While I sit around recuperating from gall bladder surgery, I have watched anything on TV that has to do with Africa and African Hunting. This morning I watch the SCI show Expedition Safari. There was a Rhino darting episode in RSA, and the PH carried no backup weapon of any kind. They even made a point of saying so on the show. Personally, I think this is fairly close to insanity, and question the wisdom of SCI in allowing this sort of risky activity to take place. I have never hunted Rhino, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be in the bush with just a dart gun if the Rhino wanted to turn me into pudding. What are your thoughts???

Right with you, Dale. Maybe there was a backup gun behind camera one can only hope, but then again, that's one way of cleaning up the gene pool . As far as rhino darting, it just doesn't appeal to me. Hope you are healing well. jorge

Jorge,

Still rough going here, maybe some more surgery in store. They made it a point on the show to state that there was no other weapon other than the dart gun on the stalk. I wish I had gotten that PH's name, but missed it.

And if he bumps a buff, or a wounded lioness, or a pissed elephant...hell, a poacher. I can't imagine that there really isn't a backup rifle around there somewhere.

Been there and done that! Jorge it is a hoot one of the best and most exciting hunts I have ever done better than Buffalo. Just my experience. When I say been there and done that it was without rifle back up. You just have to be on your toes, and of course pray.

Maybe this is erroneous on my part as I have NO experience here, but I think that the risks of being in such a position with no REAL RIFLE on hand don't suit me. Poachers and wounded D/G as already sited above.

Wow, better than buff hunting! might have to try it someday then...but with a backup rifle jorge

Dale: Keep us posted please/

One does not need anyone with a rifle backup when one is darting one of his pets

And before anyone starts screaming at me, if this tickles your fancy, please go ahead and do it.

It just does not appeal to me whatsoever.

If I am ot actually hunting with a rifle, I would stick to taking photoes.

I am afraid darting and paint ball shooting animals is not my cup of tea.

No Back Up Rifle !!!!!

Thats only the South African ( PH ) understanding of hunting Dangerous Game

r.
Selouhunter

I have been involved with only 2 rhino dartings. Both times we had 'back-up' in the form of a game scout with an FN/FAL/R1, thats it, no heavies in the hands of super shots..

Never had an issue

Watch the video "hunting dangerous game in SOuth Africa", and you will see that it is extremely stupid to do this without a dg backup rifle. The last scene is of a rhino dart taking place in Northern Cape, with PH Nico Smith. He has to shoot the charging rhino (without a dart or anything else in him), from about 5 yards. the rhino eventually dies within touching distanceof the prone client, still with an unfired dartgun...

have a friend that darted a rhino in rsa this august, dart didn't work drug wasn't injected, rhino was pissed off and charged knocking him down, before he could turn around again the backup rifles went off. (yes more than 1)

I am not in favour of darting hunts, but that is my personal opinion.

The question that comes to my mind is this. Since a dart hunt is ussually cheaper than a real hunt, what happens if the hunt goes wrong and the animal must be killed, does the client have to pay the higher"real hunting price" or does he still pay the dart hunt price.

quote:

Originally posted by Jaco Human:
I am not in favour of darting hunts, but that is my personal opinion.

The question that comes to my mind is this. Since a dart hunt is ussually cheaper than a real hunt, what happens if the hunt goes wrong and the animal must be killed, does the client have to pay the higher"real hunting price" or does he still pay the dart hunt price.

It seems to me that they should pay the "big bill". However, I really don't care one way or another as it isn't my "cup of tea". I hunted for "keeps" in the "old days" when killing was legal in Kenya. As for darting, why not just walk up close to the rhino, unarmed, point your finger and say "dead." Then back away before the rhino decides something "ain't quite right."
It seems to me SCI should count that just as well. Take a picture as proof, taken by the PH, you standing in the picture! To each his won, but sounds good to me!

Jaco, in the case desribed above the client wanted the trophy and was happy to pay the higher price. However, the PH or the landowner/ rhino owner should have insurance against this.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
One does not need anyone with a rifle backup when one is darting one of his pets

And before anyone starts screaming at me, if this tickles your fancy, please go ahead and do it.

It just does not appeal to me whatsoever.

If I am ot actually hunting with a rifle, I would stick to taking photoes.

I am afraid darting and paint ball shooting animals is not my cup of tea.

I agree with Saeed, White rhino, unless it is a cow with a calf, are about as dangerous as a dairy cow on the south 40. Black rhino, on the other hand.....

So Tembo, how many white rhino/ tame dairy cows have you hunted?

Tembo,

I have recently read of two reports on this site alone where hunters have told that rhino presented very challenging hunts (more so than elephant in some ways, in their respective opinions). Yes, they typically don't garner the respect that ele or buf do, but are worthy of great respect...

I am sure you know that, being a rhino expert and all, please regale us with more of your Rhinocerotidae pearls of wisdom....

quote:

Originally posted by Tembo:

I agree with Saeed, White rhino, unless it is a cow with a calf, are about as dangerous as a dairy cow on the south 40. Black rhino, on the other hand.....

I had more than a thousand times more encounters with domesticated cows than with White Rhino's. I was never chased by domesticated cattle, but I was chased twice by White Rino's, I was driving in my vehicle when it happened. It was on two different occations and I was never in danger. I did noting to provoke the charge, I was just driving on the farm. They are very unpredictable animals.

They might be short sighted, but they can be full of SH*T, though less than their black counterparts.

quote:

Originally posted by Jaco Human:
The question that comes to my mind is this. Since a dart hunt is ussually cheaper than a real hunt, what happens if the hunt goes wrong and the animal must be killed, does the client have to pay the higher"real hunting price" or does he still pay the dart hunt price.

Jaco, it is usually required from the outfitter to take out insurance against events such as this.

I do not profess to be an expert on White Rino as I have only done one green hunt. My hunt lasted two days with 6 broken stalks and sucessful on the 7th. I could have shot the beast many times but could not get close enough to dart. From what I have gathered the white is much smarter than the black, as I understand the black will charge anything for no reason which does make it the more dangerous but the white I believe is much smarter as he was well aware he was being hunted and took the necessary actions to not be "shot" and was a very good advasery.

Kayaker and Karl, A little animosity there guys. I have hunted Africa 3 times and been within 15 yards of 2 different white rhino. They are not considered to be anywhere near as dangerous as the black rhino. In fact, we went to a game auction near Ellisras and actually petted a white rhino that was for sale. Try that with a buff. Dangerous game, I don't think so. So if you want to kill a white rhino and tell the world it was some evil beast from hell, go ahead and do it if it makes you feel better. Peter Capstick said a white rhino is "about as dangerous as a defanged Yorkshire terrier." Have either one of you 2 experts ever hunted a rhino??? If so, regail us with your heroic tales.

quote:

Try that with a buff

Hi Tembo
I can show you photos of people riding cape buffalo like pets. That does not make them not dangerous. BTW, I am a full time PH, hunting dangerous game regularly, and have been into white rhino more than you have spend days in Africa, I imagine. I have personally never shot a rhino myself (white or black), as I will likely never be able to afford it. I have been charged by a white rhino that we did not even hunt (Willem Pretorius game reserve), while hunting kudu with a client, and can tell you that if the 3 of us did not find a suitable tree when we did (which is in short supply in that particular reserve), I might not be writing this. Yes, the white rhino is less aggressive than a black rhino, but is bigger, so potentially at least as dangerous. The fact that an elephant bull is less agressive than a cow (and also bigger- coincedince?) does not make it a domesticated pet now, does it?

Karl,In Zimbabwe, we were actually charged by a bushbuck. Are they considered dangerous game too? We also had to find a suitable tree. I've also been chased by domestic cattle. Are they on the list also? IMHO, the white rhino needs to be dropped from the big 5, a spot it was never meant to have. The rhino in the big 5 is and always has been the black, which deserves it's title of Dangerous game And yes, before you ask, I have been near a black rhino in the Humani Bow Concession in Zimbabwe with nothing more than a bow and arrows in my hand, a very scary situation.

Tembo, lets just agree to disagree. I consider all wild animals dangerous, yes even a bushbuck (or should I say especially a bushbuck.) White rhino replaced black rhino on the big 5 list (Because its a Rhino?), a totaly artificial list anyway. Some books just stae rhino, with no reference to which one. the fact is, they do kill regularly, so should be considered dangerous. JMO

Karl, Agreed. That what makes this forum so valuable-different points of view. Thanks

I did one darting hunt in RSA. The dart took but the M99 still took 5 to 10 minutes to fully imobilize the rhino and that sucker covered a lot of ground. It ran half way back up the mountain side then fell over against a tree still on its feet. Although interesting I wouldnt do it again. They are too protected and at least there it was too much like shooting a cow. Granted things could have gone wrong and like anything else it could have turned ugly. Still the whole thing is not my cup of tea. It is really cool however to handle the animal and feel it breathing beneath your hand before the antidote kicks in. They are magnificent animals.
As to the earlier question if an animal dies there is an insurance policy to cover such an unfortunate event. I am not sure I would classify most of these dartings as truly being hunts.

Mike, if I could afford to shoot a black rino I would only do it once.