thegroupmovedfurtheraway.I wasstarting
to wonder if this was ever going to come
together.Therhinosbrokeintotwogroups,
and using trees as coverwe leftthe ravine
and circled downwind through the trees
tryingtogetinfrontofthem.Therhinosalso
boltedfromcover,runningatusaswewere
runningtowardthem.It is oneofthecraziest
momentsofmylife.
Westoppedquicklybehinda largethorn
bushandtherhinoshaltedat theedgeoftheir
cover. Both animals and humans stopped
and staredateachotherthroughthecover.
Itwasa Mexican standoffin themiddleof
theAfricanbush.Bothsidesstayedfrozenfor
whatseemedlikeanhourbutwasprobably
onlyabout tentofifteen minutesuntilthe
rhinos lostinterestin whateverwashidden
behindthethornbush.Theybegantorelax
and graze, butas usualonerhino stood as
a scout while the others went about their
business.Stevenpulledmeaside.
“Weareonlytwentyyardsaway,hiddenby
thebush,easilywithinrange,”hewhispered.
I raisedthedartgun,settingmysightson
a nice rhino thatI thoughtSteven wanted
me to take,onlyto findout I wasonthe
wrongone.Theadvancescoutdidn’tlikethe
movement,and therhinosstartedtoslowly
moveaway.I wasstillaimingatthefirstbull
andwasbeginningtoshake.
“Wait,”saidSteven,“ourtargetis thelast
inline,andhe’sjustemergingfroma bush
directlyinfrontofus.”Butastherhinowas
starting to pick up speed to catch up with the
South Africa: 2016
It wasa Mexican
standoff in the middle
of the African bush.
others,Stevensaid,“Now,ontheshoulder!”
I squeezedthetrigger.Itmadea metallic
clickbutthedartneverleftthechamber,and
awaytherhinoswent.I wasdumbfounded.
Steven asked me what happened. I didn’t
know. I had pulled the trigger. Steven
checked the .22 round that ejected the dart,The rhino dart gun.
The rhino at full charge.