Guess dangerous will be different for many.. can only relate on some of my personal experiences .. In Zim one morning working our way into a blind for hyena, a tuskless cow elephant with calf charged my PH, (the late Ian Gibbons) and I in the dark.. we hit our flashlights with guns pointed at her and continued to back up as she pressed forward... I was waiting for Ian to shoot first.. she finally stopped what I determined to be 8 yards as I stepped it off after... for me that was close..

Another on the same trip, I shot a tuskless cow elephant at the request of the game dept.. who was harassing a village..that was 16 yards as she come at us.. have that on video tape..

While tracking buffalo one day, we came into a pride of lions who were bedded in the tall grass.. one smaller male and 4 lionesses.. we were face to face with them for about 3 to 4 minutes before they got up and moved off..was less than 20 yards..

Was in the high grass following a Western cape buffalo in Cameroon who I had just shot with my .375.. was a fatal hit, he just didn't know it yet.. I had short stroked the Sako model 75, trying to get it unjammed when the wounded buff came running back out of the tall grass passed me at about 25 yards.. VERY fortunate he didn't come for me.. I was very vulnerable in that one.. my PH was on the other side and had no idea what was happening..I got it cleared and fired another raking shot into him just as he was going back into the grass.. he ran about another 80 yards before falling..

Same Cameroon trip, Ph and I snuck in on a herd of Lord Derby Eland in the trees.. suddenly the bull came charging out ..was about a 100 yards.. PH told me to shoot..I hit him in the lungs..second shot through the shoulder.. looked to see why he took off as the wind was in our favor.. 2 male lions were chasing him.. at this point they were about 60 yards from the PH and I .. I fired in front of them --they turned and ran back into the brush..

Was hanging baits for leopard one day.. I walked around the trees a bit to relieve my bladder ..came face to face with 2 lioness laying in the grass..about 60 yards away.. suddenly my bladder seemed fine..

I immediately back tracked and got back to the rest of my group..

Those are some of my "closer experiences" in Africa

Have several others in N American..but save those for later

Will be interesting to see what others respond with ..

Good thread--thx for posting