Rifle hunting
Game is usually spotted from the hunting vehicle during the early morning or late afternoon and stalked on foot. However, at the client's request, the entire hunt can be done on foot. When hunting on foot, shooting is normally done from a standing position using shooting sticks as this improves shot placement and because brush and grass can make shooting from a sitting positions impossible.
It is advisable that the hunter is in a good physical condition and a reasonable shot, as these factors always influence the outcome of the hunt.
Calibre and Bullets
The toughness of African game is renowned. For small and medium sized plains game(impala up to kudu) a bolt action or single shot rifle of .270 or 30-06 caliber is recommended if a proper bullet is used. For big game like Eland a larger caliber rifle like a .338 will be sufficient. For thick-skinned game (Buffalo or Giraffe) the minimum caliber allowed is a .375 magnum.
Many hunters find that a .375 mag. is a very good all-round rifle for both plains and dangerous game hunting. When selecting a bullet it is important to remember to only use heavily constructed bullets like Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, Swift A-Frame, Winchester Fail-Safe and Barnes X. We do not recommend polymer tipped bullets in a high-powered rifle.
“Remember like with all hunting, bullet placement is everything and please bring the gun or guns you are most confident with”
Many hunters go out and buy a heavy recoiling gun a month before coming to Africa because they think they are going to need a super powerful gun. Very often this is a mistake and they find they have more gun than they can handle.
Scopes
Fit your rifle with a good quality scope; a 4x is a good all-round power but a quality variable of 3x-9 also works. When you travel with only one rifle it' is advisable to bring a spare scope and transport these in a good quality gun case.
Bow hunting
Bow hunting has become very popular in Africa and bowhunters are easily accommodated at our concessions. Numerous blinds are placed strategically to ensure maximum success and the average shooting distance range from 12 to 23 meters. These blinds range from ground to elevated blinds and even tree stands are used. Archers will have a professional hunter in the blind with them to help with trophy judgment.
Preparation
Before coming to Africa, archers must know their capabilities and should at least be able to shoot from either the sitting or standing positions. It is essential that archers should also practice shooting through a relatively small hole from inside a blind as shooting through such as small hole in an enclosure can be distracting. Furthermore, archers should know the anatomy of African game as shot placement is everything. Often the heart-lung area is situated much lower and further forward than in game animals in other parts of the world.
Equipment and Restrictions
Generally a bow and arrow combination that can produce a minimum of 65lbs. of kinetic energy with broadhead-tipped arrows is recommended. As it is often very dark inside blinds you may have difficulty in seeing your sight pins. Lighted sight pins are therefore a must when hunting from inside a blind. A laser rangefinder like Nikon or Bushnell is also recommended.
