I have been within say 20 feet of a black rhino in the Bubiana Conservancy of Zimbabwe in 1994. In the dark. I never saw it standing right in front of me, 20 feet across a clearing, but we could hear it stripping the branches of leaves, which attracted the attention of the PH. Who asked the tracker, "what is that, elephant?" Judea replied "No, rhino." We back tracked and got out of there quickly.

Was hunting wildebeest with my .30-06 Parker Hale. The PH had a .416 Rem Mag. If it had become aware of us and charged, can you shoot something in the dark you can't see? And if dropped, gaol sentences for us, perhaps expulsion for me.

The same black rhino bull had ealier walked past within sight of my wife waiting in the Landcruiser with another tracker. So we had confirmed exactly what it was.

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Great story, XAUSA. I was just thinking we need more hunting stories on NE again. And how to get some going. To add to the many classic firearms, collecting and gunsmithing type threads. I enjoy good riproaring hunting adventure yarns !!!

I think you had some luck. How awful if the PH's shot had smashed the great horn instead of nicking it. Plus what a great beast when they could still be hunted and also in East Africa. Once were very numerous pests, now handfulls only thanks to poachers and wildlife areas encroachment by local peoples.