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Seasons Greetings.
The rainy season has come to most parts of Namibia and for some, more than normal for this time of the year, for example, me. We have had so far about 125 mm (average) and the rivers have flowed already, which has helped the bore-holes along the rivers. In the week that the Guide's Bowhunting course (17-18 November) was held, the average for that week was 100 mm. It's great having greenery everywhere at this time of the year, when the last couple of years it always looks so dry and barren.
Every drop counts, I just hope that at the end of the rainy season it will have been a good one, but only time will tell.
In this issue of The Archer:
Looking back at the year.
Firstly, I will start with the Newsletter.
This is the 4th issue this year, with the first issue being in February, there has been a steady flow of subscribers through the year and now there are 103 subscribers. I am happy with the response and look forward to continuing with it next year and please send me your tips and experiences to share with the subscribers.
I plan to do four issues again, but I have to see how it works out.
The year in General; I am only going to cover the hi-lights, otherwise I'll never finish. This year has flown by, if you blinked, I think you would have missed it. There are a couple of sayings "Time flies when you are enjoying yourself", or " as you get older time seems to fly by", I am trying to work out which one applies to me. The rains were fair, with some parts of the farm getting below average and some above average. Our second daughter, Georgia, was born in February, she is keeping us busy and a real pleasure, the day is coming when she'll be walking and that day is not so far way.
Then there was me joining Johann Louw of Kambuka Lodge on the NAPHA Bowhunting Committee in July. I am proud to be apart of the committee and to be working with Johann and the ladies in the Napha office ( Carlin, Almut and Armguard). The livestock side of things seemed to be able to look after itself for the best part of this year and I would like to thank Amelia (my wife) for over seeing this side of things while I was off hunting.
The hunting season started slowly and then gather momentum through the year. We had many laughs, great experiences and many happy and memorable moments and photos. To choose a moment or a hunt is difficult because each one was memorable. I would like to thank those of you who did hunt with me this year and I look forward to seeing some of you again next year or in the near future to share some more great hunting experiences in the North West Namibia, maybe to harvest the one that got away.
Now I find the year is coming to an end.
Changes for the better (I think).
For those of you that do not already know I have made some changes.
1 E-mail address is now only vieranas@mweb.com.na
2 Website address is now www.vieranasbowhunt.com
The big change is the telephone system.
The old telephone number + 264 (0)67 330214 is still working, but if you find you can not get through to me at that number (maybe the party line is engaged, it's rainy or the line are down, then the following will be working : +264 (0)67 687028.
-Tip from a reader.
The tip is to do with fall away arrow rests and this comes from Allen Dougal from the USA.
I enjoy reading about bowhunting in Namibia. It allows me to dream about the time that I can enjoy bowhunting there within the next few years.
"I have a hunting experience that I would like to pass on for the benefit of anyone who likes to bowhunt. I decided to change my arrow rest to a drop away type. Being very careful to set the new rest up in the same position as the previous one I thought I had been successful when I shot my practice broadhead. Since it seemed to shoot the same as my field points I thought I would not have to paper tune my new rest. The lesson I learned was rather painful and frustrating. I missed approximately 10 shots while whitetail hunting in Montana. After returning home I shot through paper to see why my arrows were not flying true. The rest had to be moved 1/8 inch to the left and 1/16 inch up before my actual broadheads would fly true to the target. My advice to bowhunters is learn from my experience--always paper tune and shoot your actual broadheads."
You will avoid a lot of frustration when you have the opportunity to harvest an animal. I think this is an important tip and that when ever you put a new arrow rest on your bow whether it is a drop away type or a convention arrow rest, make time to check that your centre shot, sight and the flight of your arrow with a practice broadhead are all working together and your arrows are flying true.
An extra 30 minutes preparation on the range can save you a frustrating hunt and money.
Thank you, Allen for your tip and for sharing your experience with us and I do hope 1 day we'll see you here in Namibia.
By sharing tips and experience with each other like Allen's, we can all learn and help each other. This is the main goal of this newsletter and I would also like to thank the other readers who e-mailed me back on the feed-back e-mail, I appreciate the comments very much and glad to hear that the Newsletter is welcomed.
Hunting stories.
The Hartmann's Mountain Zebra is a very alert and can be elusive animal and as a Bow hunting guide, I have spent many hours with clients walking and stalking and sitting in the blind waiting for the perfect opportunity to a rise. At the end of the day luck has to be on your side with this Zebra.
The average stalk for this year from sighting the zebra to getting within 30 - 45 yards took 2 and half hours and each time luck was not on our side, but the adrenaline is close to heart stopping and blisters on the knees. What I have noticed in the North West Namibia is that, the more moonlight there is, the greater the tendency for the Hartmann's Mountain Zebra to go to water to drink more at night.
In September Juha Soikkeli and Yrjo Virtanen from Finland came and hunted with me.
On the first day a lot of Kudu came in and Juha saw some great Kudu Bulls.
Unfortunately as there were so many kudu cows and calves around the Bull, his decided it would be better to wait and see if another opportunity would not arise later in the day. But for the rest of the day, we saw only young bulls which were too small , that is hunting.
On that first day we see saw alot of Kudu (+70, to be fair, I think I lost count).
After a good nights rest (some people, I think dreamt of the one that got away and what could have been) That morning Juha got his Kudu Bull, which was a good Kudu and one of the ones we had seen the day before.
Yrjo was looking for a Kudu Bull that was unusual, I had told him about one Bull that the right was normal and that I thought was about 53 inch, but the left horn was like a concertina. He decided that was the one for him.
Why is it that, when you are waiting for a specific animal and you think you know it's movements, it never plays along with you. Anyway after we had recovered Juha's Bull, we decided it was time for lunch as it was on the warm side.
After a good lunch made by my wife Amelia, we went back to the blind where we had sat that morning. Juha said to me that for the afternoon he would just watch Yrjo shot "The Kudu Bull" and relax for a change, which was fine.
Once in the blind, some Kudu cows and young Bull's came in, also Giraffe and a couple of Gemsbok Bulls, warthog, Springbok and Go-away Birds.
With only one and a half hour until sunset and starting to lose hope, the Kudu Bull appeared to our right up in the tree line and was moving in our direction. Yrjo took his bow in hand and knocked his arrow and the waiting started for the kudu to come into Bow range. Juha and I watched on. The Bull was still away off, so I decided to double check to the left side as I thought that I had seen some movement, there were some more Kudu cows coming in, but I then saw behind the Kudu cows there was more movement in the thorn bushes.
Juha and Yrjo both wanted a Hartmann's Mountain Zebra if the opportunity were to arise.
Then out of the bush and onto the game trail the first Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, then followed by another and another, total there were 4 stallions, a bachelor herd. Once they were all out in the open, they came in to the water. I ask Yrjo if he was still interested in the Mountain Zebra, he thought I was joking and said no, so I asked him again and told him he must just stand where he was and that he would see them in a second or two. In the mean time the Kudu Bull that Yrjo was after had decided to stay at the edge of the tree and to walk around as if he know something was up.
As the Kudu cows had finished drinking and were starting to move off, the Mountain Zebras move in as if they had no worries. They all came in and stood in such a way that there was no way to shoot and for the fear of the arrow hitting another one. I do not know who was shaking the most, Yrjo, Juha (as his bow was back at the house) or me (as it was the first time all year when Mountain Zebras had come straight in without a stand off).
Then one of the bigger stallions moved to the other side of the water and was standing there broad side watching his mates, it was about 35 yards from us. I told Yrjo that was the one and when he was ready he must shoot, about a second later the arrow was moving through the air.
The Hartmann's Mountain Zebra took off like a rocket as they do and then stopped about 40 yards behind a bush and just stood there, the other stallions joined him. Then one came back to the water and drank further, that was when Juha wished he had his bow. After a couple of minutes they all started to walk off and the next minute the other three did a runner, they must have got wind of the blood of the one Yrjo had shot.
After about 20 minutes the stallion had moved again and was standing behind a tree about 100 - 110 yards from us. The zebra's head was starting to hang, so we got out and sat behind the blind with the zebra still in sight for about 5 minutes (smoke break), then as I said to Yrjo we must.... the Mountain Zebra fell over literary. So Yrjo and I moved in closer and half way to the Zebra, we were standing behind a Leadwood tree, I told him that the Zebra was still breathing as you could see the ribcage was moving and he would have to knock another arrow and to get ready to shoot again.
We walked slowly and low, once we got to 40 yards from the Zebra, there was no further movement. Causally we walk to the zebra and then with great relief Yrjo saw that his Mountain Zebra had expired. Juha came over once he saw we were standing at the Stallion and congratulated Yrjo on his shot and the Zebra. We all were over moon with Yrjo and his Zebra. By the way the Kudu Bull with the concertina horn never did come in, so he is still out there.
Juha Soikkeli
Bow info : Bowtech "Samson", 95 lb
Arrow : Goldtip 100 with (carbon express tube)
B/H : Zwikey 2 blade 125 grains
T/W : 700 grain ( 106 Ft/lb )
Yrjo Virtanen
Bow info : Hoyt X-tec 80 lb
Arrow : Easton
B/H : 125 grains Rocket
Grootberg Children's Educational Fund.
Fifteen children graduated, they will be going to the Primary School at Anker next year.
Next year I will be including a trip to the school in the hunts, if the hunter wishes and will be donating some of the trophy meat from ALL HUNTS to them.
You can view Steve and Kim Fleming's report back to SCI on the SCI BLUE BAG on the SCI website.
If there is anyone who would like to help, the main project for Esstof Pre-school next year, will be to fix the roof of the building as it leaks and to paint it inside and out. If there is anyone who maybe interested, please contact me.
Specials
- In the world of Bowhunting:
-German Kinetic.
They have redesigned the 125 grain broadhead (2 blade), they have shorten it a little bit. For more information on the German Kinetic broadheads, visit their website. www.germankinetic.com.
For local enquires please contact Gerrie Hough
by e-mail: gerrieh@novanam.com.na
-Africa's Bowhunter and archer.
The website has been up-dated, you can now view previous issues on the site.
www.africsbowhunter.co.za
There is also a new site on traditional archery by Rean Steenkamp (the editor of Africa's Bowhunter & archer).
www.africanarcher.com
Next Year I will be continuing with the Gift subscription to Africa's Bowhunter & archer for every hunter that hunts with me.
-Napha: The Annual General Meeting will be held on the 16 & 17 February 2005 in Windhoek. Guide's Bowhunting Course. The course was a great success, all 16 participants past. There will be another held at the beginning of next year, as there was so much interest, as the November course was full. The venue and dates are still to be determined. For more information, please contact the Napha office. Tel : 061 234455. e-mail: napha@mweb.com.na
- North Country Bowhunters Chapter of SCI.
Is holding its annual Fundraiser/Banquet on Saturday 5th February and the Outfitter Rendezvous on the Friday 4th February 2005.
Saturday the Prom Centre will be open to the public from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Only ticket holders will be allowed admission.
Both events will be held at the Prom Centre in Oakdale, Minnesota.
Check out the North Country Bowhunters web page for registration and a list of Auction Items.
www.scincb.org
- Bowhunting World / Archery Business HAS MOVED...!
Here is their new Address.
14505 - 21st Avenue N.,
Suite 202
Plymouth, MN 55447.
Phone: (763) 473-5800
Toll Free: (800) 766-0039
Fax:(763) 473-5801
-Benito van Leeuwen conducts Bow hunting courses for beginners, seasoned hunters, and coaching to improve technique. Courses can be 1 day or more. For more details contact Benito. Tel: +27 (0)83 4597744.
-Magnum Archery" in Sasolburgh, South Africa .
The new range of Hoyt's and Mathew's Bows.On-line shopping.
contact Seppie: +27 16 976 3394.
www.magnumarchery.co.za
-Cabela’s online store is a great place for finding items that are not always available here in Southern Africa. The shipping is reasonable and is quick which is important.
There is a link to Cabela’s from my Website, so please feel free and have a look at their site, you will not be sorry. www.cabelas.com
-Next time we can look at being ready for action and the follow up.
Hunting Story -
I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and for those of you that have family and friends in the Gulf, please let us all take a minute and pray for their safe return to their love ones.
Sunny regards
Roger E. Coomber
Po Box 46
Kamanjab
Namibia, Africa
vieranas@iway.na
www.vieranasbowhunt.com
PS. (If you do not want to be on the mailing list of this newsletter, just send a message with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.)