South Africa: Bowhunting with Dries Visser Safaris June 2024

[Adipose]

My Wife & I bow hunted in RSA this June. I have hunted in Africa many times, but this was the first time we hunted with the PH staying with us for the day. I wasn't sure how I was going to like that, as I enjoy the time alone when bowhunting. Our PH Stian Von Wielligh certainly made the trip. He was a pleasure to spend time with and really worked hard for us.
We hunted multiple properties & stands for different species, fixed blinds & portable blinds set up just for this trip. This was my Wife's first trip to Africa and she enjoyed everything and started hunting herself. The staff was very polite and accommodating. The food was very good and the rooms and lodge were all top notch.
The amount of animals we saw everyday was great. We spent a lot of time hunting certain animals passing up many more which was enjoyable. One 60+" Kudu kept me busy a few days. We had him on the game cameras and finally I saw him half way through the trip but he was busy with the ladies and he never came close enough for a shot. What a monster and I am glad at least I got to see him. Kim's first animal was a big Black Impala which tend to be smaller than the regular impala and it was 25". We got a couple sable, one over 47" and one over 49". All the animals were great quality and I know its early in the year, but the Roan should be the new #1.
Such a great trip and we are looking forward to returning to South Africa soon.

 

[Pablo]

Impressive animals right there! I have a friend who hunted a really nice impala with them about 10 years ago.

 

[Adipose]

Impressive animals right there! I have a friend who hunted a really nice impala with them about 10 years ago.

Thank you. They have been around for quite some time and we saw quite a few Impala. Would love to go back for a Saddle back one day.

 

[gillettehunter]

Looks like a very memorable hunt. Congrats.
Bruce

 

[DonPablo]

That a king's wildebeest? Those are so cool!

 

[Adipose]

That a king's wildebeest? Those are so cool!

Yes the last picture is a King. Was lucky to get the Wildebeest slam this trip. The King's really are cool looking .

 

[cpr0312]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[gram2117]

Those are some beautiful trophies.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Really impressive animals! Congratulations to you and your wife!

 

[Nyati]

Great trophies, congrats !

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Excellent hunts and many nice trophies, congratulations!

Can you tell us a bit about your bows, arrows, bolts, broadheads?

Thanks!

 

[Adipose]

Excellent hunts and many nice trophies, congratulations!

Can you tell us a bit about your bows, arrows, bolts, broadheads?

Thanks!

Thank you. The bow I was using was a Matthews lift 29. From the first time I shot it, I loved the weight the speed and how quiet it is. I need reading glasses, so I started to struggle a couple years ago with having the pins in focus when I drew back the bow. When I found the new peep sights a year ago that have the verifier lenses built in, well it was a game changer for me. the biggest thing preparing for the safari over the past year was building muscle, and finding the correct power lens to make both the target clear as well as the pins. The arrows are Easton 4mm FMJ 300. I have always shot fixed blade broadheads and a couple years ago I switched to Iron Will. After my fist season with them and seeing what they did on whitetails and bear, I was hooked. My broadheads for the plains game were the 125 wide.
The Cape Buffalo arrows were custom made by Iron Will just for that animal and I used there 200 grain buff head. The Buffalo went about 50 yards and moaned shortly after.

It wasn't the intent for my wife to hunt on this trip, that just happened so we didn't have a crossbow with us. Never having owned one or even shot one before, I cannot really tell you much about the one we used other than it worked. We rented it from Dries as well as the three bolts she used. All three of her animals dropped in 30 yards or less. I was pretty impressed at what a crossbow can do. I will say in less than a week of our return, she did buy her own crossbow a Ten Point 515 and has been shooting it to prepare for our hunt next year.