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MAY 2015VOL 16 - ISSUE 05SOUTH AFRICAR34.00 [incl VAT]USA $ 6.50OTHER COUNTRIES R29.82 [Tax excl]

Broadhead test:improved Ashby

BowhunterTom Miranda: Goal powerAn (un)lucky bushpig

Preparing for the hunt

Warthog huntGive a girl a bow…

A new bow sight?Processing a carcass

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4 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER MAY 2015

CONTENTS5 This is going to be an interesting hunting season

7 From our readers

8 Preparing for the hunt...

12 Tom Miranda: goal power

17 A new [in]sight – or another “pipe dream”?

20 Give a girl a bow...

21 Product Showcase: a great use for your iPhone!

23 The way I see it

25 “Stand” up for the season

27 An [un]lucky bushpig in Jeffrey’s Bay

30 Broadhead test: improved Ashby

35 The Curse

39 News clips

43 Test your knowledge

44 Reader's trophies

47 Pitfall traps

48 Next morning warthog

52 Processing a carcass

57 A quick guide to bowhunting warthog

59 Subscribe

62 Bowhunting opportunities

63 Bows for sale

64 Letter from the rookie

Cover image: Warthog by Sergey Ryzhov (123rf.com)

5MAY 2015 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

CO

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The nights are getting colder and the sun rises later, but although win-ter is coming closer the hunter’s heart is growing warmer. The

approach of winter marks the beginning of the hunting season.Since many game farms have closed their doors to hunters this winter,

bowhunters have had to find new hunting grounds. Friends will sit around new hunting fires and experience new parts of the country where they may not have hunted before. This might even lead to the hunting of new species, such as rhebok, reedbuck, fallow deer, gemsbok or a black wil-debeest instead of the usual impala, warthog, kudu or blue wildebeest.

It will be interesting to see what bowhunters’ reaction is to the higher prices for game, that in the past was affordable, but are now priced much higher. Will they simply pay the higher prices, will they travel farther for lower prices or will the focus be on different game species this season? It is well worthwhile to read Fritz Rabé’s article “Preparing for the hunt” in this issue, in which he gives advice on how to adjust to the price increases in game, as well as how to make the best of this year’s hunting experience.

Also to be read in this issue are Tom Miranda’s article on setting hunting goals for yourself; Cleve Cheney’s broadhead test and his article on how to process your own meat; Harry Marx’s article on a new sight he envisions as well as his unplanned bushpig hunt; and the well-known competition archer Jeanine van Kradenburg’s article on how her archery career got started. You can also read about Frank Berbuir’s warthog hunt, Nicky Niehaus’s struggle to bag a first impala with a bow and how an impala ram evaded Dr Adrian de Villiers.

If the number of trophy photos submitted to Africa’s Bowhunter can be used as a meas-ure, it does seem that a lot less bowhunting is being done. For the first time in more than ten years we have no backlog, on the contrary, we have actually run out of trophy photos. This has never happened before. Is the reason a struggling economy, because there is less money to spend on hunting, or is it because of the higher prices for game? Or both? That is the question.

Nevertheless, Africa’s Bowhunter wishes all its readers the best for the hunting season. May this be a season to remember, may it be an interesting one that every bowhunter can look back on and say that they have made it special, against all odds.

God bless

Rean SteenkampEditor

AFRICA’S BOWHUNTERAfrica’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/] 96/32848/23PO Box 31688Waverley, 0135South AfricaTel: 012 348 5550 Fax: +27 86 615 7044E-mail: editor@africasbowhunter.co.zaWebsite: www.africasbowhunter.co.zaOffice address: 1st Floor, The Hillside 318, Lynnwood, Pretoria 0081.

PUBLISHERRean SteenkampE-mail: editor@africanarcher.com

EDITORRean SteenkampE-mail: editor@africasbowhunter.co.za

HUNTING/ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORCleve CheneyCell: 082 922 5547E-mail: cleve@africasbowhunter.co.za

COPY EDITOREmmerentia Steyn

DESIGN AND LAYOUTAndré van SchaikE-mail: repro@africasbowhunter.co.za

REPRODUCTION & PRINTINGFormset Print (Pty) LtdTelephone: 021 507 9000

DISTRIBUTIONRNA DistributionHazel LuüsTel: 011 248 3639

SUBSCRIPTIONS/SMALLS/ ADVERTISEMENTSSantie LiebenbergE-mail: santie@africasbowhunter.co.za

This is going to be an interesting hunting season

6 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER MAY 2015

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7MAY 2015 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER

The nice part of load-shedding

Today is the fourth day in a row that we experienced load-shed-ding between 6 and 10 pm!

Regards – Fritz Rabé

Colour variant not popular with US huntersRean,For some reason with springbok, the occurrence of black, white and copper colour phases have never garnered much negative attention or criticism over here in the USA. I suspect that very well might be because in our black bear species here in North

America, as you look further west in their range, chocolate, cin-namon, and blonde colour phases occur naturally in addition to the most common black specimens. There is also, although quite rare, a “blue” or glacier bear.

Many hunters traveling to Africa are just not very familiar with many of the species found there. Thus I believe it is very possible that they assumed, like our black bear, these colour phases of springbok, and likewise possibly the white blesbok, occurred naturally.

But now with the different coloured gemsbok and blue wil-debeest, black impala, plus whatever is next – because humans just can’t seem to stop, once they start something – I have heard more and more “grumbling” about it coming from within the hunting community on this side of the pond.

Personally, the more I see of it the sillier it gets. Plus, I (and there are many hunters who share this same feeling) do not like it any time humans meddle with God’s creation, or feel that they have to change what occurs naturally in the wild. And guess what? I have not had one request yet for a “red” or “blonde” gemsbok, a black impala, or whatever colour they are making the new blue wildebeests these days.

Moreover, I think it cheapens what to my eye is, and has been for centuries, a priceless and unbelievably beautiful resource that is Africa’s wildlife. And like I said, I know many hunters who feel the exact same way. Think of who most of the hunters are – men and women in the 45 to 70-age range. The vast majority of those folks are conservative in most of their views to begin with. Why would you think they would view this in any way other than in a negative light?

Keep well – Tony Ruggeri – Freelance Outdoor Writer

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.

From our readers

T ABH

T ABH

NB Our telephone numberhas changed!!

NEW office numbers:Tel 012 348 5550Fax 086 615 7044For more information, contact Jan Louis Enterprises, 012 348 5550.

For more information contact:Rean Steenkamp: editor@africasbowhunter.co.zaHennie van der Walt: hennie@wildlifehunt.co.za.Santie Liebenberg: Santie@africasbowhunter.co.za

8 AFRICA’S BOWHUNTER MAY 2015

Preparing for the hunt...

What to take along / Securing and confirming a venue / On the farm / In the blind