BOWHUNTING Rhinoceros

[AfricaHunting.com]

Bowhunting Rhinoceros Shot Placement

Post your questions, comments or pictures relating to bowhunting shot placement.

Bowhunting Rhinoceros

Bowhunting Rhinoceros

 

[Gerhard]

These guys are build like tanks!!!!

I did penetration test with my bow on a rhino after being hunted by client.

My setup generated 98ft/lbs energy.

Penetration was only 8 inches.

Granted I did not use a 2 blade broad head as none was available, but the 125gr Slick Ticks performed well.

This to give you an idea how thick the skin in on the shoulder

 

[Skyline]

An archery hunter I know who has hunted all over the globe and also taken the big five with his bow.................had a bit of trouble with the rhino. I saw some video of his white rhino and it was rather grim.

As you have noted Gerhard, penetration was not good and suffice it to say there was a rhino running around with a number of arrows sticking out of it before it finally went down. Not a text book archery kill and certainly not a video that one would want out in non-hunting circles.

 

[Gerhard]

I have also mad a deliberate shot on the rib bone of the rhino.

All shot were taken at distance of 20 yards....

The arrow weight was 850gr and I hit the rib bone solid and even with all that energy that is created the arrow stopped dead against that rib bone as if I have shot he arrow into a concrete wall!!!!

 

[mrpoindexter]

Sorry for resurrecting a dead thread, but...

Backing out those numbers, it looks like you had
850 grain arrow
98 Ft Lbs K.E.

Therefore,
~228 FPS velocity
0.86 Slugs Momentum

Recommended minimum I saw was 105 Ft-Lbs KE with a 950 grain arrow for 0.94 Slugs Momentum (223 FPS)

You were under the recommendation, but not by much. The 3 blade BH certainly was a problem. All this is likely moot now unless somebody knows where it is allowed to hunt rhino with a bow. I am very close to hitting the numbers needed - probably can do it if I just crank up my poundage again. The $64,000 question (and hopefully it is not $64,000) is where one can shoot a rhino with a bow these days?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Sorry for resurrecting a dead thread, but...

There are no dead threads on AH , all of the information here is to be used as much as possible.

 

[jeff]

With 125 grain heads he might not have had enough FOC , the right broadhead and a heavier arrow may have made quite a difference.

 

[mrpoindexter]

At 850 grains for his TAW, I suspect he had a heavy insert and a decent FOC. The three blade BH was probably by far the biggest detractor on penetration.

 

[mrpoindexter]

Circling back to this, if he deliberately shot the rib, my guess is he was rather close. If he shot too close, the arrow would not be stable in flight and might have lost a lot of its penetration.

I am now shooting 90lbs draw weight on my Monster Safari. 1,250 grain arrow with 116.7 Ft-Lbs of Kinetic Energy and 1.14 slugs of Momentum. I still cannot find a rhino hunt with a bow. I still need my leopard and to redo my elephant with a bow (was a rifle last time as I could not secure a bow permit) and then I am going to be pushing hard for the rhino. It looks like the last one in SCI record book was May of 2015 in RSA.

RSA no longer allows bows on rhino. Namibia doesn't allow bows on dangerous game. Zimbabwe won't issue a permit for thick skinned game with a bow. Any chance another country gets quota on white rhino? (I have no delusions on being able to afford black rhino).

 

[mrpoindexter]

There are no dead threads on AH , all of the information here is to be used as much as possible.

Well, it is time to get this thread back to life. Bring me some paddles!!

Here is the news - I submitted an application for a rhino hunt and also am asking for an exemption to hunt it with a bow. Fingers crossed. I should know in a couple weeks. Working on getting back into shape with my heavy bow as I didn't shoot much during COVID. I plan on cranking it up again tomorrow and should be at about 80lbs. I am going to need fresh strings to get it back up to 90 as the cables have stretched.

I still have all my original pachyderm gear - 1,250 grain arrows with a 315 Ashby broadhead and 30%+ FOC.

Has anybody seen other arrow penetration tests on rhino?