A Rhino Hunt to Remember, by www.huntingreport.com

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By Dave Clark

(Editor Note: If you think a so-called Green (or Dart) Hunt for white rhino in South Africa is a walk in the park, you need to read the following report sent to us this past month by subscriber David R. Clark. His outfitter for the hunt was Thorny Bush Safaris (www.thornybushsafaris.com). I don't want to give away the plot, but I will tell you his report includes an account of a close-range charge - among other things. Enjoy!)

      We stalked up to 20 yards, and the dart rifle barked as the tiny dart sped to the target. The radio cracked. Dr. Alex Lewis called the truck and said, "Bring the ropes, now we're going to have some fun." This was moments after I had delivered the fourth dose of tranquilizer directly into the right hind quarter of the gold class rhino.

      The planning for my rhino "green hunt" had started months earlier. I had asked my friend Arthur Maker, owner of Thorny Bush Safaris (Tel. 011-27-11-391-5718. Web: www.thornybushsafaris.com) to investigate the possibility of darting a rhino. Maker was staying in my home while exhibiting at the Eastern Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during a month-long marketing trip to the United States. This gave me plenty of time to discuss the options and agree upon what I could afford and when I could return to Africa to pursue my dream of taking another member of the Big Five.

      I had settled on the choice of a dart hunt, as I could not possibly afford the $25,000 to $30,000-plus price tag to hunt a rhino in the conventional manner. I watched several specials on the Outdoor Channel, as well as the Discovery Channel and National Geographic to learn all I could about darting a rhinoceros. My initial concern that a dart hunt may not be as legitimate as an actual kill were quickly resolved when I learned that darting has an entire set of challenges not associated with a conventional hunt and that the range necessary to dart a rhino was a fraction of the range required to kill the animal with a large caliber high-powered rifle. This results in a difficult and significantly more dangerous hunt, as the "safety" of a very dangerous animal becomes paramount.

      Our very close friends, Larry and Sylvia Fowler, and my wife, Christine, and I were combining a plains game and a "green" rhino hunt with a photographic safari to Kruger National Park as a part of our 30th anniversary celebration. Larry and Sylvia were hunting plains game near Thabazimbi, South Africa, while Chris and I traveled south to hunt rhino. After the rhino hunt, we rejoined our friends. We had arrived at the Mongena Game Lodge around 8:30 pm the night before the scheduled hunt. We enjoyed a nice dinner, exquisite Cape red wine and a good night's sleep.

      We were awakened at 6 am to get ready and join the team for breakfast. Besides me and my wife, the team included several people, each with a vital role in the hunt. First there was Arthur, as the professional hunter who would guide me in the actual hunt, and his son, Malcolm, a professional hunter in training. Next was Dr. Alex Lewis, the veterinarian responsible for the drugs used to sedate and revive the rhino. He would also conduct a complete medical examination of the rhino during the capture. There was the helicopter pilot, who locates and follows the rhino after it has been darted, and if necessary herds the animal away from danger, such as running in a lake or over a cliff while under the influence of the tranquilizer. Also accompanying us was Spiker, the manager of the reserve, and Henry, Spiker's assistant who would video the action. The remainder of the team consisted of four native trackers familiar with the terrain and the habits of the rhino.

      After breakfast, I was briefed by Dr. Lewis on such specifics as the history and type of drugs used, how they are delivered and the expected reactions. He taught me the history of the development of the drug guns and the function and use of the dart rifle I would be using. The particular dart gun I would use was simply a single shot .32 caliber shot gun. The dart is loaded into the gun followed by a metal insert that held a small .22 caliber blank cartridge. When fired the blank cartridge delivers a gas charge that propels the dart out to an effective range of about 40 yards. The dart looks much like an oversized hypodermic needle with feather fins. It has a clear plastic chamber that holds the drug charge with an air charge behind the plunger. When the dart hits the intended target, the needle penetrates the skin, and the sudden stop releases the air charge, which pushes the plunger injecting the carefully measured drug dosage into the animal.

      The Doctor loaded several darts with water to replicate the actual weight for my practice shooting session. After several successful shots, we gathered our belongings and loaded up the safari truck. We headed off into the bush in search of one particular female rhino that carried an impressive horn and was a valuable asset in the South African white rhino breeding and restocking program. I had purchased a one-day insurance policy valued at 250,000 South African Rand (approximately $36,000 US) in the event something happened to the rhino. The briefing after breakfast had included the expected behavior of the rhino and the methods we would use to get in position to administer the drug. Dr. Lewis said rhinos sometimes charge, but they often just run and unfortunately they may run toward you when in fact it is not a deliberate charge. He told me, "If the rhino charges, do not run. Stand still and the rhino may run past you. In the worst case, you may get run over. But if you run, the rhino will be sure to put a horn in you." That was valuable advice that would later come in handy.

      The trackers had gone out in the bush at sun up and were successful in locating the rhino we were after. They radioed the approximate location, and we quickly proceeded to the general area. After a short search, we located our prey, and Arthur and I began a careful stalk, accommodating the wind direction. Henry accompanied us to capture the action on film. The remainder of the party stayed back and relaxed as it would be impossible to conduct a successful stalk with too many people. I was absolutely astounded when I first saw the magnificent animal. She was absolutely huge in body and with the largest horn I had ever seen in life or pictures.

      The rhino has poor eye sight, but possesses an exceptional olfactory and hearing capability. Arthur carried a small bottle of fine white talcum powder and checked the wind constantly. The wind was so slight that only by use of the powder were we able to discern the direction our scent would travel. We laughed about that later as we kept the direction of the wind drift in our faces, which resulted in me constantly dodging a cloud of white powder as we walked.

      We could see the rhino with her half-grown bull calf about 100 yards through the dense bush. The bush was thick with small acacia bushes and an occasional tree. The ground was covered with knee-high dried grass and scattered small rocks. We were able to creep up to about 35 yards from the pair with a careful and deliberate stalk, while keeping the wind in our favor. We stopped when either animal was looking in our direction and moved very slowly when conditions allowed. An impala ram, a pair of warthogs and a lone bull rhino all added to the complex situation involved in stalking our target. The members of the team that were not involved in the stalk chased the unwelcome intruders away to prevent them from intervening and alarming the rhinos.

      We were unable to gain any additional advantage, as we had no cover between us and where the pair stood. We remained as still as statues as we waited for a clear shot at our trophy. The bull calf was uneasy and changed positions several times as a result of the other animals in the vicinity. It seemed that either one or the other of the two rhinos was constantly looking in our direction. They have poor eye sight, but can detect the slightest movement.

      Finally, after several very long minutes, the rhinos became alert to something in the direction directly opposite from our position. The huge female turned around and presented a perfect rear-on shot for my dart. The preferred shot is to hit a large flat area such as the rear or side of the hind quarter or a direct side-on shoulder shot. There is the risk of the dart glancing off the very tough hide if it hits a curved surface or a lack of adequate penetration if it hits a bone, such as in the head, leg or a rib if shot in the mid-section of the body.

      I slowly raised the dart rifle and took careful aim. I softly whispered to Arthur for final confirmation as to the range, and we agreed it was 35 yards. I carefully squeezed the trigger and heard the sick sound of a weak charge, indicating a dud cartridge. The dart fell miserably short of the target, and the rhinos thundered off in the direction they had been standing.

      We joined the team at the truck and decided that we would give the rhinos an hour or so to settle down and try again. The trackers immediately took up the trail and followed at a safe distance to prevent detection. To pass the time, we drove down to a lake and rode around on a pontoon boat. It was quite enjoyable watching the many birds around the lake, and we watched three hippos feeding in the water. We saw a large monitor lizard on the shore, and when we approached it quickly slipped into the water and disappeared.

      When a sufficient amount of time had passed, we returned to shore and loaded up the truck. A call on the radio to the trackers indicated that the great beasts had only traveled a short distance from where we had previously pursued them. After a short drive, we walked about a half a mile and again made visual contact with our intended trophy. The rhinos stood out as very large and dirty, cream-colored boulders in the bush.

      We repeated the careful and deliberate stalk as before. This effort resulted in our advance being stopped slightly out of range as we crept up to an open grass area about 50 yards from the rhinos. We could not safely approach any closer with no cover. If we were detected, the rhinos would either run off or charge, as we were definitely within their danger zone. The wind disallowed a flanking move, so we decided to try from where we were. I took the shot but failed to adequately compensate for the range due to overhanging branches near the target and the dart again fell short.

      We would need to allow the rhinos time to settle down before we could make another attempt, so we decided to go to lunch and try again later. The trackers took up the trail, and we returned to the lodge for a bite to eat. After a nice lunch and a few more practice shots with the dart rifle, we again took up the chase. The trackers guided us to the general vicinity of the rhinos by radio, and we were again lucky to locate them very quickly. They had traveled several kilometers from their location earlier in the morning to a very dense portion of the bush. This allowed a much easier stalk, and we were quickly in a position within 35 yards of our quarry.

      The thick bush allowed a close stalk, but it also presented the problem of getting a clear shot for the delicate little dart. I leopard-crawled a little closer and by laying under a bush was able to see a clear path about 30 yards from the muzzle of the gun to the front left shoulder of the huge female rhino. I again took careful aim and being in a prone position I was able to hold very steady on the point of the shoulder. This time the dart rifle barked a sharp report, and the dart struck perfectly in the center of the large muscled shoulder. The rhinos wheeled around and charged out of the area.

      They ran, and due to the direction they chose, it was only a brief moment when Chris and the other members of the team saw the pair of mighty beasts thunder across the small dirt road a mere 15 yards in front of the truck. The helicopter pilot was alerted and quickly took flight to locate and protect the drugged rhino. We followed on foot as fast as we could until the truck arrived to pick us up and continue the pursuit. When we were near the location of the circling helicopter we stopped and waited. The rhinos had run over two kilometers in just minutes, and were not showing any signs of surrender.

      Dr. Lewis radioed the chopper pilot to get a report on the rhino's reaction to the drug that had been administered. The pilot reported the effects were obvious by the characteristic curling of the tail above the back and an occasional stumble. However the great beast continued to run to avoid the circling helicopter. The allotted 10 minutes when the rhino was expected to succumb to the drug passed with little change. Dr. Lewis radioed the chopper to pick him up so he could witness the effects of the drug first hand. After being airborne, he soon radioed back to the team and stated that the drug was affecting the rhino, but he wanted to give her another dose to speed the process along. I, of course, agreed and much to my mistake thought we would soon be posing for close-up pictures with this marvelous animal.

      The rhino continued to evade the capture and was given two doses from the air. The 10 minutes in which one dose was supposed to subdue the rhino had now become three doses and nearly an hour. The helicopter was in need of fuel, so the pilot set down to drop off Dr. Lewis and headed back to the lodge for fuel.

      Dr. Lewis ran back to the truck and much to my delight told me, "Come on; we're going to do this the African way -on foot." He told everyone else to stay on the truck, and we went running in the direction of the last sighting of the rhinos. We slowed to a walk after jogging a couple of hundred yards and immediately spotted the rhinos. We began to stalk closer when we realized there were three other rhinos in the vicinity. We were surrounded by the cow and calf that we were pursuing as well as another smaller cow with a calf and a lone bull. We stopped and watched the darted rhino and calf while the others slipped away.

As we approached the rhino, Dr. Lewis said to stay behind her and out of her line of sight. "Take your time, and give her another dose," he told me. As I wrote at the beginning of this story, this is where we stalked to 20 yards, and I made another accurate shot placement and the fourth injection of tranquilizer.

Minutes after Dr. Lewis called for the ropes, the others joined us in the bush. We chased the bull calf away, and the helicopter, which had rejoined us overhead, herded the young bull out of the area for our safety. Dr. Lewis was standing to my left as Arthur, Spiker and Henry approached from behind. The massive rhino was about 40 yards away when she saw us and charged. She ran straight at the doctor and me. Much to my surprise, Dr. Lewis ran to his left, and the rhino turned on a dime at about three yards in front of me and in a split second covered the 10 to 15 yards that separated her from the veterinarian. He tried to jump aside just as she threw her long horn between his legs. She failed to gore him, but she did lift him up and slam him into a cat thorn bush with her massive shoulder and thundered on past.

      The doctor lay on the up-rooted thorn bush for a moment and did not move. I feared he was killed, so you can imagine the exhilaration I felt when he began to move and slowly tried to sit up. I ran to his aid, as did the others, and we extradited him from his thorny snare. He had been impaled by dozens of thorns and was bloodied from head to toe. He had a ghastly bruise about nine inches long on his inner thigh, which was a tell tale of the rhino's intentions. His first remark was that he couldn't believe he was risking his neck to save a damn Yankee. I am not sure if he ran to save me or to save himself, but in any case I am grateful and I thank God that neither of us was seriously hurt. Two days after the hunt we learned that Dr. Lewis had fractured vertebrae in his lower back, but he will be fine and a full recovery is expected.

      I asked him how many times he had been charged by rhino, and he said never before. That was the first time. He said he darts over a 100 rhinos a year in his job as a large wild animal veterinarian in Africa, and he had never encountered a rhino like this in his life. After his intimate encounter, he darted the rhino two more times out of three shots (one hitting a tree). When the great beast seemed to be completely under the influence of the drug, he slipped a rope around her rear leg and one of the trackers tied the other end off to the nearest tree.

      Moments later she seemed to regain her senses and tried to charge yet again nearly uprooting the tree where the rope was tied. Her charge caused us to scatter in all directions, including Chris who was now running the video camera. She seemed to calm down again, and at that point Dr. Lewis injected yet another dose directly into her rump, using a hypodermic needle as we had exhausted the supply of darts. The mighty animal took seven doses and several hours to succumb. That is truly an amazing testament to her tenacity for survival.

      She then was standing between two small trees, out on her feet. Dr. Lewis crawled up on her back and inserted cotton plugs into her ears and covered her eyes. The moment her eyes were covered she settled down and lay on her chest. If she were to fall on her side, the team would have to roll her onto her chest to prevent her from suffocating from her own weight of nearly three tons.

      The trackers poured cool water over her to keep her from over heating from the stress of the capture. While at the same time we took measurements of her girth and impressive horns and knelt beside the mighty beast to pose for photographs. (Highveld Taxidermy will make an exact replica shoulder mount from the information gathered.) Dr. Lewis drew blood and completed his physical examination.

      Within minutes we cleared the area, and the reversal shot was administered. After about 30 seconds the amazing beast stood up and began looking for her calf. We had retreated to the safety of the truck, took more pictures and excitedly told and retold all of the incredible details of the day's events.

      I do not know if familiarity had made Dr. Lewis complacent, or if I had witnessed extreme bravery, but in either case I hold great admiration for this man. He is a true professional, and the wild life in Africa will benefit from his efforts. Arthur Maker was great in guiding me throughout the three stalks, and it is obvious he is a skilled and talented hunter. The remainder of the team performed admirably, and I feel truly blessed. The only unfortunate thing was that the battery in Henry's video camera went flat, and we missed getting the charge on film.

      This was a fantastic adventure, and it is special to have had the privilege of encountering such an amazing specimen. I thank God all ended well, and I am especially thankful and remain grateful to the love of my life, my wife, Chris, who tolerates my wild side. This is the most memorable (30th) anniversary possible. Every time I replay the events of that day in my mind, I realize I am smiling from ear to ear! - Dave Clarke.