I take no offence for your disgreeing with me. I am sure there are many activities each of us enjoys while the other would not.

I have absolutely nothing against people doing it and enjoying it.

What I object to is calling it a "hunt", as our friend MR has already explained.

It is nothing of the sort.

And I do not equate a good hunt with how dangerous it is. I have enjoyed hunting many animals, none of which can remotely be called dangerous.

And if the farm owner is charging me $6000-8000 to dart one of his pet rhinos, he can arrange the insurance himself.

I hunted on one of these farms a few years ago, and did see many rhinos.

WE wanted to shoot a blue wildebeest, which was mingling with a herd of rhino.

Our PH said something like "watch out for the rhinos, otherwise you will have a VERY expensive backstop"

I told not to worry, I won't shoot one of his pets.

I have seen RSA darted white rhino hunts advertised for around US$6-8,000 plus or minus.



I have thought it might be rather dangerous, since one must get close for a dart to be effective and I doubt that the tranquilizer works instantaneously.



On the other hand, in spite of this fellow's experience, white rhinos are reportedly rather docile, and assuming that is true as a general proposition, darting one really wouldn't appeal to me either.



Now, black rhinos are by most accounts a different story. So I wouldn't say I'd never do it.



It is quite amusing, though, to have to buy an insurance policy to provide cover in the event that the animal you are hunting should come to any harm!

Saeed, I don't usually take umberage with your opinion but this time I shall. I have done a green hunt and was lucky and didn't have a charge, but it did take two days to complete the hunt, yes the hunt. I could have shot the beast many times but darting is much harder. I have not hunted buff, but have heard people say it is like shooting cows in a field with a good well placed shot. I think you would disagree with this assesment of buff hunting, eh.

A (White) Rhino dart hunt is actually more exciting than a proper hunt as one has to get considerably closer and as stated in a previous post, they take a few minutes to go down, and those few minutes can be very exciting.

KZN wildlife will be issuing a (very) few licences to (rifle) hunt Black Rhinos for 2005. Although the price and method of marketing has yet to be decided, it will be a VERY exciting hunt for whoever is fortunate (And wealthy) enough to book the hunt.

I spoke to the hunting director today and he tells me they hope to make a decision on how they will be marketed sometime this week.........which probably means sometime next week.

White Rhino dart hunts vary considerably in price, but a good quality hunt and camp with a good PH and all the trimmings runs at around US$10K - $11K for a big Bull and maybe US$8K - $9K for a cow. You can sometimes get a cheaper deal per Rhino if you dart 2 during the trip. KZN Wildlife (who issue the dart licence), only allow each animal to be dated no more than about once a year and only then if there is a good reason.