Who here has ever hunted/killed a rhino? Due to a combination of factors, I’ve conducted a number of rhino hunts during the past few years, but not near enough to regard myself as an absolute expert on rhino hunting. To increase my knowledge and gather material for something I’m working on, I’d love to share notes with hunters that have actual rhino experience.

I’m especially interested in facts such as:

Shot distance
Bullet placement
Caliber and bullets used
Bullet performance
Penetration
Number of shots fired
Reaction of rhino to the shots
Approximate time elapsed between first shot and immobilization of animal
Has anyone here ever made or witnessed a one shot kill on a rhino.

Thanks in advance.

I am considering a green rhino hunt in the future. I have heard they are lots of fun. Anyone done both a green and normal rhino hunt and if so what do you think?

I did a green hunt a few yrs back and it was great fun. I coul have shot and killed the beast 3 or 4 times before I was able to dart him. People say green hunts are not really hunting but of course they are people that have never done it sort of like people that don't believe hunting in Africa is real hunting you know. I used an air gun which I have never used before and had to practice to get use to no recoil. The hunt l;asted 2 days and I had 5 stalks before sucess. Just my experience.

Bulldog, in my opinion a green hunt gives you a lot of bang (maybe I should use the word “rushâ€) for your buck, but the experience is totally different. To a certain extent I regard the green hunt as potentially more dangerous than the real thing. When the slippery stuff hits the fan on a green hunt, the situation can turn red very fast.

A buddy of mine conducted a green hunt a while back. He, the client and a cameraman from Shot Productions stalked the white rhino to within 20 yards. They positioned themselves under a small tree, waiting for a good shot opportunity. The next moment the wind changed, the rhino became aware of them….and went into a full charge. The PH fired the first shot, with a .416 bolt at about 15 yards (give or take a couple yards either way). His bullet struck the rhino in the head, but missed the brain. It did not much of a noticeable impression on the rhino, and certainly had no visible effect on the forward momentum. His second shot found the CNS, and the rhino fell dead virtually at the feet of the (still crouched under the tree) trio. Neither one of the three men had bolted from their original position. Call them brave, dumb or numbed, those three men will never forget that “green†hunt!

Sorry for the thread hijack. Back to the original question.

Riann,

I think I saw the dvd you are talking about. In SA IIRC. It was the last sequence of the video. I think it was hunting big game in SA or something like that. It was really intense.

i was luckey enough to get within 20 yards of a black rhino and her calf in 2002 or 2003. the calf was almost mature.

Four blacks. Two in heavy bush under 10 yards. Two in more open country. Rifle .458 WM. No exits using Hornady 500gr. solids with max handloads. All frontal/angling shots. All received multiple shots within a few seconds. Difficult to know if they would have expired within XX seconds/yards. All reacted strongly from initial shot but expired quickly. Maybe multiple shots helped?? All but one dead within 10 seconds. The one went ca. 500 yards due to first shot being low. No bullets sought or recovered as time was of the essence.

Will be able to report to you on mine after August 2006.

quote:

No bullets sought or recovered as time was of the essence.

Jangili, You weren't poaching were you?

just kidding

Wow Jangili, thanks for your reply. Four black rhino is certainly impressive. Where, when and with whom did you hunt these critters?

What vitals did you hit on the 3 black rhinos that expired in less that 10 seconds?

You say that they all “reacted strongly from initial shotâ€. What does this mean? Did they charge, or did they do the “typical hind leg two step/waltzâ€?

Use Enough Gun, good luck. With who will you be hunting, Brad? I’m looking forward to hearing about your hunt and experiences. Enjoy & savor.

.

quote:

Originally posted by ALF:
Riaan:

August 1984:

Tussen die Riviere Provincial Reserve Orange Free State, Adrian De Villiers who now hunts only with the bow and I drew a White Rhino ( barren cow) Eland and two Blesbuck.

Am I reading this wrong or can you draw a rhino as a resident like a US resident can draw an Elk?

Jangili, Are you a PH or a client? When did you hunt the rhino's?

Janjili- Your report conflicts with earlier posts.Trolls often make these mistakes.Or am I mistaken?

Wasn't there only 5 rhinos available this year and the last blackies hunted until now in 1977?

I am talking in the early '70's. Used 458's (2) as hadn't got onto better calibres. What's a troll?? Was PH till 12 years ago.

Was standing next to Clem Coetsee when he shot a Black Rhinoe in Chisaria National Park. Range 4 paces. Rifle, .465. Clem fired his left barrel and it doubled on him, So one soft and one solid 4" appart low in the chest. Rhino went stright down - thankfully. We were in one of those tunnels in the ataxacantha with ele's comming up the path from behind when the rhino charged from the front.

sounds like an interesting situation to be in Ganyana

The best was with Johan Du Toit and Russel Taylor - Russel is now head of WWF in Zim, but at the time he was senior scientist at Sengwa Research. Johan was my supervisor and I was a post grad student but also a parks officer... I was carrying an F.N. in 7.62. The other two were un armed when we bumped into a rhino on one of those paths, also in Chisaria. Johan and I fled with style round a bend in the path but Russel faced the rhino down- but when it didn't stop at 5 paced took a step backwards to run...and stuck firm to the ataxacantha. Now Russel is a little guy. About 5'4" and frightfuly proper. Where he stuck, still facing the Rhino, he was in view to Johan and I where we had found a small place to get off the path.

The Rhino stopped 6" or less from Russel, looked him up and down, and snorted- covering his face in rhino snot Then he turned and trotted away. I don't know weather it was us laughing or Russels movement that caught the Rhino's attention, but he spun and came thundering back. Johan and I bravely dived for cover and again the rhino stopped just in front of Russel and blew snot all over him before trotting off.

It took the two of us ages to cut Russel out of the thorns. I still nearly cry with laughter everry time I think of the incident.I don't know whether the rhino couldn't see him frozen in the thorns, didn't want to get caught in the thorns himself or was just seeing how well a steely eyed ecologist could play "chicken"

Ganyana,
Now that's a great story!

.

riaan you have a pm.

best wishes to you and your sons and staff for 2006.
guy from singapore

Jangili,

I am interested to hear more. Can you relate the stories of these 4 black rhino? When, Where, How, etc.? Who did you PH for? Were you with clients at the time?

Alf, I remember your and Adrian’s rhino hunt very well, mostly for two reasons.

At the time, I was still attending an Agricultural High School in the Eastern Cape. All the lads attending the school, situated on a farm outside Fort Beaufort, had to live in the hostel. When I turned 16 my dad gave me a .22 Taurus revolver, for which I obtained a license.

Strange as it may seem today, I took the .22 to school with me, keeping it locked in my cupboard. On a few occasions during the mandatory Sunday evening “cupboard inspectionsâ€, teachers saw the gun in my cupboard, and where satisfied once I produced the license. No one ever took it from me.

But boys will be boys. We could not resist the temptation to put the little .22 to some adventurous use – and so started my “handgun hunting (poaching) careerâ€. The initial prey was hares & springhares at night with a flashlight, and hyraxes by day.

Compliments of the cadet shooting magazine, I had a practically unlimited supply of shells, which helped me to become a rather proficient shot with this little revolver, managing feats I won’t even attempt today with my scoped 9†barreled .357 revolver.

By the time your “irresponsible and senseless†rhino excursion took place, I had progressed to steenbok and southern bush duiker. Man was I impressed with what you and Adrian had managed with your pistols! We brought every publication that relayed the events, and read them thru until they showed even worse wear than the dormitory girly rags. Now for 16 – 18 year old boys, that is impressive.

Any way, the schools farm also housed some resident kudu herds. With our schoolboy mathematics skills we “proved†that if you guys could kill a 2-ton + white rhino with your .375 JDJ’s, we’d have a reasonable chance to harvest a 500 lb. kudu with the .22. Many days were spent stalking the kudu, and I drew a bead on quite a few, but luckily no shot was ever fired on the kudu.

I’m shamed to say that the dominant reason for not attempting it was because we could not figure out the logistics of moving and processing the meat without wastage or being caught – rather than any other of the more logical or ethical reasons.

The second reason I remember your hunt so well, was because about a decade ago a couple of friends and I shared a hunting camp with two of the nature conservation guys present at your hunt. We split our sides, and diluted our drinks with laughter tears, as Kees Lawrens and Frans gave a very livid account of the handgun rhino hunt at TDR. They both admitted being “treed†more often than “grounded†during that day.

Jangili, wow with a PH career spanning over two of the most adventurous decades in African history, you mush have seen it all. In which countries did you operate? Did you specialize in anything particular?

Ganyana,

Those are two very good stories! Thank you.

Obviously that rhino go more than the average “whackâ€, but do you know of any other rhino that went straight down from any shot other than a CNS shot? How many other black rhino do you know of that had to be shot in self-defense? Do you have any experience with white rhino?

Only the laundry girl and Russel would know exactly how scared he was that day.

If you had to use the FN that day, what would you have aimed for?

How much paper work followed the incident between Clem and his black rhino?

Hi Riaan

Since 1984 only two rhino have been shot in self defence in zim. I cannot remember the other lads name. Ex Selous Scouts intellegence officer turned pro guide. Classic statement was _ "what you have just done Sir is like a native woman's left breast- It ain't right and ain't fair". Any of the ex scouts should remember him! Also carried a double. A .500 I seem to recall. And it was a one shot kill.

I have picked up one heck of a lot of rhino killed by poachers. When the poachers started after the rhino in the mid 80's, they used mainly .375's but by 1990 has switched almost exclusively to 7.62x39. The "hunter" normally caried an SKS, whilst the escort carried AK's. Occasionally the hunter would carry a G3 instead. All heart/lung shots and the hunter would pump a couple in and let the rhino run off.

Even with the .375's the rhino always ran- sometimes up to half a K. With the SKS's they usually ran about a k. This of courser suited the poachers since they would only stop a k away from where the shots had been fired and would then have hopefully recovered the horn and be off before anybody who had heard the shots could respond.

I used to carry 220grn Round nosed solids in my F.N. At least the top five in the mag. Very happy about them dealing with an ele or buff but standard technique was just to run from Rhino. Several troopies shot them in self defence early in the war- none succeded to solving the immediate problem with their F.N.s and standing orders were to hide/run/climb a tree!

I occasionally thought about trying a brain shot... but didn't have any faith in it!

Clem Coetzee, now that is the name of a true hunter and wildlife professional. Ganyana! We absolutely need to get a book written on Clem. It would be a shame to lose his experiences and accomplishments.


465H&H

I have answered on previous threads, but for the late comers I'll write it again. Killed the last legal rhino in Kenya, Dec , 1977 as I recall. East of Tsavo on the north side of Galana River. The PH Robt. E. Brown passed on some years ago. Used a Stephen Grant sidelock in .475 #2 and 480 grain solids. two shots into heart and lungs area from the rear quartering away just a fast as I could trigger them. How long did it last? I don't know, seemed like a long time as he spun in a cirle, but probably less then 5 seconds.

Yo, African Hunter ... could it have been in December '76 ? I was to go on my first safari in Kenya in July of '77 .. but by then the hunting was over ...

quote:

Originally posted by scruffy:
Yo, African Hunter ... could it have been in December '76 ? I was to go on my first safari in Kenya in July of '77 .. but by then the hunting was over ...

You may well be right. As I said "as I recall", I would have to dig in the records, passprts and etc to be certain. I wasn't aware of the rhino going on CITES at the time. Some way Peter Horn of Jonas, New York found out about the hunt, contacted me and he got the trophy in to the U.S.A. on the last day entry was permitted.

How plentiful were the black rhinos in the 70's and what did the average rhino safari cost?

Jangili, where did you ph? Still would like to hear more about the 4 rhino.

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog563:
How plentiful were the black rhinos in the 70's and what did the average rhino safari cost?

As I recall the license cost a $1000.00, don't remember the daily rate, but it was the same as for buffalo, lion and plains game, no extra. Saw a good number of rhino, took quite a bit of 16mm movie of them. At least I thought I saw a lot of rhino in the 10 or 12 days I hunted them.
Granted " a lot" is relative, but without getting out movies and counting, then adding some for what I didn't take movies of, that is the best I can do. And we may have seen some duplicates.
I think I paid for a 21 day trip, might have been a little less. I know it was not the 35 days some companies quoted as the min. time for rhino.

35 days for a Rhino seems a bit excessive. Why so long?

Took a white rhino last September. Brief summary of event here:

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1411043/m/949100633

Best Regards,
Stuntpilot

excellent. That was an awesome safari. I take it you were in SA. Any more to add regarding the rhino?

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog563:
35 days for a Rhino seems a bit excessive. Why so long?

I don't know why most of the Kenya operations quoted 35 days. I can give some thoughts. It would reduce the demand for permits as many could not or would not book 35 days just to get a rhino.
Therefore, it made restrictions without having more intervention in arranging licenses in the various blocks. Making the most money you could out of a rather cheap gov't permit. Just guesses, I never asked anyone why the 35 day rule used by some. In fact most. I think , if I remember correctly it was a requirement of the Kenya Game Dept at one time. That can be checked by some old books.

quote:

Originally posted by bulldog563:
Jangili, where did you ph? Still would like to hear more about the 4 rhino.

Since Jangili is posting again, I just wanted to bring this up again.

Jangili, could you please tell us some more about your black rhinos? Was it standard during this era to cycle a bolt the way you describe it in the lion charge post?

Riaan: Sorry for the delay in responding to your January post! Yes, it will be with AR's Brad Rolston in August 2006 and will be in the Kwa-Zulu-Natal area of South Africa. I will post a report on AR on the hunt after I get back. I plan on using my Merkel .470 NE Double Rifle for the hunt.