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Makonya Safaris SA?

Looking for any reviews or feedback on anyone who may have bow hunted here? Anyone heard of them?

A friend is considering hunting with them. I cannot find much info or really any reviews. Their website is relatively vague and none of the trophy photos show a bow in the pictures?

if he wants to bowhunter make sure he is 100 percent clear that bowhunting is plan. or they will want him on a gun day 1

Is the outfitter a bowhunter?

Are his PH's bowhunters?

Can he provide bowhunter references (recent year bowhunters)?

That has been my experience too. In places that are not bowhunting only, often anyone that shows any "weakness" in their statement that they want to bow hunt is convinced to hunt with a gun. Maybe not immediately, but often after the first few days. Also, if the PH is not a bowhunter, they are normally very conservative on the shots they allow bowhunters to take, and they sometimes shoot it with a gun almost immediately after the person arrows it, regardless of whether it would die from the arrow or not. They are used to seeing animals fall when hit, or they will want to shoot it with a gun. Best to talk to some recent references before he commits.

Thanks everyone.

This is kind of what I expected. Since I can't really find any reviews online I figured it would be the same with Bowsite. I have never heard of them either.

My advice is to back out of the auction deal and book a hunt with one of the good bowsite sponsors or places vetted by bowsiters unless he wants to gun hunt.

On their website, it states: "The import of hunting rifles into South Africa is free. (Declaration at customs upon arrival suffices)."

I've never taken a firearm there, but I'm pretty sure that is wildly misleading if not completely wrong. I know there is definitely paperwork involved in traveling there with firearms. Perhaps you don't need to complete it until you arrive (?), but I'm pretty sure that advanced preparation for this is a definite plus if not a requirement.

I have hunted both archery only and mixed weapon concessions in South Africa. The archery-only locations have been much better experiences for a bowhunter in my opinion. When a safari company doesn't show a photo of a bowhunting hide in its photo gallery and doesn't show a single bow-killed animal in its hunting photo gallery, I would ask a lot of questions and be skeptical of the answers. If his expectations are flexible, he could have a great time. But if he's a die-hard bowhunter, he will likely be disappointed.

If an outfitter's photo gallery displays no bow kills (only gun kills)- he ain't a bowhunter friendly operation. You can go to the bank on that !

There are too many sponsors and vetted outfitters on Bowsite to be selecting some yahhoo !

There are many African outfitters here in the bow site community with great feed back reports Why don't use one of them?

For those recommending other outfitters, the OP seemed to indicate that his friend already bought this hunt at an auction. That seems to be why he is asking to see if it is worth his friend's time to go on the trip with THIS specific outfitter (or maybe sell it to a rifle hunter if he himself is a bowhunter).

^^^Thanks StickFlicker. You're 100% correct.

Potro,-your post was my exact recommendation to my friend and he's researching some of them now.

I see a lot of these fund raiser auction hunts, not all, for safaris just being the bait to get you over there and then their only profit is if you add animals to the package which almost everyone does. Not saying Makonya is one of these. Just looking to see if any bowhunters here have any experience, and that answer is quite clear.

Thanks everyone.

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