]

Thank you so much for letting us look through your eyes during the hunt. I as well love John Henry and his family and have come to know him as a best friend, PH, guide, mentor, and life coach. Congrats on your trophies and memories and hoping you can bring your family next time to experience the Dark Continent.

dt

 

[buckmarkhunter]

What an awesome adventure! Great story, loved reading about it.

 

[Lrntolive]

Thanks for the great write-up. I enjoyed the fact that this was your first hunting experience and that you truly enjoyed it. Congratulations!

 

[50by50]

MrPoindexter! ~ Awesome read man! Enjoyed it thoroughly. Can't believe you barely picked up a bow and did that well on your first ever hunt. My first time to Africa I was a wreck drawing back on those animals, even though I was a seasoned hunter.

Loved your cape buffalo! Can't believe you got a passthrough on that large an animal. Having a second bow is a great idea. I'm heading to Namibia next year with my rifle but after that plan on hunting S. Africa for Cape buffalo and plains game (sable and giraffe) so will definitely bring two bows.

Speaking of Giraffe- your bull was awesome and so was the story! Amazing penetration on that one as well. What was the ultimate setup? Did you check that when you got home? I'd be interested to hear how many pounds you were pulling and the specs on the arrow and energy.

Super jealous of your bushbuck! That was a nice ram with great twist on his horns.

I did meet John, briefly, when I hunted his ranch with KP. He seemed like a really cool guy. I guess one of his daughters and KP's daughter are friends at school or church or something.

Excited for next year to read your next report! Maybe you'll catch up to that hippo!

Matt

 

[mrpoindexter]

Ultimate set-up was as follows:

Dangerous Game bow:
Mathews Monster Safari, 85lb limbs, 81# draw weight, 28" draw length
Arrows: Easton Dangerous Game Full Metal Jacket 250 spine with Grizzly Stick 150gr Silver Flame broadheads, 4" fletches (RH twist) and nockturnal nock. Total weight 844.3 grains.

Arrow speed 233 FPS. Kinetic Energy 101.6 Fyt-Lbs. Momentum 0.873 slugs.

I don't have the FOC right now but I have it on my home computer. I will post it when I get stateside next week. I know it was lower than I would have liked but it was a heavy shaft and I figure it will have a higher FOC when I move up to a heavier BH for elephant in the future.

I used a Tru-fire chicken wing release and took off my axcel accutouch sight for a multi-pin fixed sight. I will always have multiple pins now for stalking as I might not have time to range and adjust a single pin.

 

[kathy]

I really enjoyed your story. I think you have the bug , that's great.
You didn't mention your arrow broadhead weight , Just curious.
A little advise, always spin test your arrows before you shoot them.
Practice with what you hunt with,(Broadheads) .
60lbs bow is plenty draw weight for planes game. use a heavy arrow with a razor sharp broadhead I shoot a 3 blade 175grain VPA solid broadhead, Easton 20/20 shaft with 4" parabolic feathers ,and wrap. total weight 615 grains. Just my 2 cents. Forrest

 

[mrpoindexter]

Thank you for the feedback, Forrest.

Sorry, thought I mentioned it. The broadheads are 150 grain Silver Flame (for my heavy bow)

I am going to spin test arrows from now on and will be doing shooting with the broadheads for several days prior to any future hunting trips now. I was a bit rushed on this one and am still new to archery and even newer to hunting.

Only my 60lb bow, I was shooting a 100 grain Montec fixed 3 blade tip and total arrow weight was around 450 grains. I already swapped to 70 lb limbs, which will help keep my muscles up for the safari bow. I do expect to reevaluate my hunting arrows for that bow. I do like the penetration of the heavier arrows.

I certainly do have the bug, that is for sure.

 

[50by50]

Man- you guys shoot some heavy arrows. And keep your speed up. I need to upgrade my bow. My arrows were just under 400 grains. Worked great for plains game but it's time to up my momentum as I graduated to cape buffalo, hippo, giraffe, etc.

 

[gizmo]

Wow what an awesome hunt and congrats!!!!! Very very cool.

 

[kathy]

Glad you have the bug, you were a late starter but you came on fast.
You may have mentioned your arrow broadhead total weight and I over looked it. thanks and Happy hunting. Forrest

 

[mrpoindexter]

One more update - I was out of the country when this came in, but I got back from an event I had in Paris last night and came in to the office to find my book got in from the publisher.

 

[mrpoindexter]

I guess I have one last rookie mistake here. During the editing process, I dropped a couple photos out with the intention of adding them back in on dedicated pages. I forgot to put them back in. Luckily it wasn't that important - only the actual photos of the buffalo!!! I smell a reprint in my near future. Argh!!!

 

[Synergy]

Excellent experience MrPointDexter, very nice!!!!!

 

[russ_c]

Wonderful story from start to finish! Love every bit of it! Congrats on the successful trip. Perhaps you will get those Impala horns on the next trip.

 

[Hunter101]

I hunted the same place years ago. After day two I was ready to leave. Place was small animals in poor condition wasn't a fun hunt. I was young and should have done more research. Skinners cut my full-body capes so bad I never had them mounted. If you're a serious hunter no way should you hunt with this outfitter, hated it.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I hunted the same place years ago. After day two I was ready to leave. Place was small animals in poor condition wasn't a fun hunt. I was young and should have done more research. Skinners cut my full-body capes so bad I never had them mounted. If you're a serious hunter no way should you hunt with this outfitter, hated it.

Feel free to write up your own hunt report in a separate thread.

 

[Buffalo1]

Fantastic adventure. Thanks for sharing with us. You collected some beautiful trophies. Special congrats on the buff.

I know you are addicted to Africa now !!