The Big 5

[Rare Breed]

I love catching up with my world wide friends on AH everyday. I have been on 2 Safaris and thanks to all of you am now setting my goal on the big 5. Already have my buffalo and will hunt another in 23. I also am targeting a lion and rhino dart hunt in 23. Please share your experience when you set your goal for the big 5?

 

[Tanks]

I would have gone for the Big 5 if the Rhino is not farm raised nowadays. Just not into captive bred DG. As it is, the occasional wild Rhino auctioned off for over $300K is outside of my budget. In RSA ,I think, there are some hunts where you actually get to shoot the rhino not just dart it.

 

[Rare Breed]

Your a legend Tanks! Appreciate your opinion. $300K is outside my budget too

 

[K-man]

I consider myself to have taken the big 5. I have been fortunate enough to have assisted in tracking and darting on 2 different occasions wild black rhino, once as part of a tagging and collaring operation and most recently a relocation of black rhinos from the Save to a national park that hasn't had rhinos in over 30 years. If you can stalk within 30 yards of a black rhino mother and calf, I feel you have "hunted" that animal. The experience is the same, all that was missing was pulling a trigger. I realize in the most pure sense, it doesn't count, but my memory of the moment will remain with me forever.
Every hunter who has hunted in the Save has participated in the protection and care of the rhinos through his or her conservation fees and trophy fees.
That is a long answer to the question of darting a rhino inclusion into the big 5 club.
My personal feeling is you should hunt what you want to, without regard to completing a man-made "list". Not everyone is comfortable hunting animals like elephant and rhinos, lions, etc.

 

[Tanks]

...
My personal feeling is you should hunt what you want to, without regard to completing a man-made "list".

I agree there. I think one disservice SCI does is it to come up with a multitude of lists. I know they do it in order to gin up interest in hunting of species that people will normally not hunt. Not to mention, the human nature is to win "badges" so it has a motivational aspect. However, in a lot of cases people get so caught up on the destination that they forget all about the journey.

 

[BourbonTrail]

…However, in a lot of cases people get so caught up on the destination that they forget all about the journey.

+1000

 

[Rare Breed]

I agree there. I think one disservice SCI does is it to come up with a multitude of lists. I know they do it in order to gin up interest in hunting of species that people will normally not hunt. Not to mention, the human nature is to win "badges" so it has a motivational aspect. However, in a lot of cases people get so caught up on the destination that they forget all about the journey.

The big 5 is not viewed by a badge to me rather a personal goal. On my first two Safaris’s I took the PG that I wanted. I was told all about the different goals for PG but none interested me outside of taking what I wanted. The big 5 just energizes me for myself for my memories only. I agree with K Gun. I have read what an incredible challenge it is to stalk within 20 yards to shoot a rhino even with a dart gun. I like personal goals. I have set them all my life and to Tanks points enjoy so very much the planning and journey as the taking of the animal itself

 

[Red Leg]

So far buffalo and leopard. I have no interest in hunting a CBL or white rhino (which is not meant as condemnation of those who have). A PH and I did successfully stalk within forty-yards of a black rhino bull in central Namibia. I was carrying a rifle, but made the two "shots" with a Nikon. Most switched on animal I have ever seen. Like @K-man, I count him. I have stood within 20 yards of a white in the Limpopo - not quite the same species. I would love to hunt a lion in Zambia but am unable to justify that investment under current conditions. I am fortunate (sort of) to have been in spitting range of a magnificent male in Mozambique while armed with my S2 and an I-phone. For now, I count him as well. I am still considering elephant, though I have danced around a lot of them in the Caprivi and Mozambique.

Black Rhino - Namibia

White Rhino - Limpopo

Lions - Coastal Mozambique

 

[Tanks]

So far buffalo and leopard. ... I am still considering elephant, though I have danced around a lot of them in the Caprivi and Mozambique.

Come to Zimbabwe for a tuskless elephant. Less expensive than your recent Takeri trip not to mention more of a challenge as cows are the ones that are more temperamental and dangerous (like all females ).