hellos
with the landowner, went over the necessary paperwork and hit the
bush. My main man
Nico was in charge with my primary tracker Samuel and another
tracker from the property accompanying the party. Finding the rhino
proved to be easy but closing to within shooting range was another
matter. It seemed that the bull we were after was running with
a large cow and her newborn calf making any approach next to impossible
as the protection of the calf seemed to be paramount in their actions.
Time and again we would close the distance between ourselves and
the alert bull only to have the group break and run away. Aggressively
we proceeded on the track undeterred by the constant break and
run tactics employed by our prey. Finally, after hours of pursuit,
it all seemed to come together.
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The
wind was right, the approach was good, and the target was exposed
in an area conducive to a short stalk and open shot. Getting the
rhino, client, PH, and camera all in
sync so as to get the shot on video was difficult but accomplished
after minutes of frustrating side stepping and repositioning. Once
all was ready, Bob connected on an 80 yard broadside shot with
his .375 H&H Mag and 300 grain Trophy
Bonded Sledgehammers. At the shot the bull wheeled along with the
cow and appeared to be running to our left. Upon catching our
wind, however, they both turned and commenced a full charge in
our specific direction. In retrospect, it all seems to have happened
in slow motion. I remember peering over the camera lens to see
the bull at only 15 yards coming straight on with his massive head
swinging from
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side
to side in an effort to pinpoint our exact location with his poor
eyesight. I remember the cow being just off the bull’s shoulder
zeroing in on Bob as she made her final approach and Bob sticking
out his arm as if to stiff arm the beast. Most vividly, I remember Nico,
unflinching, bringing his .458 3” Express Magnum to shoulder and
touching off the shot that stopped the bull at 5 yards from the camera; momentum
carrying him forward and causing the great bull to land on the camera
which had fallen to the ground in the chaos. I remember all of these
things and how narrowly Bob escaped death as the cow brushed off
his outstretched hand and continued thru us and away from the group.
The aftermath of this hunt was emotional to say the least.
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