Just watched Under Wild Skies. It was an episode about darting a rhinocerous. It must have been an old one because I was under the impression that this practise was stopped in South Africa. What is the current status of darting - authorized or not?

Extract from a PHASA communication dated August 2nd, 2010:

The Veterinary Council proposed amendments to their legislation that will have an impact on the darting of rhinos by foreign clients. Herewith is a summary of the information:

1. According to the proposed amendments only veterinary professionals, or persons authorized by the Veterinary Council and under the supervision of a veterinary professional, will be permitted to administer Schedule 5 or 6 medicines with the purpose to tranquilize or anaesthetize an animal.

2. These amendments have not been published for implementation yet. However, the Veterinary Council will probably forward these proposals to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) next week, for DAFF to obtain approval from the Minister to publish the amendments in the Gazette for implementation. The implementation will then be with immediate effect.

3. The rules will be published in terms of Section 30 of the Veterinary and Para-Veterinary Professions Act, Act 19 of 1982. (Act)

4. The Veterinary Council went through the consultation process, but did not extend this to the professional hunting industry.

5. According to the policy of the Veterinary Council, it would officially be unethical for veterinarians to be involved in darting safaris from 1 June 2010. As a result of the industry not being informed of the time frame of the implementation, there are Hunting Outfitters who have permits to conduct these safaris, and safaris have already been booked. There would thus be an interim period from 1 June 2010 until publication of the amendments, that Outfitters would have problems with existing contracts. The Veterinary Council was therefore requested if it would be possible for them to honor existing permits. The Registrar of the Council undertook to forward our request to the Executive Committee for approval.

6. In the mean time, it is recommended that provinces do not issue new permits for applications for darting safaris. Further, it is requested that all provinces must indicate to us how many permits they have issued of which the safaris still need to take place. The reason is so that we can indicate to the Council how many permit holders will be affected by the interim period (my proposal was that the Council regard this period until publication, as an official phase out period for permits).

7. DEA will have to amend the TOPS Regulations to make provision that only veterinary professionals or persons authorized by the Council, may dart animals. Therefore, written approval from the Council will be a prerequisite for a person other than a veterinary professional, to obtain a darting permit.


B. UPDATE:
The Department of Environmental Affairs informed us as follows on the Veterinary Council's decision taken at their meeting of 30 July:

"Decision taken by Council that the conduct of any veterinarians involved in green hunts i.r.o. permits issued after 30 June 2010 will be investigated.
Permits issued prior to 30 June 2010 not affected."

This means that darting safaris for existing TOPS permits may continue, but no new TOPS permits should be issued for foreign clients to do the darting, as veterinarians may not be involved in those safaris.

The above provision only affects the 5 outstanding permits issued by MTPA.
All other provinces indicated that they have no outstanding permits (permits that have already been issued, of which the safaris still need to take place).

We will amend the TOPS Regulations accordingly to give effect to the decision of the South African Veterinary Council.


PHASA
www.phasa.co.za

No more darting with tranquilizers by hunters as of now -- but you never know what the future will bring.

I've only darted Rhino's once, but that was a very difficult and exciting hunt and I'd love to do it again and again -- hope RSA comes to its senses one day soon.

We are still darting in Namibia!! I have 4 hunts avaiable each season and have some great trophies.

What is the current status in RSA and Namibia?

As a hunter I've wanted to hunt,but not kill a rhino. As a physician I've wondered how the hunter can avoid what seems to be a real risk of causing a pneumothorax(punctured lung) or vascular penetration and lethal injection.Thoughts? Jim

Somewhat unrelated - did anyone catch the episode of Jim Shockey darting a Rhino with a Bow?



You may/may not like Jim, but that was OUTSTANDING TV. My wife and I still laugh our butts off about that one!

I believe it is possible to "vita dart" a rhino in SA. This involves shooting a dart with vitamins instead of a transguilizer

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
I believe it is possible to "vita dart" a rhino in SA. This involves shooting a dart with vitamins instead of a transguilizer

Bloody hell!

What will they think of next?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
I believe it is possible to "vita dart" a rhino in SA. This involves shooting a dart with vitamins instead of a transguilizer

Bloody hell!

What will they think of next?

Paint balls! ... and a target tattooed on the shoulder.

quote:

Originally posted by bronxfats:
As a hunter I've wanted to hunt,but not kill a rhino. As a physician I've wondered how the hunter can avoid what seems to be a real risk of causing a pneumothorax(punctured lung) or vascular penetration and lethal injection.Thoughts? Jim

dart guns are compressed air or CO2 powered. i can't imagine they would have the power to penetrate the chest hide and cause a pneumothorax plus the dart tip would not be long enough to reach through the pleura into the lung.as for vascular injection, anything is possible i suppose but the chance of hitting a major vein( much less an artery) anywhere on the skin would be remote( except perhaps on the ears).

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
http://www.huntingreport.com/h..._details.cfm?id=2873

From the article: ..."He also announced that the SCI Record Book Committee is now accepting vita-darted rhinos for the record book in the "Darted Rhino" category."...

Entries into a record book for darted game? WTF!

There are no words...


.

vita darted??? oh well, anything to generate that $25 entry fee.and how do you compare size for record purposes with a vita darted animal??

quote:

Originally posted by TwoZero:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
http://www.huntingreport.com/h..._details.cfm?id=2873

From the article: ..."He also announced that the SCI Record Book Committee is now accepting vita-darted rhinos for the record book in the "Darted Rhino" category."...

Entries into a record book for darted game? WTF!

There are no words...


.

SCI has no limits how low it can go for the glory seekers!

Isn't this whole "glory" thing with SCI that has brought down into the gutter?

Most hunters knows that if anyone fires a bullet at a living animal, well, things can go wrong. Some hunter(s) may, despite their best efforts for getting a quick humane kill, only succeed in wounding an animal. If there is a PH involved in such a hunt it is generally accepted that the PH then may/should lend all required assistance to put the wounded animal down as quickly as possible. In keeping with these fact the generally accepted definition [for lack of a better word] of exactly who in a hunting party to regard as the successful trophy hunter includes some reference to "the guy whose bullet/arrow drew the first blood". So the hunter who first wounded the animal may still claim it as his trophy. He may even enter it into a record book as his trophy. I have no problem with this view at all.

But, for a moment consider the following quote taken verbatim from an article about rhino darting written by Herb Atkinson, Chairman, SCI Record Book & World Hunting Awards Committee in Hunt Forever:

quote:

The tranquilizing dart must still be fired by a licensed veterinarian, then a dart full of vitamins is immediately fired by the client.

Now, clearly, at least clearly IMHO, in this case the "first blood" is drawn by the veterinarian, who fires the tranquilizing drug filled dart? Only thereafter does the dart hunter immediately fire the vitamin filled dart. [Wonder how often the rhino runs away at the shot of the first tranquilizing dart and is only found fully tranquilized some time "immediately afterwards"? ]

Yet SCI recognizes the "trophy" as belonging to the "dart hunter" who fired the second dart! I have no words!

I would like to know what firearm did the gentleman
On Under Wild Skies used? Somewhere I read he used an
an H&R firearm.

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:

quote:

Originally posted by bronxfats:
As a hunter I've wanted to hunt,but not kill a rhino. As a physician I've wondered how the hunter can avoid what seems to be a real risk of causing a pneumothorax(punctured lung) or vascular penetration and lethal injection.Thoughts? Jim

dart guns are compressed air or CO2 powered. i can't imagine they would have the power to penetrate the chest hide and cause a pneumothorax plus the dart tip would not be long enough to reach through the pleura into the lung.as for vascular injection, anything is possible i suppose but the chance of hitting a major vein( much less an artery) anywhere on the skin would be remote( except perhaps on the ears).

They are fired by a .22cL blank similar to a nail gun arrangement.

Jeff

Thanks for info re darting.Here,in Montana,during sheep and goat darting for transplant, a percent die.The hide on a mountain goat's rump is very thick,but if rhino 's hide is similar to ele or hippo,a dart might not penetrate the body cavity.

When darting the Rino you aim where you would not with a killing shot, you want to hit the meaty hind quarter and straight on for best results.

They can be darted on the point of the shoulder etc but the haunch is much more commonly used.

I wouldn't class rhino (or indeed elephant) darting as serious hunting but it is a lot of fun if only because you have to get so close to the animal so (IMO) (assuming done for good reason) it's a little unfair to dismiss it as nonsense.

Oh well, I suppose each of us has his choice.

This is not my cup of tea at all.

If I am not hunting an animal, I will take photos.

Didn't someone do paint ball shooting before as well?

As Saeed said to each his own. I personally don't understand the fascination with the bovine when there is so much other game to hunt in Africa and so many other experiences to be had. Personally I prefer the Pygmy Antelope and the Spiral Horned Antelope. Darting the Rino was fun once and isn't the object to have fun.

I actually darted two rhinos with a real tranquilizer (not vitamin), and enjoyed the experience immensely. We belly crawled in from over a 100yds in some very thick brush, and the shot was taken from about 8 yrds from a prone position. It was quite a rush, having it jump up and stomp back and forth trying to figure out what just happened. My PH just whispered, don't move!

Afterwards we took blood samples, DNA samples, placed micro-chips in the horns, and tons of Pics! Overall, would I shoot a rhino if I had the funds to do so...sure, but I certainly wouldn't have had such a close/personal encounter. Shooting a rhino with a rifle certainly isn't hard to do...dart gun, is definitely another story.

Also, darting rhinos, (even if it's record book motivated) generates income and a economic interest for ranchers to produce/conserve rhinos. Which is great for the conservation of the specie. So to each their own, I would recommend it to anyone, where it's legal and permitted.

Just an observation, nothing more. Having worked at a zoo for 25 years, I am well acquainted with the things that can go wrong, when darting ANY species in a captive situation. What numbers are available, for Rhino darting "hunts" that did not go as planned? What is the mortality rate, if any on these type "hunts"?

Years ago I wounded a wildebeest.

He went and stood among a bunch of white rhinos.

My PH said "careful of your shot, or this can be a vey expensive backstop".

I said "Don't worry, I won't shoot one of your pet rhinos"

i have to wonder. how many times was the same rhino darted back when it was OK? I FLAT DON'T BELIEVE THEY ONLY DARTED THE SAME ANIMAL ONCE!

And how many times has that rhino been entered in the books?

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Just an observation, nothing more. Having worked at a zoo for 25 years, I am well acquainted with the things that can go wrong, when darting ANY species in a captive situation. What numbers are available, for Rhino darting "hunts" that did not go as planned? What is the mortality rate, if any on these type "hunts"?

I have darted one rhino. I know the owners had insurance if something went wrong.

quote:

But, for a moment consider the following quote taken verbatim from an article about rhino darting written by Herb Atkinson, Chairman, SCI Record Book & World Hunting Awards Committee in Hunt Forever:
quote:
The tranquilizing dart must still be fired by a licensed veterinarian, then a dart full of vitamins is immediately fired by the client.

Soooo, if I took a picture of a rhino at the zoo, then threw a dart at it, would I be able to get my silver tin foil hat like the rest of the guys at SCI?

Tam Safaris confirmed by email that the client darts first.

When was the last time any of the large American companies
Made guns for darting? I oosted what weapon did Tony used
in Under Wild Skies?Someone he used an H&R can anyone tekk
us?

I just googled "deaths of animals from darting". Develop your own opinion. I won't do it. Many archers practice with blunt tipped arrows on game or cattle.......400 grains at 250-350 fps hitting any tissue will hurt,damage or kill.Make your choice.

If I shoot,I intend to kill.......hopefully,quickly. Jim

quote:

Originally posted by JCS271:

quote:

But, for a moment consider the following quote taken verbatim from an article about rhino darting written by Herb Atkinson, Chairman, SCI Record Book & World Hunting Awards Committee in Hunt Forever:
quote:
The tranquilizing dart must still be fired by a licensed veterinarian, then a dart full of vitamins is immediately fired by the client.

Soooo, if I took a picture of a rhino at the zoo, then threw a dart at it, would I be able to get my silver tin foil hat like the rest of the guys at SCI?

Just about sums it up.

Trophy hunting as we know it has died a long time ago.

SCI made sure of that as soon as they made it the holy grail of hunting.

What with their "inner Circles"!

I bet you so many of those SCI "trophies" entered by the glory seekers were gotten by a phone call.

"Hello Mr. Trophy Hunter. I got you that - put any animals you wish here - you were looking for to complete your trophy list. It was captured last week. Give us a few days, and we will transport it to another area for you to shoot."

Back to darting rhinos.

Apparently some of our friends here enjoy doing it.

Best of luck to them. Do it while you can, because I suspect it is not going to be available for that long.

Credit SCI with one more NO NO. In one string they do nothing and the next they have single handed ruined a sport. People use to say AR was a good source of information it appears it has now become a good source of misinformation and condemnation.

quote:

Originally posted by Die Ou Jagter:
Credit SCI with one more NO NO. In one string they do nothing and the next they have single handed ruined a sport. People use to say AR was a good source of information it appears it has now become a good source of misinformation and condemnation.

I have every respect for the true trophy hunter.

Who spends time and effort to shoot a trophy they wish.

But, SCI has made the holy grail of and an end all to itself.

The actual hunt has been forgotten by those people, only "look at me" seems to matter.

A whole industry has cropped up to supply the fame seekers, we have seen examples being advertised right here.

This whole thing has made a mockery of real trophy hunters.