I went to our monthly meeting of our SCI chapter here in Nacogdoches, Texas and our program was from one of our members who had recently returned from a Darting trip to South Africa. The show was interesting but one thing that bothered me was what his PH had him do prior to the hunt. The client was told to bathe in hot water the night before the hunt and then the next morning again before they left out. His clothes were also was in Scent Lock. Am I wrong or would it not stand to reason that a Hot water bath would open up your pores and release more scent. I understand clean and shifting wind but since I would think you would approach them from down wind this was a little over kill. This posting thing is new to me so I hope I have covered all my bases.

Cunningham,

Welcome to the forum.

This is done just to add to the entertainment value of the "hunt", so the client does not feel he has paid all that money for a silly game with a poor rhino

I don't suppose they added a bit of "sport" into the game by having the guy run up and dart the rhino by hand

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Originally posted by Saeed:
Cunningham,

Welcome to the forum.

This is done just to add to the entertainment value of the "hunt", so the client does not feel he has paid all that money for a silly game with a poor rhino

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Man, I'll second that thought! Silly game is right!

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Originally posted by butchloc:
I don't suppose they added a bit of "sport" into the game by having the guy run up and dart the rhino by hand

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Might at least make it interesting.

Ouch, no one is happy with a Rhino Darting Hunt. Isn't stalking a semi-wild rhino with a darting gun, good for maybe 20-30 yds, as sporting as shooting one for 35K at 50-60 yds?

My problem is that the 35K buys me a lot of buffalo hunting.

I suppose in a way it is a canned hunt, but how does one hunt rhino when it is not, given their value, and with the black rhino being valued at about 135K in addition. (They are behind fences somewhere).

Dak

The most exciting way to hunt Rhino is with a dart gun......and believe me, it's VERY exciting.......as the old saying goes....don't knock it, until you've tried it.

However all that BS about extra baths and scent lock is just that.....BS.

Darting a rhino is all well and good and it might be exciting, I feel sorry for the poor bloke that has to paint the dart board on its arse

Sorry had to do that.

Now this scent stuff.
I train dogs to track down human intruders by using scent. There is no product/method you can buy that will stop your scent from getting out. All this scent soap/scent locker suits/sprays are crap.

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Originally posted by dakota45056:
Ouch, no one is happy with a Rhino Darting Hunt. Isn't stalking a semi-wild rhino with a darting gun, good for maybe 20-30 yds, as sporting as shooting one for 35K at 50-60 yds?

My problem is that the 35K buys me a lot of buffalo hunting.

I suppose in a way it is a canned hunt, but how does one hunt rhino when it is not, given their value, and with the black rhino being valued at about 135K in addition. (They are behind fences somewhere).

Dak

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You're right, either one buys some buffalo hunting. The way I look at it it was another "side show" by SCI to allow some of the big dogs to claim a Big 5 or 6 or 7, wherever you want to stop. The way I look at it, any of the rhino prices are crazy. If you missed out on the good 'ol days of getting up real personal and close with a real wild rhino in the open unsettled areas, thick bush, etc in Kenya, well just just missed out on the Big 5 settle for whats left of the Big 5 before the lion reduces it to a Big 3.

Furthermore, the way I look at it, if you at going to do this darting game, then there should be no guns allowed. Either use that sir driven "spear" or let that rhino have your butt! As the late Jerry Clower said, "Give 'um a sportin' chance!"

I can't see using a rifle at 50-60 yards on one(I sure didn't, but that's personal I guess), nor can I see the "air driven spear" at 30 yds either. Get up there and say hello to that rhino or leave him alone.

I have never shot a white, or had any desire to hunt them. However, based on all I have read and heard they are much more domicle that the blacks I hunted in Kenya. I figured 12 yards gave a "sportin' chance" for the rhino to do damage. Just my opinion and everyone is entitled to one.

If this is an ethical way to hunt rhino, then why not no put some Stone Sheep in a pen and hunt then with a dart gun. You could sell the same sheep over and over, should really cheapen it up. Right? Or put a polar bear in a pen and dart it, then you wouldn't have to worry about F&W permits not being issued to bring them to the US. Make sense? Looks like Marco Polo sheep should be a good candidate too. Might go for $5,000 US over and over, huh? I could go on and on. I missed out on the tiger hunting in India by a year, am I sitting around crying about and looking for a "dart game" on tigers, HELL NO! I might go to India some day, but it won't be to shoot a dart into a tiger so I can say "look at me", the tiger passed out.

Let the "darts" fly, I'll still be standing!

Sounds like the proverbial "kissing your sister" adage and given the fact that it's a White Rhino, make that the UGLY sister at that! WHat a waste of good money. jorge

I like to roll around in the ashes of the campfire before hunting. Then I smear a mixture of assorted dung collected by the tracker around neck and face. This also keeps mosquitoes away.

Initially I was not a fan of the rhino dart hunt myself. However having done it several times from the ground and many more from a chopper for relocation purposes I find it to be one hella great experience.

Two other points, sense of smell cannot be hidden no matter how much you shower, or what new high tech crap you buy. It's all marketing hype and is not possible with the technology today to cover human scent. I have the research details available if anyone wants them posted.

Lastly the danger of the white Rhino is not to be underestimated. They are clearly not the threat that a black rhino is. I have had them charge my vehicle with clients in the back that were taking pictures. I have had them chase me and other hunters when you stumble upon them in the bush.

In my opinion what makes them somewhat dangerous is the size and random aggression. I have seen countless rhino on the ground only 50 yards away that just buggerd off when they smelled or saw us. Yet I have had others spin around and charge or bluff charge right to within 20 feet before veering off. They are just so huge that even if they were gental as a bunny just stepping on you, or running into you accidentally is going to very likely cause serious injury. They are after all 5 or 6 times the size of the black rhino.

Everyone has different interests in hunting. I'm not a duck hunter or goose hunter. It's of no interest to me whatever. But I would NEVER EVER disrespect those who do this. We are all hunters. For those who wish to do a Rhino Dart hunt you will very likely have a great experience doing it. It's far more difficult then shooting one with a rifle. For those who don't think they would enjoy it, that's OK too, just remember we are all in this together whether we enjoy the same types of hunting or not.

It appears that the African PH's in Zim and SA feel that the white rhino darting hunt can be sporting.
So maybe I'll re-evaluate the hunt and consider it before we have to turn all our big bores in to Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein, etc,etc.

Dak
Long live african safari hunting, the best times may be now!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JJHACK:
.... They are clearly not the threat that a black rhino is....

In my opinion what makes them somewhat dangerous is the size and random aggression. They are just so huge that even if they were gental as a bunny just stepping on you, or running into you accidentally is going to very likely cause serious injury. They are after all 5 or 6 times the size of the black rhino.

(End Quote)

In your vast experience, of which I am not passing judgement, I am wondering how many black rhinos did you weigh to arrive at the conclusion square lipped or white rhinos are 5 to 6 times the size of a black rhino. This is in total conflict with anything I ever read about the two species. Or what I observed in seeing many blacks in Kenya while hunting them compared to whites I have seen in zoos. Maybe they get a lot bigger in RSA as I have not observed them in that location. Are these actual scale weights or guesses. There is no question that the white is bigger, but 5 to 6 times. Come on, that's getting into big elephant size!

"...Maybe they get a lot bigger in RSA..."

They give them steroids to make them grow much bigger than normal. So the client gets the impression he is hunting a GINORMOUS, VERY DANGEROUS, PREHISTORIC RELIC

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Originally posted by Saeed:
"...Maybe they get a lot bigger in RSA..."

They give them steroids to make them grow much bigger than normal. So the client gets the impression he is hunting a GINORMOUS, VERY DANGEROUS, PREHISTORIC RELIC

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The steroids must be injected by hydraulic cylinders with 6" diameter and 20 inch stroke to get enough into them!

Well I suppose like just about anything else where numbers are involved there will be debate. I suspect this is not much different. Should we consider realistic averages or record book maximums? There is a sign board in Kruger at one of the camps, I think it's the Lataba camp? It has a really well laid out natural history explaination of the differences between the white and the black Rhino. On this board the average weights are listed at 800-1000 pounds for Black Rhino and 4000-5000 for White Rhino. ( that is the 4-5 times number I referenced) The sign board actually states that the Average Black Rhino is similiar in size to a Cape buffalo and smaller then a big bull Eland in weight. *** hey it's their park I just take my clients on tour there***

Just for fun now, I picked up the Audobon book on Africa and it states maximum weight for a Male Black Rhino at 2000 pounds. White Rhino at 5500 pounds. So that is not quite three times when considering maximums. You pick the numbers you like Average or Maximum makes no difference to me. I have only seen Black Rhino in a Park, never a free roaming wild one (yet). Although the ones living in the park are probably considered free roaming by most folks.

Those I have seen are significanlty smaller then white Rhino. They appear as small as white Rhino calves! If you don't like the numbers I posted then substitute what you like, the whole topic is not that big a deal to me.

There's one born every minute!

HELLS BELLS

With all the stories going on about rouge phs in sa etc and what everyone is doing how can a client let himself in on this,yes this is bs .


But have to be honest does he not in the states The basics of hunting apply and well he just jumped into the fire when his Ph told him too.
Fantastic another client lost to the African hunting scene big or small by a ph who needed to justify the hunting experience for the money.

Not all of us are painted on the same piece of canvas but yet all of us are tainted by the brush, my apologies to your member, and i hope as a reputable ph maybe i can save some damage that may be caused by the money seekeers and hopefully will let him know about the familiar words

THE GARDEN PATH

ON BEHALF OF US THAT HUNT FOR THE PASSION AND GUIDE HUNDEREDS OF CLIENTS A VERY SMALLL GROUP I MIGHT ADD WE APOLOGISE.

From one "stupid" board member who did the Darted Hunt to all the most intellegent members on this board all I can say is IT WAS A BLAST! I had a great time and you know it is only a matter of opinion and your opinion doesn't matter to me!

Why doesn't anyone want to dart anything except a rhino?

Well just to show that I admit the error of my ways, after speaking with MBogo 375 this weekend, I now have a new found respect for this sport. I was posting without knowing the facts and I was wrong. jeez I hate that! jorge