Absolute MINIMUM for Cape Buff.

[Mchunt]

OK Shooting a 43#@28" BW Recurve. 43# due to rotator cuff problems some years back. What would be the absolute MINIMUM poundage needed to KILL a Cape Buff?? All things as shot placement arrow and broadhead wieght are already considered perfect. Keep in mind that training /practice with heavy poundage will most likly result in shoulder damage. What is absolute minimum to still be in the game?

[robtattoo]

I don't have personal experience, but from talking to those who do & what they've told me, 70# would be the absolute minimum & 80# would be better. 900+ gn arrow is a must & -unfortunately for your shoulder- so is a lot of practice. If you're not 100% comfortable shooting heavy weights like these, please forget about buffalo. I'd hate to read of your untimely demise!

[LONGBOWKID]

What is the red goo between the cape buffalo's hooves? The guy who shot him with a 43# bow.

I dont think 43# could even push an arrow deep enough to get a lung, even with missing a rib. And if you were to hit one, no way jose.

I'll agree with Rob, I have no personal experience, but I have heard the same, as well as some fellas that HAVE done it, saying OVER 80# is ideal.

Set your sights on a hog, 40-ish pounds is about minimum that I'd suggest. A poor man's cape buffalo. Very exciting to hunt, and can get the adreneline going too.

[amar911]

My cape buffalo setup was a Super Shrew pulling 68 pounds at 29 1/2 inches which is at least as good as 70 pounds at 28 inches. I was also using an EFOC 915 grain arrow. I consider that to be near the minimum for a cape buffalo bull, but it should be plenty if shot placement is good. Unfortunately, I never got a shot at a buff. Lots of practice is an absolute necessity. My surgically repaired shoulder hurt constantly, but not as bad as a horn through my chest if I had shot a buff and only wounded it. I have to agree with Rob and Brandon, stay away from buffalo with a rig as anemic as you describe. It will only make him mad. Wounded buffalo are dangerous to everyone. I doubt you could find a PH who would take you hunting buffalo with that rig. Mine certainly would not.

Allan

[tradtusker]

70lbs at 28" draw the longer the better
850gr arrow.. 1000grs would be better

[amar911]

I'm with you on that minimum Andy.

Allan

[Jesse Peltan]

Howard hill said you can take any animal in North America (American bison, moose, muck ok, etc) with a #40 bow. He was talking a Howard hill style bow. If you add in modern advances like r/d limbs, efoc arrows, single bevel, skinny string, etc you might have a good chance with #43. I suggest you buy the most efficent bow at #43 you can (belcher ssr 205fps fingers 10gpp 28in draw), follow Ashby's instructions on arrow weight, efoc, tapered shafts, etc and get the slickest strike plate, shelf, lighest silencers, etc. Maybe even use the heaviest spine weight grizzly stiks with the Ashby head. I would test the setup here first on game and possibly a cow carcass if you can. Then you decide if it is sufficient.

[tradtusker]

cape Buffalo and American Bison are not even in the same league.

im pretty sure you could kill a bison with a 40+ lb longbow...

but the heavier, thicker skinned, wider, overlapping ribs, dangerously tuff track record of a cape buffalo is another story completely.

Like Allan said its very unlikely you will find a guide that would even entertain the idea of shooting one with a 40 some pound trad bow.

not saying its impossible but think it would be a dangerous and expensive goal

[DG2]

Draw lenght is important factor. 60#/30" bow will outshoot 80#/26" anyday....

[robtattoo]

Originally posted by DG2:
Draw lenght is important factor. 60#/30" bow will outshoot 80#/26" anyday....

Actually it won't......nescessarily. A lot of that would depend on the bow. For a bow of equal length being pulled to 2 different drawlengths, yes, a longer draw is a big advantage. However a short draw with a short bow, compared to a long draw with a longer bow kinda equals out.

Bottom line is; no matter what your drawlength 43# is only going to piss off a buffalo & possibly get you recycled.

[calgarychef]

I saw some of the buffalo ribs that Monty Browning was carrying around....man they  are THICK and wide too.  I don't think you could slip an arrow between them by the sound of things.  That said lots of people have "magnumitis" and want the biggest gu/strongest bow etc.  I think a lot of that stuff is overblown.  

There also is a point of no return with heavy arrows....something that isn't discussed much but will be in the near future once people ralize that one can have too much arrow weight.

Maybe youshould look at a compound of you really want to shoot a dagga boy.  There's no shame in admitting that you aren't up to it physically.  I know I'd never be able to pull 80 lbs and shoot well with trat gear.

the chef

[Zenzele]

Even shooting a .458 Winchester I was worried!    Going after one with a sub 70# bow imho is suicidal!
To go after these beasts with stick and string is not high on my list. Unless it was titled 'Ways to die horribly'    
They dont call it 'Africa's black death' for nothing....

[Richie Nell]

What is the deal with the advantages of a longer draw?  
In my case I shoot a Black Widow 66 @ 29.  I pull 30.25 inches.  That should be about 70 lbs.

I have chronographed a 772 grain arrow at 170 fps.
Does this seem good? Could be better? what?

Not that I'm going buff hunting but is this Black Death medicene or would I be recycled.
Thanks

[amar911]

Richie,

I think you have enough going for you with that bow and your draw if you pick the right arrows and broadhead, get everything perfectly tuned, and make a good shot. I would recommend a heavier arrow, although you are getting close with 772 grains. A hundred more or so would be good. At 11 grains per pound, 170 fps is good velocity, much of it due to your draw length. A longer draw is like a longer stroke in an engine. Force is applied for a longer time, thus imparting greater energy (velocity) to the arrow for a given peak draw weight. Some bows can do a little better than you BW, but it is doing fine. Your rig is pretty comparable to mine if you were to have another 140 grains of weight in your arrow. I am guessing the velocity of my arrows at around 160. I need to break out my chronograph and see.

Allan

[ichiban]

have a look at the pics of a buff, and seriously think. there have been times where i have been shooting at the butts and the target is freshly packed and all new and shiny and at a distance the arrows can occasionaly bounce off using fieald points i know there are huge diffrences between hunting and target arrows but that was enough to get me thinking

[unclewhit]

The words of Peter Hathaway Capstick come to mind , "an angry, wounded buff will very likely stomp you into a Bloody mud-hole".

[Richie Nell]

Amar911
Thanks for the info.  
The 772 was with a 300 grain field point.  
I use a 190 grizzly with 100 grain inserts that is 285 grains after being sharpened.  That would make my elk hunting arrow 760.  I can also set up a 900 grain arrow by adding 140 grains of paracord.  The 900 grain shot 155 fps.

Last year I shot a whitetail with a 994 grain arrow.  It certainly worked well breaking the offside shoulder/leg on its way out.  I use this arrow for deer because only because I need it to be so quite a 15 yards.
I would rather be able to shoot farther and flatter at elk with the 760 gr. arrow.

My only possible issue or problem when getting very technical is the diameter of my 2317 arrows.  However these arrows do shoot very well.  I have tried other setups but I just keep going back to these 2317's.

[tradtusker]

Chef i agree with you that some of the really heavy weight technical stuff is pretty overblown, lot of people went crazy with extream set-ups single bevel heads when most of the hunting they do is whitetails. however there is nothing wrong with someone getting the most performance out of their gear even if they only hunt rabbits if fact i would encourage it.

when it comes to dangerous game such as Buff with a trad bow i dont think you can get overkill, except if your set-up was to heavy to shoot accurately, no point having a 95lb bow and not being able to hit what your aiming at.

i plan to do quite a bit of testing next time im up in the Northen territory, different bows, draw weights, arrows, broadheads including stone points etc..

[hunt it]

Over and above all good points made it would be illegal to use a bow of such light weight for buff in majority of African countries.

[kibok&ko]

Hello

look at this ....



probably hard to get in !